TOP OF THE SHOPS FOR SVP STORE
LAURENCE TOWN CENTRE SVP SHOP SCOOPS TOP NATIONAL AWARD
THERE was cause to celebrate at the St Vincent de Paul Shop in the Laurence Town Centre once again this week as it scooped the top award for Shop Window of the Year at the Irish Charity Shops Association Awards.
The award completes a hattrick for Lisa McArdle (pictured) and her team who recently also celebrated winning the shop display category in the SVP National awards and the regional awards.
There was more good news for the local area as Karen Glass, who manages the IWA shop in Ardee, was named as Shop Manager of the Year 2017.
The popular Laurence Town Centre shop was presented with the award at an event in Laois last week.
They beat off stiff competition from 440 other shops around the country and were thrilled to be named as winners for their stylish and eyecatching window display.
‘We are absolutely thrilled, it was fantastic to win,’ said Lisa, who has worked in the shop for six years.
Lisa joined the team shortly after the store opened working on a CE scheme and through that went back to college to study Visual Merchandising and Window Display in Kildare Street in Dublin.
‘I always loved fashion and had a passion for it anyway but it was great to have the opportunity to do it through the CE scheme. If it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have been able to afford to go back to college.
‘ The window display has made the shop, it’s what everyone knows us for and we have a Facebook page as well. I love both sides of the work I do, the charity end of it and the fashion also so it’s a really good mix for me.
‘It’s a really fulfilling job. Especially at Christmas when you see all the hampers and everything, you realise that’s what the job is about.’
She said the shop has lots of regular customers who pop in for a chat and a read of the papers every day.
Karen, meanwhile was thrilled to win the Manager of the Year award having been nominated by no less than eight volunteers and a TUS worker form her shop.
They all sang her praises as a kind, warm approachable person who has great community spirit. Her creative shop windows have won several awards in the town.
In the words of one volunteer: ‘Karen is an excellent team leader and manager of the IWA shop in Ardee. She is highly respected by all the team members. She has helped us by supporting us but still allowing us to work independently.
‘Her knowledge of the shop is second to none and she always makes time to listen and talk to customers, staff and donors. Karen sets high standards for herself and the team and in doing so has made the IWA shop in Ardee a success.
‘I believe the shop has done well because we have a selfless, caring manager at the helm.’