Discount retailer creates 30 new jobs

THIRTY new jobs will be created in Shannon when discount retailer Dealz opens its 13th store in Ireland this Thursday.
Miss Clare Hazel McMahon will be on hand to kick-start the celebrations as they cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the new store in the town centre.
Located at unit 40A, SkyCourt Shopping Centre, with a retail space of 6,900ft2, Dealz Shannon is the newest edition to the Dealz portfolio. The new store brings the total number of jobs created in Ireland to date to over 390.
The new store is taking up the unit vacated by another discount store, BuyLo, which closed last January with the loss of 12 jobs, just seven months after the franchise model owned by the Barry Group, one of Ireland’s leading wholesale distribution companies, set up in SkyCourt.
BuyLo store manager, Sean Leo confirmed at the time the decision was taken for commercial reasons and he paid tribute to his extremely dedicated staff.
He said the decision to close was a “very difficult one for all working here at BuyLo in Shannon”.
“The retail industry is being exposed to particularly challenging trading conditions at present and, unfortunately, our store has fallen victim to these difficulties,” he said at the time.
The manager of SkyCourt, Pat Kelly expressed delight at the announcement of the opening of Dealz. “In these recessionary times our customers are seeking value and the opening of a discount retailer meets that need. Dealz has vast experience in the discount retail market and I am confident it will be a great boost for the centre.”
Asked if he was confident that Dealz wouldn’t suffer the same fate as BuyLo, Mr Kelly said he was very confident that the former would do very well in Shannon and described it as a great boost for the centre.
With over 350 stores in the UK, Mr Kelly noted Dealz has huge buying power, which allows it to sell goods at €1.49 or less.
An integrated part of Poundland, Europe’s biggest single price discount retailer, Dealz has additional stores across the Republic, including Blanchardstown, Portlaoise, Letterkenny, Killarney, Newbridge, Limerick, Cork, Athlone, Santry, Mullingar, Gorey and Drogheda, which are overseen by Cork native Leonard Brassel, Dealz senior business manager in Ireland.
Commenting on the new store opening, Mr Brassel said, “We are very excited to be expanding the Dealz portfolio in Ireland with the opening of our new store in Shannon. The new store is the 13th Dealz store to open in Ireland to date and has created 30 new jobs for the Clare area.”
The Mayor of Shannon also expressed her satisfaction with the announcement. Councillor Mary Brennan commented, “It is great to see a new business coming to the centre in these difficult times. It is a great boost for employment and we wish them every success and hope they grow from strength to strength and encourage people to shop locally.”
Dealz will celebrate the new store opening by welcoming customers to partake in family fun activities, including face painters, balloon artists and in-store competitions.