Tirlán’s Bunclody branch is the first in our network of stores to be completed as part of an €11m phase 1 investment programme which was announced earlier this year

Pictured at the recent Board tour of the Bunclody Branch are: Sean Molloy, Patrick Murphy, Brendan Hayes, Jim Bergin, Mark Morrissey, John Murphy, Grace O’Dwyer, Robert Kehoe and Senan Foley

As the business’s new concept store, Bunclody acts as a design template for Tirlán CountryLife stores going forward, which will bring consistency and standards to how customers experience our stores. Preparations for store revamps in Tirlán CountryLife Castlelyons and Athboy are already underway and due for completion towards the end of the summer/early autumn. Plans are in motion for a further five stores, one of which will include a Tirlán FarmLife concept store.

Tirlán CountryLife Bunclody, following the completion of its revamp

Tirlan’s Board recently visited the newly revamped Bunclody store where the retail development, branch management and retail marketing teams showcased the impressive redesign of the branch.

Senan Foley, Tirlán’s Head of Retail who led the Board visit, explained to Overherd what Board Member’s experienced during the tour of the branch.

“This new design concept has taken inspiration from the genesis of the Tirlán brand; using natural materials throughout the store including moss, wood and stone. In addition, a simple colour pallet is in use with a touch of green throughout to add emphasis and create contrast in a distinctively Tirlán way.

New farmer counter in Bunclody, a design featuring natural stone and wood material that will be rolled out in future store developments

“Connecting back to our roots, which is such a strong part of the Tirlán brand, was also really important to us. Our network of branch stores are often situated on the very land where our many founding fathers first traded. To highlight this strong relationship to local communities, a dedicated history wall instore charts our journey over the last 100 years and our community notice board prioritises our support of today’s local community.

Dedicated history wall towards the farmer entrance of the store, charting both Tirlán’s and the Bunclody branch’s history

“Everything was carefully considered in the completion of the concept store in Bunclody, from lighting fixtures and floors to counter tills and shelving. Infrastructural changes and other functional upgrades were also completed including IT systems, new electric doors, new heating system, rewiring of the premises and an upgrade to staff facilities.

To allow the retail store and garden centre run smoothly, flexibility was built into the store signage set-up. Simple elements such as the use of magnetic aisle end signage, bench strip sliders, hooks for category aisle headers, floor display signage solutions and pallet displays amongst others have been added; all accommodate for the ease of stock and display movement required for seasonal or stock changes

“A key objective of our phase one retail investment is to meet the evolving needs of our customers through a network of modern stores. We want a visit to Tirlán CountryLife and Tirlán FarmLife to be a pleasant experience where customers feel at home, can easily find their way around and be guided to the products they want by our knowledgeable staff. As part of this, the creation of a consistent store identity is important to us so that the second customers walk through our doors, they know they are in a Tirlán store.

The rejuvenated Bunclody garden centre, featuring new signage solutions and the Tirlán CountryLife’s new consumer message ‘Gardens, Our Second Nature’

“In addition to the design development work carried out in Bunclody, the retail store development team is also working to evolve the product and service offering. Our first coffee dock is being trialled in Bunclody, where gardening customers in particular can enjoy a cup of coffee while browsing in-store. On the FarmLife side we’re exploring new centres of excellences in the area of farm hardware, so lots of more exciting projects in the store development pipeline.”

Coffee dock solution in place in store, delivered in conjunction with Bewleys

Special mention must go to Mark Morrisey and the whole Bunclody Branch Team who have displayed huge enthusiasm for the concept store project. Despite all the upheaval to the store over the last number of months, they continued to trade throughout the works and customer satisfaction remained high. Learnings from this concept trial store, which will include customer feedback, will now be built into future store developments.

Pictured L-R Ben Furney, Michael Dunbar Mark Hayden, Mark Morrissey, Fergal Joy and Nicholas Murphy