Galway newsagent expands his city empire

The perception that newsagents are part of a dying breed of local shops is one that Galway businessman Billy Shearer doesn’t subscribe to.

After recently opening the doors of Newspoint at Galway Shopping Centre, Billy says their success shows that these stores – once a staple on every main street – still have a lot to offer, even in a market dominated by supermarket chains.

Owner Billy Shearer

The Peterswell-based newsagent, who runs the business with his wife Orla, says the demand for a local shop where people can get in and out for their morning paper is on the up again.

“Believe it or not, there is an increasing demand. Newspapers and magazines went down a lot over the last ten years, but over the last year-and-a-half to two years, they’re on the increase again.

“There is a steady trend of people looking for niche magazines in particular. Knitting and quilting magazines have become very popular, as have the fishing and food magazines. We have a system in place now where people can come in and ask for the magazine they want and if we don’t have it, we can tell them in 30 seconds if we can get it for them,” explains Billy.

The couple now have four shops in the city – Newspoint adding to their XL Stores in Eyre Square Shopping Centre and Terryland, and Headlines in Corrib Shopping Centre.

Billy, who is originally from Coogan Park in Westside, said he and his wife Orla, from Riverside, place great value on their position as a local business run by local people.

“I started as a merchandiser for Dawn Dairies when I was 17 years old and the shop I was working in were Dunnes Stores in Terryland, Quinnsworth (now Tesco) in the Shopping Centre, and Roches Stores. I always admired the three newsagents there and I could see the potential,” he says of how he came to the business.

“I took my first shop 20 years ago but I’ve had newsagents for the past ten or so years – Eyre Square Shopping Centre would be the one I’ve had the longest.”

Christina Corrigan & Shane McNamara, management at Newspoint.

Convenience is the word Billy stresses as he explains what differentiates his stores from the larger supermarkets.

“We feed off the bigger shops – here in Newspoint, we’re beside Tesco. The others are beside Dunnes Stores and Marks & Spencer. The key to that is if we can offer a nice product, quickly and for a fair price, we’ll do well.

“When people come in, they want to pick up a newspaper, a cup of coffee and do the Lotto. Have a quic

k chat with the staff who know what they want and just get in and out. We also have stationery and greeting cards, all good-quality from good suppliers,” says Billy.

The stores are kept modern and up to the latest standards, all of which ensures people will keep coming back.

With 26 staff from all across the city and county, Billy says the business has been growing and will continue to do so.

“I know that we have the right product and we offer it to people in the right way, we can capture the footfall from the bigger shops and that is key to keeping a business going,” he adds.