The roll out of the new NCBI Retail brand has commenced and even the traffic wardens in Newbridge know something is happening. Frank Callery reports on the opening of the newly branded NCBI Retail Shop in Newbridge.
The traffic warden knew where the shop was in Earl Street, but thought it was closed for renovation. It had been! Now the Newbridge shop was a hive of activity, where Caroline Hamill and her team were busy putting the final frantic touches to their brand new … well, brand! By the time the invited guests will have arrived and the local radio road-caster has set up outside, everything will be looking hunkydory for the grand official opening and launch of the new NCBI Retail brand.
Pat and Trudy had arrived early. Long-time members of the Kildare branch committee of NCBI, they and their newer volunteer cohort: Fran and Betty, had a new focus on the ‘Shop’ and it seemed as if they were well and truly pleased with the colours and the sleek, well designed layout. The white ribbon had been tied across the door. The Rose of Tralee, Clare Kambamettu, resplendent in her Newbridge Silverware Tiara and Barry Magee, the NCBI Shops general manager was about to locate the scissors with which she would declare the ‘new’ shop open. What was all the fuss about?
Well, back inside, we were about to be told. Barry Magee introduced Des Kenny, Chief Executive of NCBI who told us of the importance of the NCBI message and of its services needing to be clear, and having many points of access. The shops, while making a major input to NCBI fundraising were also a vehicle through which NCBI would now make direct contact with the general public and with its potential service users.
“Currently we work with over 15,000 people on our database”, Des Kenny said. “Last year we worked with 8,000 of those in an individual way; we have a new report coming out in mid September which will how us that there are nearly a quarter of a million people out there who have some degree of low vision, from mild to severe sight loss. So as people live longer their eyesight deteriorates and we can assist them in many ways. Our newly branded NCBI shops will now have a small display of the low vision aids that can make a difference. As customers try on their fashion in our changing room they will see a graphic simulation of some of the distorted vision results of what older relatives and friends might be seeing’. So our message to everybody in Newbridge, and across the country, as we roll out our new retail brand — to the current 68 shops in many large towns, is: we are here to be supported in the work we do and we are here to tell you about the work which that support does for others”.
NCBI Chairperson Margaret McDowell, said she was very impressed with the new image, the layout and the brightness of the shop. She thanked all those involved in the transformation. “We have come a long way since we started (with trepidation) 15 years ago. Then we asked ourselves ‘should we start with charity shops, should we not?’ We did and in retail terms that is a long time ago. But we have progressed over the years, and today is certainly the culmination of what we hoped to achieve. It is important at ground level, to have good shop management but equally important are our volunteers. Our success depends on them. Without them we simply just couldn’t operate. So thank you very much to all the volunteers over the years. Well done and the best of success here with your lovely shop”.
Barry Magee endorsed these sentiments and thanked the people who have been working on the re-branding and refitting of the shops. “Firstly I would like to thank Caroline Hamill our area supervisor for her commitment and the long hours that have gone into this transformation. A special thanks to Patricia Kenny and Trish our shop manager who has been very committed and dedicated to what we are trying to achieve here. But this would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our volunteers who are the back bone of our shops — and particularly Fran, one of our newer volunteers who has worked tirelessly over the last number of days”.
“This is also true of Esther and Mary, and Sylvia from our Kildare shop. We also thank Clare, our current Rose of Tralee, she has been a great ambassador and friend of NCBI. Pauline, Dermot and Denise from the Communications Clinic and their team. Mark Shiels and Hugo Thompson at Form Design and Denise from C3 for all their know how work and effort, in coming up with the concept and seeing that translated into what we see today”.
Barry also thanked the painters Alan and Mick; and Gavin, Flan and Sean the electrician (and Spike Nolan and Mattie, who couldn’t be present) for all their work. He also thanked the Mayor of Newbridge, Damian Molyneux and Martin Haydon T.D. who came to give their support. Mark Shiels and Hugo Thompson of Form Design, were rightly pleased with the fruits of their labour. “The whole idea of the design is that it will fit into any size shop”, they told NCBI News. “Each one of the shelving units is 1200cm wide and it is completely modular, allowing us to free up some space in the shops, creating an easily negotiated walk-through”.
Judging by their clear signage and restful colour schemes, the woman in the street will know they have got it just right. The roll out, of the new retail brand will be gradual, The refit of the Dorset Street, Dublin shop will follow in about four weeks; all the shop fronts in Co. Kildare and the 10 Dublin shop fronts will be completed over the next eight weeks and the remainder of the 68 shop network across the country will be completed by January next. Six more interiors will be completed by October.