Well-known businessman Bart Murphy from Foulksmills has recently opened Bart’s Thrift Store at Gorey Business Park in Ramstown, Gorey.
Bart’s Thrift Store will sell a wide range of second hand products including antiques, clothes, furniture items, electronics and garden tools to name a small few.
Having once owned more than 20 second-hand shops in Ireland, Bart officially opened Bart’s Thrift Store earlier this month. The store is set to create at least seven new jobs.
“We employ 13 people at the moment, but we’ve been employing about seven people there now at that shop as well,” Bart said.
After closing 12 stores across the country in 2014, Bart said its great to be expanding the business back to Gorey and beyond. “It’s great that we’re expanding in Gorey, then we’re going to Waterford after that.
With Gorey’s population continuing to grow, Bart said there seemed to be a lot of interest when looking to open up shop. “I do a little bit of research before I go into any place, as you know I should to see how many people are passing by.
“If the footfall is anything like what passed by there, we should do okay, that’s the way I’m looking at it. Footfall in that area of Gorey in the business sector is very good, even though there’s a lot of units closed down – that’s the only kind of downturn to it,” he said.
Staff member Conor Whelan, owner Bart Murphy and manager Maureen Philips. PHOTO: Sabrina Ffrench
Providing services to people for approximately 21 years, Bart said he has helped 86 families receiving cancer treatments, by providing travel or travel vouchers for people in 2025 alone.
“We’re a non-for-profit company, our sole mission is to help people who are going through treatment with cancer.”
Bart previously had a store at the top of Gorey Main Street and said parking was one of the biggest problems. “We don’t go into any main street anymore. We go to industrial units because it’s easier to get parking and people can drop off stuff – it’s much easier for people.
“We had a shop in Gorey before, but it just didn’t work. It wasn’t in the right place – we weren’t as well established as we are now. It’s the third big shop in Wexford now,” Bart added.
He further spoke about the effects of rising costs for running a business and fears he may not be able to help as many people due to the rising fuel costs. “You won’t be able to help as many people because your turnover has not gone up but your costs have gone up.
“When we started the shop first, 21 years ago, it was €22 a day to run a shop. It is now €450 a day to run a shop – that’s the difference now,” he added.
“That’s why most of the small shops in the small towns are going out because they can’t afford them. They just can’t pay the rates.”
Bart’s Thrift Store in Gorey is always accepting donations.