Retailer pivots to survive lockdown

Fashion, Beauty and Health with Denise McNamara

If you have wandered through Galway City any time recently no doubt you will be astounded by the number of units now permanently empty as a result of the pandemic. Those businesses which are managing to keep the wolf from the door and plan to reopen for Christmas really do deserve to be supported rather than opting for swelling the pockets any further of Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon and the richest man in the world.

One family firm badly hit due to the lack of weddings, Galway Races, celebratory events and recently Halloween is Glitzy Bitz.

Set up by Limerick matriarch Fionnuala Conway over 30 years ago as the go-to place for accessories to match outfits such as bags, headpieces and costume jewellery.

When daughter Sharon came on board, they rapidly expanded during the boom and opened shops across the regional towns and cities, setting up in the Eyre Square Shopping Centre and Tuam Shopping Centre.

The latter became their flagship fashion store before closing as the business restructured, with now six stores still trading. They have just moved some of their most popular fashion lines to the shopping centre in a pivot away from accessories alone and in response to the closure of so many fashion retailers in the heart of the City.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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