'Texas Tom' in good spirits despite postponement of new store's opening

The coronavirus may have postponed one of the most eagerly anticipated shop openings in Tullamore in recent years, but the man behind the project is still in good spirits.

When it was announced on social media last month that the Texas department store was returning to Tullamore, and more specifically to its original home on William Street, the news was warmly welcomed by former customers from across the midlands.

The store's opening on May 1, however, has had to be rescheduled due to the coronavirus crisis, which has led to all the closure of non-essential retail outlets.

Speaking to the Offaly Independent this week, the store's proprietor, Tom McNamara, who's also known as 'Texas Tom', said that the shop will now hopefully be reopened in the summer.

“Right now we should have been getting in deliveries of stock, which we had forward ordered. But luckily we were able to cancel those orders and we are now hoping for the first of June. If that doesn't work out then we are going for the fifteenth of September.”

Mr McNamara began preparing the Texas comeback around 18 months ago, he says. He had been the proprietor of a cafe, The Coffee Club, but sold it so that he could focus his attentions on his new project.

“There is quite a lot in getting stock organised and forward planning and forward buying,” he says.
In mid February, the news that Texas was returning to Tullamore was announced on social media and caused quite a stir, much to the delight of its proprietor.

“I was so happy when I saw those [Facebook] likes topping up. I think it's coming up to over 9,000 likes in a little over a month. It really warmed my heart when I saw the affection and nostalgia people had for the shops.”

The retail landscape has changed significantly in the last decade due to the increase in online shopping. McNamara estimates that around half of his business will be from online sales and says that the postponement of the shop's opening has given him and his team time to focus on their website.

Although the coronavirus crisis "couldn't have come at a worst time" for his new business, he says that he has been heartened by the solidarity shown by people during this difficult time. He is also confident that whenever Texas opens it will live up to people's expectations.

“I intend not to disappoint people when I open. It will be something back to the old Texas way of high quality at low prices and high fashions at low prices,” he says.