Sweet shop and wine store are among new ventures

While the economic downturn has seen a number of businesses close in Navan, despite the recession there are also new businesses opening in the town. Navan Chamber of Commerce President William O'Reilly said that there are always opportunities for new businesses. "It is no secret that there is an economic downturn and some businesses will close as a result, but there are also opportunities for new businesses to set up on Navan's main shopping street with very competitive rents and fantastic shop frontage," said Mr O'Reilly. He said it was very easy to single out rent as being a deciding factor to close down but that it is not. He commented that new businesses have opened such as a new clothes boutique, new sweet shop, a new cafe, suit hire and the Wine Buff and he added that a restaurant is due to open. Mr O'Reilly said the chamber has been in discussion with the town council about rates and that CCTV cameras are on the way. He said that sterling work done had been done on the CCTV project by Michael Cassidy in Navan Chamber and that it will be very positive for the town. "New businesses have opened but you will always have some vacant units. Some businesses in their infancy don't make it but many do. These vacant premises are an opportunity for somebody," he said. One of Navan's newest retail units is the Sweet Shop on Watergate Street, opened by 21 year-old Kealan O'Connor from Ardmulchan, who runs the shop with his girlfriend Samantha Tobin, who is from Skyrne. An old fashioned sweet shop, customers can buy a "quarter" of old favourites such as rhubarb and custard, chocolate satins and cough tablets. Mr O'Connor had been working in the building trade but was put down to three days a week and didn't want to draw the dole. He was in Dublin with his girlfriend one day when he saw an old fashioned sweet shop and thought he'd like to do something like that in Navan. Not one to wait around, Mr O'Connor began googling for his research and was up and running three weeks later. He knew the owner of the unit and felt it was the perfect size and was on the older side of the town. The attractive shop has row upon row of sweet jars from Bonds of England and Waverlys of Dublin, as well as other treats for young and old. Ms Tobin, who runs her own mobile hairdressing business, also helps out in the shop and said that business has been pretty good so far. While children are coming in with their parents, a lot of the customers are adults and say the shop reminds them of being a child. After successfully running The Wine Buff in Drogheda for four years, Barry Sheridan from Dunderry decided to expand and open another shop in Navan. He opened his new store on Market Square in May. Mr Sheridan said that a lot more people are entertaining at home and are not going out as much. He added that wine is now much more accessible and that people are looking for something different than what they can get in the supermarket. Mr Sheridan's business model is based on giving his customers a service they wouldn't usually get and also a good price. He encourages his customers to try new things and educates them in their wine. One of the biggest difficulties he said it to get people to realise that it is not all high end wines and that they can buy a good bottle of wine from €7 up. So far feedback to his business has been very positive and the Wine Buff is already benefiting from repeat business. "It is about building up a relationship with people and getting to know your customer's needs," he said. "It is tentatively going well. We have come a long way in a short time but still have a long distance to go". The Wine Buff also holds wine tasting evenings and courses which are proving very popular. Mr Sheridan said the general consensus from people is that he was mad to expand in a recession but he said there are always opportunities there and it is all about "the idea, the right research and a proper business plan". "If you have the right idea, the right location and do your research properly it should tell you if it will work, if you are honest in your business plan. There is too much negativity out there. There are always opportunities, no matter what the climate is." Pat Magee opened the new Protocol men's suit hire shop in Navan two months ago on Ludlow Street. He already had stores in Drogheda and Belfast and saw an opening for a suit hire shop in Navan when he saw that customers were coming from Navan to his store in Drogheda. "I saw that there was a good catchment area and not too much competition. People were coming to my shop in Drogheda. It is a case of going after where the customers are," he said. Mr Magee added that while brides will travel when choosing their dress, in general men don't travel for suit hire. Protocol specialises in suits for abroad weddings and customers can also hire a suit to attend a wedding, as well as formal suit hire for weddings, debs and formal occasions.