With nearly 41 years on the clock, Tesco Galway has been given a new lease of life thanks to a €2 million refit investment, transforming it into a far more economical and environmentally friendly store as well as ensuring customers have an enjoyable shopping experience.
Management and staff, including Special Olympic gold medallist Rory O’Toole and Ailish O’Reilly of the Galway senior camogie team, gathered at Tesco, Galway Shopping Centre, Headford Road, on Monday morning to cut the ribbon marking the store’s official opening of the new €2 million extension.
Speaking at the opening, Denis McCarthy, Tesco Galway store manager, said: “We are delighted to offer customers a brighter and more open store with a broader range of products and services available. We are very proud to be the first LED lit supermarket in Galway and this mark’s Tesco’s commitment to become a zero carbon business by 2050. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues here in the store for their support during the refit. We all look forward to welcoming our customers to our new look store over the coming weeks.”
According to Tesco Ireland spokesperson Michael Sullivan, who has strong Galway connections, Tesco Ireland “has invested into the store, to give back to its customers, making shopping a more pleasant experience. The LED lighting cuts energy bills in half and we can now invest more in our staff and in our customers.”
In fact, investing in its staff seems to have paid off as there are 220 employed in the Galway store, many of whom have been there since the very beginning, including Julie Loughnane and Ann King. Listening to its customers is also very important to Tesco which, in advance of the re-vamp, carried out surveys to find out what changes were needed.
Highlights of the store refit include a create-your-own-pizza counter, the first for a Tesco store in Ireland. The store’s bakery, meat and fish counters and beer, wine and spirits section have all received a new look also. Customers’ shopping experience is enhanced with new shelving in various areas, for example the below level counters in the fruit and veg section really opens the area up. The new customer service desk is now located elsewhere and has been made more wheelchair friendly. There is also new dual language signage throughout the store with prominence given to Irish. Other additions include a new air-conditioning unit, a new look health and beauty aisle, a new ceiling and spinkler system, as well as a larger entrance.
Tesco Ireland uses many local suppliers with products such as Magnetti, Galway Eggs, Galway Water, Coppinger salads, Foods of Athenry, and Western Plastics. There are also suppliers in Roscommon and Mayo, including Balla Mushroom and Hanley salads. Tesco uses Irish suppliers for its meat products such as beef, pork, and lamb. As part of the refit the store’s offering of Asian and free-from food products has also been extended.
The non-food unit (located next to the shopping centre’s Franklin’s Restaurant ) boasts the F+F clothing range which has been considerably extended. There is an extensive back-to-school section with a full range of uniform options. The women’s clothing range has been extended, and men’s clothing has been introduced. The children’s clothing section has also benefited from the addition of options for ages five to 14. The store now includes dressing rooms. There is also a range of TVs, printers and ink cartridges, laptops, iPads, domestic electrical items such as Hoovers and microwaves, baggage, camping gear, CDs, and DVDs.
Store opening hours are Monday to Sunday 6am to midnight. For more information and to avail of the increasingly popular online shopping service go to www.tesco.ie
