Development may be in the frame at up-for-sale Marcus Framing, a prime Cork City centre site 

The century-old business, run by well-known members of the once flourishing Cork Jewish community, supplied Roches Stores with picture frames 

Perfectly framed for offers at Nos 12 & 13 Adelaide Street, where Marcus Framing premises is up for sale via Casey & Kingston Picture: Chani Anderson

THE era of devotion to the sacred heart, when his mass-produced image was a staple in every Irish household, was good for business at Marcus Framing, which started out by framing ‘holy pictures” but is now shutting up shop after more than a century.

In its heyday, the Adelaide Street company supplied nine Roches Stores’ outlets nationally with both photo frames and framed pictures. The premises is on the market now as its owner, Clare Rosehill, is retiring. Offers in excess of €600,000 are being sought for the 3,400 sq m property, which is spread across Nos 12 & 13 Adelaide Street, and is being sold by tender.

Marcus Framing dates back to 1923 when Solomon Marcus, a member of Cork’s then flourishing Jewish community, opened the business, initially framing Catholic holy pictures, such as images of the sacred heart and the immaculate conception, and St Martin de Porres, the first black saint of the Americas, who was big in Ireland at the time.

Although Solomon had five children, none was interested in joining the business: two of his sons included former Irish Press literary editor David Marcus and award-winning filmmaker Louis Marcus.

Filmmaker Louis Marcus pictured with his friend, the late Taoiseach Jack Lynch

The late David Marcus, former Irish Press literary editor, whose father Solomon established Marcus Framing Picture: Moya Nolan

 In the end, Solomon’s best friend, Harry Rosehill, took over Marcus Framing, having already established a strong business relationship with the company, as it was where the holy pictures he sold on the road as a travelling salesman were framed.

Michael Smith former Minister, Conor Doyle, National Sculpture Factory, New Zealand based artist, Maddie Leach and Fred Rosehill, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Cork Hebrew Congregation, at the launch in 2011 of The Evening Echo Project, A New Artwork to mark the Jewish Community's Presence in Cork, at the National Sculpture Factory, Cork City Picture: Clare Keogh 

With the Rosehill’s at the helm, Harry was joined in the business by his son Eric. However when Eric died, his brother Freddie, who had been studying medicine in UCC, dropped out of his course to join Marcus Framing in the 1960s.

“He built a solid business supplying Roches Stores nationally, as well as developing the bespoke side of the business,” says Clare of her father, who passed away in 2016, and was remembered in newspaper obituaries as a high-profile and hard-working member of Cork’s dwindling Jewish community.

“We had two separate workshops at the Adelaide Street premises and we had six staff at one stage making frames for Roches Stores, and we had two framers working for the bespoke side of the business,” Clare says.

Workshop area at Marcus Framing

Following the closure in the mid-naughties of Roches Stores, Marcus Framing supplied frames to Debenhams for a short while, until competition from the Far East put paid to the contract, and subsequently the business developed into “almost 100% bespoke” framing, covering everything from prints, to photos, to canvasses, tapestries and even football jerseys and other memorabilia.

Marcus Framing shop interior

After 26 years at Marcus Framing, Clare, who took over the business from her father, is selling the premises, as her own children live overseas and have not expressed an interest in taking up the reins.

"I'm sad to sell up, it will leave a void, but the time is right," Clare says, adding that the site "is very obviously a development site, although in the short term, a framing shop could trade out of it".

Selling agent Sam Kingston Snr of Casey & Kingston says the site the premises is on has "significant mixed-use development potential” that could be “easily developed” with planning permission, which he predicted would be favourable, given the site’s prime city centre location.

“It’s of a size (3,413 sq m/36,700 sq ft) that will attract small builders or developers and I think someone will buy it to build accommodation,” Mr Kingston said. There's precedent nearby for student accommodation, with Bmor Developments delivering 280 student beds on nearby North Main Street last year. The premises, on a corner site connecting Adelaide Street and Grattan Street, is also close to the Mercy University Hospital, as well as Washington Street and St Patrick’s Street. 

The immediate area comprises a mix of uses which consist mostly of retail and commercial services at ground floor level, and ancillary/ residential uses above shop floor level. The property itself includes a retail area, offices and an industrial unit, which functions as a storage and as a workshop area. The workshop has separate access and a roller shutter onto Grattan Street.

Storage space at Marcus Framing

Offers in excess of €600,000 are being sought for Nos 12 & 13, with a final submission date for bids of May 29 next. The building is being sold with vacant possession.

Details: Sam Kingston e-mail: [e-mail] Mob: [phone]