The news comes as planning permission is granted for expansion of fourth-generation family business.
The bank holiday may be over, but the team behind the family-owned and run Fitzpatrick’s Foodstore in Glounthaune, Co. Cork are still very much in celebratory mood as they announced today that their business is set for a significant expansion. The well-known store, which this year celebrates 77 years in business, has secured planning permission from Cork County Council for an extensive €2 million redevelopment.This phenomenal transformation promises the delivery of 5000sq feet of the very best in a local convenience store, while also having the potential to become a destination food store.
The largescale extension will see the current premises incorporate the adjoining public house, The Great O’ Neill. The new-look store will allow for the expansion of Fitzpatrick’s current deli and bakery services, which have become synonymous with the company name. While their deli offers a wide range of mouthwatering options to those dining on the go at all times of day, the shop’s bakery has taken on a life of its own in recent years, housing a team of trained bakers and confectioners, who create everything from that famous brown bread to unique made-to-order occasion cakes. The shop’s catering service will also see a huge boost as a result of the redevelopment, with new plans to include the creation of a designated in-store space for this side of the business.
The fourth-generation family business, which is owned and operated by Kerri O’ Neill and her parents Geraldine and Martin, has been at the forefront of the Glounthaune community for over seven decades. Having opened in 1942 as a one-room grocery shop, the store’ s success grew steadily over the years due to its commitment to supplying high quality fresh foods and its excellent customer service. Fitzpatrick’s has also become a regular destination in recent years for the thousands of professionals working in the nearby Little Island business parks, who make the daily trip to Glounthaune to buy lunch. It also continues to serve the many people traveling to and from East Cork who uphold the tradition of stopping off at Fitzpatrick’s, particularly for their famous 99 ice-creams!
While the expansion spells good news for the O’ Neill Family, it is also a welcome announcement for the overall Glounthaune community. Identified as one of the “key villages” in the Cork County Development Plan 2014-2022, Glounthaune is currently in a state of growth and prosperity, with over 170 new homes under construction and a further 200 houses to come on stream. The upcoming expansion of the community’s most prominent “corner store” reaffirms this progress and is music to the ears of residents.
Kerri O Neill, Manager of Fitzpatrick’s Foodstore said:
“Today is an important milestone for my family, and also for independently owned local businesses. It emphasises the importance of supporting local in order to create thriving communities. We are delighted and proud to be working on this development with the support of other local Cork businesses, namely Deady Gahan Architects, Matt O’ Mahony Engineering, Coakley & O’Neil Planning Consultants and JP Walsh Engineering. We are very excited about the plans for our new store and its future in Glounthaune.”
She added, “This redevelopment also represents our commitment to continuing a tradition of family service that has been the hallmark of our success for 77 years.”
