This article is from page 32 of the 2009-07-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 32 JPG
AT a time when most people are wearing hairshirts, Clonlara man Noel Murphy has bet his shirt on a new Killaloe business.
Boru Fashions is a new leisure- wear store on Killaloe’s main street which, apart from selling quality and affordable leisurewear, will custom- ise any t-shirt, polo or sweatshirt.
“We do fun t-shirts for stag and hen’s nights, t-shirts for corporate promotions, polo-shirts with compa-
ny logos and names, fun t-shirts and fantasy t-shirts, pictures of your dog, your cat, your boss – you name it, we can do it!” said Noel.
Noel took a big leap of faith in these dismal times and invested in the lat- est machinery to get the business off the ground.
“IT saw a gap in the market in this part of Clare. There are lots of bou- tiques in Killaloe stocking fabulous fashions and couture clothing. Boru Fashions aims to be quality but af- fordable. The most expensive thing
in the shop is a 100 per cent cotton man’s tracksuit for €35.”
Open just a few weeks, the shop is steadily growing its trade, particu- larly among younger shoppers.
“The young people who shop here tell me that they’re delighted to be able to buy locally. They say that if they go into Limerick, they have to pay €10 bus fare, then you pay out to have something to eat and that’s all before you buy a stitch,’ said Noel.
Noel decided to set up shop in Kil- laloe because “it’s a very good catch-
ment area, between here and Ballina, and so far things have been fairly good.”
Another boost for the shop are tour- ists who want shirts with pictures of the historic and scenic parts of Kil- laloe to bring home as gifts and sou- venirs. “If they have their own digital pictures with themselves in the pic- ture, I can even put that on a shirt for them,” said Noel.