John gleeson from corner shop to multinational chain
JOHN Gleeson is the face of Tesco in Castlebar. For the past 14 years he has been greeting customers at the supermarket. Prior to that he worked for businessman John Hanley in his newsagents shop on the Mall and another at Market Square, writes Tom Gillespie.
“I can say it now,” John admits. “I am still working in a corner shop, only a bigger one.”
Born and reared in Castlebar, John has always worked in the retail sector. He said: “I met my previous employer, John Hanley, by accident. As a young schoolboy he gave me wrong change in his shop and I went back with the money and when I became 18 he offered me a job.
“John and his mum Nellie ran their newsagents shop on the Mall. His mum passed away and he needed employees and I was the first person he hired. I worked side-by-side with John and his uncle Bernie O’Reilly. They were two very diligent workers and great to work with.
“John had the shop contract for the County Hospital and a girl would look after the Mall shop while John and I went to the hospital seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. We would visit every ward in the hospital selling the daily and local papers. Everybody in the hospital supported him because if he charged 50 pence for a Lucozade in the shop it was the same price in the hospital. We tailor-made the order to suit everybody up there. The patients loved to see us coming as we were the highlight of the day and they would buy Hello magazine, Ireland’s Own or a little treat. The big sellers were Woman’s Way for the ladies and Ireland’s Own for the men.
“I was 18 years with John until the business was sold. I was almost nine months out of work. I did get some part-ime work from Nora Mandel, which kept me in a shop environment and it kept me going. There were very few full-time jobs in Castlebar 14 years ago. I did an interview for Murphy’s in Ballinrobe which I got. But of course I wanted to work in Castlebar. I did an interview for Tesco and Aldi. Aldi opened six months before Tesco. I got the Tesco interview. Six hundred people applied for 100 jobs.
“I did the interview with the then manager, Dennis McCarthy, a Cork man, and what stood to me was that I was a member of Junior Chamber and he had been a Junior Chamber member in Cork. We had that in common. Joining Tesco was a huge experience. I can say it now. I am still working in a corner shop, only a bigger one.
“When I was in the Mall we had a huge, loyal customer base. People who went to the Mall went no where else. We had the busiest doctor on the Mall in Dr. Tobin, the busiest eye specialist in the county in Dr. Dermot Ryan, the busiest dentist Dr. Bourke, the library, the motor tax office, the garda station, Mayo County Council, the Imperial Hotel and the Convent of Mercy. It was a hive of activity. To go up there now, most of them have moved on, retired or passed away. We had no canteen on the Mall and I went either to the Castle Bistro or the Imperial Hotel. They were greater neighbours.
“For the first 10 years Tesco did a massive business and people bought whatever they needed and even what they didn’t want. Now they are buying from every shop in town, a bit here and a bit there. We had a massive Christmas here in Tesco but we had shoppers spending less. Our competitors have probably improved their products and that is throwing out a challenge to us, which is good for the customer.”
John has been a blood donor all his life. “I put up the posters for them in Castlebar and I try and recruit people to give blood. The next pint of blood I give will be either 79 or 80. I am one ahead of Councillor Blackie Gavin.'
He continued: “Tesco Castlebar has a local Facebook site and every day I put up a post and it is a challenge to find something new.
“It has become a tougher challenge working in retail. I never thought I would have seen as many changes as I have. I am lucky here. I work five days out of seven and when I leave work I leave it behind me. I don’t bring it home.
“We have a nice social committee here in Tesco and we raise money for charity. Our charity this year is Temple Street Hospital. I was born with a cleft palette and I ended up in Temple Street as a child so this charity is dear to me. The store supports local charities. You get a blue token at the till. I am on the committee and I get to choose the clubs to be supported.
“We have a lovely atmosphere here and we are allowed to talk to the customers, which is very important.”