Gala night of Awards rewarding the best of Laois business

Start Up/Emerging New Business of the Year Award – Sponsored by Local Enterprise Office Laois

Winner: SOLAS Eco Garden Centre.  Finalists: Pippa’s Parlour, Sásta Skin Health, Salutem Insights, SOLAS Eco Garden Shop, Temptation Pâtisserie.  To read more about the winner see below picture. To find out who won the next award TAP NEXT or ARROW.

Pictured: Start Up/Emerging New Business of the Year award sponsored by Local Enterprise Office Laois is presented to David Maher and John Carey from SOLAS Eco Garden Shop by Evelyn Reddin of Laois LEO . Picture: Alf Harvey.

Established in May 2021 and now employing 39 staff, in the past year SOLAS Eco Garden Centre has been visited by Bobby Kerr, Conor Pope, Diarmuid Gavin, Robbie Keane, The French Embassy, Frank McNally to name but a few.

A big part of what SOLAS does is promote other local business, crafts and creativity. SOLAS has provided a platform for local organic growers, producers and smaller start ups to start selling their produce. In their first year, they have added over 50 food producers and 200 crafts people to their markets. One of their key objectives is to become a top food and gardening destination in Ireland.

In a short 18 months, David Maher and John Carey have turned a disused industrial site into a space for families and friends to meet, a place to showcase local talent and creativity, an artistic hub to amaze and inspire, and a shopping experience that offers value, range and expertise.