DUBLIN'S OLDEST retailer has described his delight at being able to open his doors to the public as Ireland enters phase 2 of easing lockdown.
94-year-old Tom Monaghan has been trading on Dublin's South Anne Street for 60 years, and has never before closed his doors, with his beloved business surviving three recessions in its lifetime.
Mr Monaghan, who runs Monaghans Cashmere with his family, was forced to close when the coronavirus pandemic reached Irish shores, and admitted he feared he would "never see the premises again".
"I have never been out of this shop for more than a week at a time," he told The Irish Independent.
In 1960, he opened the shop with his wife, Tess, who sadly passed away last year after helping to build the business from the ground up.
The pair went 12 years without a holiday, instead putting every penny and effort they had into creating the family enterprise.
Speaking on the day where stores across Ireland reopened after a long 12-week closure, Mr Monaghan told The Irish Independent that "today is a more exciting day than the day we opened in 1960".
Stating that it will take at least a year for Monaghan's Cashmere to overcome the negative impact the closure had taken, Mr Monaghan is nevertheless eager to get things going again, saying "time will heal all of this and we'll be back to normality".
The shop has undergone changes in order to adhere to Covid-19 public health guidelines, including social distancing measures, with Mr Monaghan telling the outlet that "we're very well equipped".
"My daughter Suzanne has helped make sure we have all the necessary requirements covered and we have spent quite a lot of money on facilitating our customers and keeping them safe."
Mr Monaghan has admitted he was "bored stiff" since the shop, which he runs with his daughter and seven grandchildren, closed, and said "If I retire, I'll die".
"I'm sure people when they walk by say 'Is that old devil in there all the time?' Because I'm always here. But I love my business, I feel fortunate to have it."
Tom Monaghan has traded through three recessions and a world war (Image: Monaghanscashmere / Instagram)Director of the store and Mr Monaghan's daughter, Suzie, said the reopening of the store was "an emotional day".
"There is a lot of support coming our way and we're so grateful for it. This is the first time Dad has ever shut down his shop, he even stayed open during the World War.
"We're hugely proud of the business, and that's why I'm here," she said.
"Dad wants Monaghan's to continue, that's why I came back into the business. At first, I did it for him, but now I'm hooked."
To check out the range of goods Dublin's oldest retailer has to offer, you can visit Monaghan's Cashmere's website.
See More: Lockdown, Monaghan's Cashmere, Phase 2, Tom Monaghan
