Mulroy’s Londis celebrate 35 years with huge revamps
By Tom Gillespie
THIRTY-five years ago Sean and Eileen Mulroy opened a Londis supermarket on the Breaffy Road in Castlebar.
In the early years they spent long days building up the business and five years later opened another Londis outlet at the Moneen Roundabout in the county town.
Their son Alan, who today runs the Moneen business, told me: "My parents put a massive effort in at Breaffy Road when they started and when things were tight.
"They both worked an awful lot of hours to get the business off the ground. They worked very hard on the tills."
Alan got a major boost in February 2020 when a customer scooped €17 million in the Lotto draw.
It was the third time a ticket winning the EuroMillions jackpot had been sold in the town.
The ‘golden’ Quick Pick ticket in Mulroy’s had the winning numbers 24, 26, 32, 43, 46 and the Lucky Star numbers were 6 and 10.
At the time Alan said he was ‘speechless' having learned he had sold the winning ticket.
He said: "It was just before Covid kicked in. The few weeks afterwards were massive for us altogether. There was a lot of good will and the business went up a lot with that win. And, no, I don’t know who won it."
Alan told me that Tom Joyce from Islandeady, who operates the pumps at the Moneen Roundabout, started with his dad on the lorries when he was a young lad.
"Tom was with dad on Breaffy Road and then he came down here.
"A lot of the staff have been here a long time," he said.
He continued: "Breaffy Road is always busy and it got very busy in the last couple of years with the establishment of various industries out there.
"I did a revamp here at Moneen in the past couple of months. We opened a new off-licence where we have more of a range, and more craft beers. We installed all new refrigeration and a new deli counter.
"We cladded the building outside. That was a big, big job. Vertex Roofing Systems, a local company beside us, did a brilliant job on that and I would highly recommend them. I got a great reaction to the cladding outside. I am really happy with it."
Alan added: "The deli hot food is the key seller here as well as the off-licence and the grocery trade.
"One key factor here is we have extensive parking, which is of great benefit to our customers. We are lucky we have so much room.
"We have four tills always staffed in the shop. I go on the floor myself at peak times when it gets busy."
There is a staff of 75 - 35 full-time and 35 part-time at Moneen with a staff of 25 at Breaffy Road.
Alan said: "We are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. every night. The bakers would be in at 5 a.m. and the chefs are in at 6 a.m. so they are all ready to go at 7 a.m. as soon as we open the doors."
He added: "Coffee sales at Moneen have really kicked off for me. We have a great brand - Seattle’s Best - while Circle K outside has been very good for us to.
"We are with Londis a long time. We signed up with them for Breaffy Road 35 years ago and it has been a great relationship all the way through. Shane Hopkins is our local Londis area manager. He lives in Castlebar and he has been a great help to us.
"All our staff are absolutely brilliant. Without them we don’t have a business. Both full-time and part-time have been great. Even through Covid, when it was sticky, they were brilliant coming in.
"They are very loyal. The customers like to see the same faces on the tills.
"Covid was very tricky in the beginning. We are still trying to keep our staff and customers safe."
Castlebar is a great business town, commented Alan. "There are a good few filling stations in the town and they are all busy."
Next year Alan said they will undertake a huge revamp of the Breaffy Road building, both inside and out.
Alan has the height of praise for the students of the nearby Davitt College, stating: "The students of Davitt College who come in here are so mannerly. They come in and out and there is no messing. They are brilliant kids."
Finally, Alan thanked his parents Sean and Eileen, his brothers Colm and John, sister Mary, and his wife Sharon, and their loyal customers for their continued support and help.
Mulroy’s Londis is located at the Moneen Roundabout, Castlebar, and can be contacted on (094) 9021359, and at Breaffy Road, Castlebar, and can be contacted on (094) 9021888.
Moneen is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p. daily and Breaffy Road Londis is opened daily from 8.30 a.m. to 10 p.m.