Locals hoping vital Moyross store can remain open

By Patricia O'Dea (Northside We're OK development worker)

STAFF and customers of the Super Valu store in Moyross have praised the management who operated the store for the last five years, and who are now striving to keep to store open in the face of financial difficulties.
Staff member Stacey Kelly has been with the store for nearly four years – throughout both her school years and her college years. "They really try their best to work your hours around college," she said.

"It's a great place to work," added another staff member, Kate Goggin. "I love it here. We made great friends with the customers and there is always a great bit of banter going on. Super Valu is everything for a lot of people."

Another staff member, who did not wish to be named, also spoke highly of the store's customers: "I've been in the retail business for 12 years and I have never met nicer people than some of the customers that come into the shop here."

This week, local people were hoping that the shop would continue in operation.

John Slattery, 83, from Ballynanty said: "Every time I come here it's packed – we couldn't have asked for a better shop."

Local teenagers also expressed concern for their community if the busy supermarket were to leave Watch House Cross.

Eugene Woodland, 16, said: "It would be a pity if the shop went. It'd be hard for elderly people because they'd have to travel further into the city and some of them don't drive, so it will be very difficult for them."

Danny O'Neill was concerned about the potential job losses: "It's very hard to get jobs with the recession and Super Valu are employing a lot of people." Eugene Johnson, 17, added: "if Super Valu departs it unfortunately will have a severe impact on the whole community".

Juan Carlos Azzopadi, project co-ordinator of the Community Development Network Moyross, said he remained hopeful: "I'd hope that someone will take it on as it is in an ideal location and has a great passing trade on its doorstep."

That passing trade has attracted a new business into the Watch House Cross complex – a new butcher's shop adjacent to Super Valu due to open next week.
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This article appeared in the Limerick Leader 27 June 2009
This article was written by Patricia O'Dea as part of a media skills course run by the University of Limerick in conjunction with development workers and volunteers in St. Mary's, Moyross, Southill and Ballinacurra Weston. Patricia works with the 'Northside We're OK Youth Initiative' as a drug education and prevention worker. Ten people from the city took part in the UL course which concluded this week.