Changes afoot as Shoe Zone to close this year
AFTER three decades in a prime location at number one South Main Street in Wexford, the long-serving staff at Shoe Zone have been informed that the Wexford branch of the chain store is to close it’s doors in the coming months.
Over the years the staff have seen quite a bit of change to the retail landscape on the Main Street and are looking at the impending closure as the real end of an era.
Large ‘closing down sale’ signs have been erected in all the windows of the store and the shop’s three staff, one of whom has been there for the full 30 years, have been informed that they will not be reopening after May 10 this year.
While the reasons behind the closure are not fully clear, the staff are led to believe that the rising cost of commercial rates played a big part in the decision to close the Wexford unit. The shop on the corner of Anne Street is not the only one of the chain’s outlets to receive bad news. Stores in Limerick and Cork are also to close.
Last month, the CEO of the
British retailer Anthony Smith was vocal on the issue of commercial rates, saying that urgent reductions were needed after they posted lower than usual annual profits. At the time, he warned that up to 20% of stores could close if commercial rates did not change.
Sadly it seems that the Wexford store is one of those not to have survived this cull as the chain with over 500 stores across the UK and Ireland aims to remain profitable, and it will create another empty unit in a prime location on South Main Street.