Iconic 120-year-old Cork store closes
The Central Shoe Store on Grand Parade closed at lunchtime yesterday, and Carol Lane, who has worked at the store for 11 years, said it was a sad day for the 11 staff members.
“One of my colleagues has worked here for 55 years, most have spent most of their lives working here, it’s a very sad day,” she said.
Ms Lane said that staff had yet to receive their redundancy but have applied for it, and thanked neighbouring business Soho for the generosity they showed staff on their last day.
“We went for breakfast there and we went to pay and they wouldn’t let us,” said Ms Lane. “They looked after us and gave us vouchers for a few drinks after we close up. They were very kind, and we’ve had well wishes from people calling in this morning.”
The store forms part of a plot of more than half an acre on St Patrick’s St and Grand Parade, including the Capitol Cinema, which went on sale for €6m last October.
The large site stretches from the western end of St Patrick’s St onto Grand Parade and includes the pubs the Oyster Tavern and The Vineyard.
Planning was sought back in 2008 for a €200m scheme to include 100,000 sq ft of retail development, and remained largely unoccupied, having cost an estimated €60m to €70m to assemble over a number of years.
Footwear Distributors Ltd, which runs Central Shoe Stores, was one of a number of companies controlled by property developer Joe O’Donovan to be placed into receivership last year.
Eoin Ryan, of Limerick-based McKeogh, Gallagher, Ryan & Associates was appointed as receiver in August 2013 and the store continued trading until its announced closure last October.
Ms Lane said that the closure was particularly sad given the time of year.
”It was months away, then weeks, then days, and now its here,” said Ms Lane. “We made good friends working here together. We’ll miss each other. It’s sad to see.”
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