Birr shop vying for Store of the Year title
A popular Birr shop in business since 1890, has been selected as a finalist in the AIB Merchant Services Retail Excellence Awards 2021.
R.J. Barber & Sons, a family jewellery business now in its fourth generation, is one of 30 finalists from around the country vying to be crowned Ireland’s national Store of the Year for 2021. The overall winner will be announced on November 10 at the Guinness storehouse.
The Store of the Year competition is the central part of the Retail Excellence Annual Awards, which were established in 1997 to promote best practice and encourage the highest standards in the Irish retail industry. They are now the largest and most prestigious of their kind in Ireland.
Former National Store of the Year winners include Avoca, Tilestyle, Applegreen, Arboretum, O’Briens Wines, Galvin For Men, Willow and Green Acres.
Commenting on the announcement, Duncan Graham, Managing Director, Retail Excellence, said: “I am delighted to announce the finalists for these national awards. We all know the hardships that retailers have gone through since the emergence of the pandemic, and as such we must celebrate the positives even more so now.
"Even though there are just 30 finalists announced today, the reality is that the entire industry has worked so hard to emerge even stronger after the pandemic and we are proud to be there to support them in every way we can”.
The finalists are:
Applegreen Swords Road, Santry, Dublin
Arboretum, Your Home & Garden Heaven, Old Kilkenny Road, Carlow
Arnotts, Henry Street, Dublin
Brown Thomas, St. Patrick Street, Cork
Conaty’s CarePlus Pharmacy, Dunboyne, Meath
Diamond Furniture, Mooney Retail Park, Dublin
ECCO, Princes Street, Cork
Fabiani, Main Street, Longford
Fervor and Hue, Cornmarket Centre, Cork
Frank’s Place, 1860 Ferrybank South, Wexford
Harvey Norman, Sligo Retail Park, Sligo
Home Street Home, Harolds Cross Road, Dublin
Insomnia, Shackleton Tobermaclugg, Dublin
Jump Juice Bars, The Pavilions, Dublin
Kilkenny Shop & Café, Nassau Street, Dublin
McGuire Diamonds, Gorey, Wexford
Michael Murphy Home Furnishing, Airside Retail Park, Dublin
Mullingar Opticians, Mullingar Shopping Centre, Westmeath
Nook & Cranny, Portlaoise, Laois
Petstop, Gateway Retail Park, Galway
R.J. Barber & Sons, Birr, Offaly
Specsavers, Ballincollig, Cork
The Butler’s Pantry, Harcourt Street, Dublin
The Source Bulk Foods, Rathmines, Dublin
The Whiskey Collection, T2 Dublin Airport, Dublin
Topline Murtaghs, Ashbourne, Meath
Vodafone Henry Street, Henry Street, Dublin
Whelehans Wines Silver Tassie, Loughlinstown, Dublin
Wild Atlantic Opticians & Living, Kilrush, Clare
Windyridge Nurseries & Garden Centre, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin