Carroll's Gifts & Souvenirs, established in Dublin in 1982, is an award winning Irish business specialising in the sale of souvenirs & gifts and casual clothing to the domestic and tourist markets and this will be their first store outside of Dublin where the company operates eight separate retail units & a Guinness Franchise store.

With Belfast proving to be such a favourite destination lure with a host of top class visitor attractions along side the city's regeneration programme, Carroll's Gifts & Souvenirs is delighted to partake of the famed Belfast hospitality by opening up their first retail outlet at their prime location in the heart of the city.

The company has signed contracts with Eastwood Properties on a 5,000 square foot store at Castle Place and the company is actively pursing other retail units in prime locations in the Belfast locality. The deal was negotiated through Belfast's leading commercial auctioneer Michael Pierce of DTZ McCombe Pierce. The company is more than hopeful that their expanding outlet portfolio will be added to in the Belfast area.

Said company chairman, Colm Carroll, of the ground-breaking Belfast initiative: "I am delighted to be opening our newest store in Belfast. Belfast is busy, bustling and prosperous and I am hugely impressed by the attractiveness of the city as a location and in terms of our investment."

Added Carroll: "I have also been genuinely impressed by the friendliness of the welcome we have received. There is an underlying mood of confidence in Belfast and we see it as a natural place in terms of our own expansion. We share the optimism that Belfast enjoys and want to play our part in adding to the economic well-being of all."

Continued Carroll: "The city has such a rich history associated with its buildings, with the performing arts and with industry and I'm delighted that tourism now plays a major role in the Northern Ireland economy. I believe the timing is opportune for us in Carroll's and for Belfast, and, I hope that the business community and our customer base will recognise the positive contribution we look to make, as an energetic player in the overall development of the city."

Added Colm Carroll: "In recent years Northern Ireland has blossomed and the city is rightly recognised as one of Europe's favourite city break destinations, offering such cultural diversity. Belfast has a wonderful collection of architectural gems, landmark performing arts locations as well as fabulous shopping variety. I am confident that we can be a key player in the development of a brighter future for the city by providing a range of products that will prove popular to both locals and visitors alike."

Carrolls' leading market position in the Republic of Ireland has been earned by providing the highest standards of customer service going back over 25 years of business. Since its' foundation, the company has developed an extensive range of top quality product at highly competitive prices, developing operating standards of the highest professional level and utilizing a staff that is highly motivated and efficient.

The model that has matured and evolved is one professionally honed and ideally suited to retain its place of prominence within the market sector.

Carroll's business focuses on the sale of Irish related gifts, clothing, jewellery, music, fragrances and toiletries, food and confectionary to both the tourist and domestic markets. Carroll's Gifts & Souvenirs extensive and varied range provides visitors and tourists alike with a one-stop shop, offering well presented product at keenly pitched prices.

On the sports front, Carroll's also stocks official Umbro products and in addition are authorised distributors of official licensed IRFU rugby apparel.

Part of the company's product range is the globally recognised Guinness brand. An extensive range of appropriately adorned Guinness products are stocked in all outlets and this includes items such as hat, scarves, gloves, knitwear as well as traditional souvenir and gift products. The 'Guinness Brand' shopping experience has proved to be one of the great success stories behind Carroll's and continues to ensure a magnetic appeal for tourists from all over the world.

Carroll's has its own online shopping experience and the company's impressive website www.carrollsirishgifts.com  provides an operational platform that sees its' products shipped worldwide, utilising FexEx as their approved carrier for International shipments.

Ray O'Connell, the company's Managing Director, and originally from Northern Ireland, who worked in Belfast for Woolworths, on High Street, is, like his chairman Colm Carroll, equally excited about his company's arrival in the Belfast city retail business community.

Said O'Connell: "Belfast is such a vibrant place to be these days. It's so cosmopolitan with a host of trendy venues alongside historical establishments as well as offering great shopping. I'm confident that Carroll's will add to the rich fabric of the city by providing a first class service that will appeal to all shoppers. This is hopefully the first of many outlets we will open and I'm delighted with the professionalism of everyone we have dealt with in helping the Castle Place project come to fruition."

He added: "There are so many noteworthy tourist attractions in close proximity to Belfast, that it's easy to understand the magnetism of the city as a destination. Places like the Giant's Causeway, Bushmills Distillery, the Antrim Glens, the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and the Mountains of Mourne are all within easy reach. The city too has many attractions like the Titanic Quarter, the Grand Opera House, the Linen Hall Library and the nightlife on the Golden Mile. It's a very attractive location for us and I'm extremely excited about the potential for Carroll's in Belfast and the North in general."

With a vast product range of attractively priced inventory, Carroll's can cater for a truly diverse range of tastes that includes chic casual fashion ware to appealing Guinness branded products. Whether it's seasonal offerings such as  Christmas, St Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day, a Hen Night or a Stag party, you'll always find something to satisfy your retail therapy desires.

And, recognising the intricate weave and cultural diversity that helps make-up Belfast, Carroll's Gifts & Souvenirs is keen to develop their market by accommodating all persuasions and hues of opinion.

Said Chairman Colm Carroll: "We have an extensive product range that has been developed in consultation with our buyers, suppliers as well as through customer feedback. Indeed, feedback is very important to us, and, with Belfast and the North in mind, we are anxious to expand our product range by meeting local needs. Our record with regard to satisfying customer demand is first class. We will be put to the challenge but I don't believe we will be found wanting as we look to identify new products that meets the local customer requirements."

While the opening of Castle Place will give Carroll's a firm footprint in Belfast, the company is proactive in adding to their outlet chain, but will also look to play a full and active role in the life of the business community.

That is evidenced by Carroll's strong historical support and active involvement in the Dublin City Business Association. Carroll's is also a member of CREST, an umbrella support group for retail businesses throughout Ireland. CREST is a promoter of retail excellence and run a variety of courses and training seminars for management and staff which Carroll's actively encourages and fosters.

The property quest is also high on the company's agenda and while Castle Place is a source of great delight, the company continues to try to identify prospective locations.

Said Lorcan O'Connor, the company's dedicated Property Director: "We have expansion plans laid out on various compass points out of Dublin and indeed overseas and we are constantly attempting to identify suitable locations to add to our stores portfolio. We have a proven record to date in operating large retail stores and hopefully Castle Place is just the first for us in Belfast."

Continued O'Connor: "By integrating into the Belfast business community we believe we can further enhance our presence in the city. We are looking to form relationships with landlords with suitable premises. There is a compactness about Belfast city centre that makes so many points of interest readily accessible. Traffic can be relatively light and that lends itself to pedestrianised 'tourist-hotspots' areas. That can be of assistance to us in identifying high profile retail opportunities close to the heart of the city."

Belfast is a city full of proud citizens. Despite the tragic sinking of the Titanic in 1912 just days after leaving the city where she was built, the ship hailed as 'the new wonder of the world' remains a source of enduring pride. The names Titanic and Harland and Wolff symbolise the great era of Belfast shipbuilding, indicative of a citizenry who dreamt big and built ships big enough to take on the world.

That pride endures to this day and while Belfast's industrial heritage helped shape the city, in modern times it has emerged as one of Europe's most appealing city breaks. Tourism has recorded significant jump in visitors and a figure of a 28% increase in holiday visits was recently announced by Nigel Dodds, the North's tourism Minister.

Europe, the U.K. the Irish Republic and the USA have all contributed to these impressive figures which is a tremendous weather-vane of the current appeal of Belfast as a destination. All the indicators are of an energetic and sustainable tourism sector enlivening the city and Carroll's Gifts & Souvenirs' decision to open our first store in Belfast, is a source of great to delight to us and would also appear to be perfectly timed on our part.

CARROLL'S Of DUBLIN LTD. T/A CARROLL'S GIFTS & SOUVENIRS

COMPANY BACKGROUND (www.carrollsofdublin.com)

CARROLL'S has a proven record of success in the Irish retail market spanning 26 years. Est.1982.

CARROLL's has achieved a leading position in the retail sale of Irish gifts and clothing market.

CARROLL'S has developed an excellent working relationship with all its suppliers, including Traditional Craft Ltd and Shamrock Gift Company in recent years, core suppliers of top quality Guinness branded product to the company.

CARROLL'S has a strong, highly qualified, management team in control of all aspects of their business portfolio. In categories such as Financial Control, Operations, IT, Warehouse Management, you will find excellent structures with, loyal, highly qualified and motivated company members in place.

CARROLL'S is a financially successful business with a strong credit rating and enjoys a high profile with key locations on some of the main thoroughfares of Dublin.

The stores are located at the following high profile addresses:

1. Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2 - 5,500 square feet

2. 57/58 Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin 1 - 6,500 square feet

3. 98/99 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 - 3,500 square feet

4. 33 Lower O'Connell Street, Dublin 1 - 1,300 square feet

5. 44 Henry Street, Dublin 1 - 1750 square feet

6. 17 Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 - 1100 square feet

7. 23 Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 - 4000 square feet
8. St. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2 - 2000 square feet

9 "The Guinness Store" , 15 Westmoreland Street, Dublin 2 1,200 Sq feet. 

CARROLL'S is one of Ireland's most successful retail outlet success stories. It has developed a tailored infrastructure with procedures and controls which provide a sustainable dynamic for further growth.

CARROLL'S partnership with the globally recognised Guinness brand, through parent company Diageo, is a strong indicator of our ability to successfully operate at the premium end of what is a highly competitive market sector.

CARROLL'S place a huge emphasis on its staff and is an equal opportunity employer. An employment manual detailing job description is given to each employee and regular training and staff assessment are provided to assist staff in reaching their full potential within the company structure. This is evidenced by the long average service of our management/senior staff.

CARROLL'S is proactive through our team of buyers in both identifying new products and identifying market changes which provides for a constant update of the stock inventory, thus ensuring that ultimately, the customer is catered for with an ever improving and evolving product range.