'Time to go' Iconic Laois family newsagents goes up for sale

A landmark traditional newsagents in Mountmellick that sells everything from toys and art supplies to milk and milkshakes is going on sale itself, after 70 years in the hands of the same hardworking family.

O'Gorman's on Patrick Street has gone on the market, in what is a tough retirement decision by proprietors Assumpta and Bernie Dunne.

They are selling not just the shop they built up over the past 42 years, but their beloved family home upstairs with a vast garden to the rear.

“It's time to go. We're not getting any younger. A lot of it is that the town is dying, we are the only shop of this type left on Main Street.

“There is a lack of parking too, people just park outside our door and leave, but that's where we make our living,” Bernie said.

“We will be very sad to see it go, but there nothing we can do. It's really busy and we can't keep up with the changing technologies, the big deliveries that come in are hard to carry. I wish we were 10 years younger to make the best of it,” said Assumpta.

She said the shop has actually become much busier since the pandemic.

“When the Post Office went we thought we wouldn't last a year, but Covid saved us. People started realising what they had, and they never went away since.

“We opened for a few hours a day during Covid for people to get their papers and groceries. We sold out of art sets and colouring books,” she said.

They get huge footfall from Mountmellick Community School pupils.

“Every day after school we have a queue nearly to the post office, we let them in four at a time. It's like a school tuck shop. The kids really depend on it. Since Covid they are different too. They banter with us, they ask us how we are,” she said.

Over the years the couple, who have three children, Colum, Ailish and Neil, worked constantly, open seven days a week, early until late.

“We haven't had a holiday since we got married in Rome. I take in the papers at 7am and have a read, then we are open from 8am to 8pm.

“I will love to be able to just up and go somewhere,” Assumpta said.

Assumpta's parents Frances and Charlie O'Gorman opened the shop exactly 70 years ago, in 1953, bought as a going concern from a Mr Mundy.

Back then the right side was a house with a Georgian front door similar to others on in Mountmellick.

They opened a café and ice cream parlour to the rear, selling knickerbocker glory icecreams and teas. It was a magnet for people to gather and chat, play music and and even get engaged.

“We have had people tell us that is were they were proposed to. There was a jukebox and people would be dancing, one fella taught me how to jive in our kitchen. If there was mistletoe up you'd be afraid for your life,” recalls Assumpta.

“People would come in who couldn't read or write and my mother would sit and write their Christmas cards and letters for them.

“We all worked in it growing up. Sunday mornings there would be six of us behind the counter after Masses.

“Mam died during Mountmellick Mardi Gras in 1987. After that we extended into the house next door,” Assumpta said.

She said that the trick to success for shops in small towns is to sell a variety of items.

That includes post office services, newspapers, books, stationery, magazines, art supplies, confectionary, the Lotto, toys and cards, right down to milk, biscuits and Mountmellick lace artworks.

“It's the only way to do it. You can't specialise, you have to provide for all to get footfall,” Assumpta said.

They expect the sale to take a while, so they have already ordered in their Christmas stock, to make the most of what will be their last busy festive period.

“Ideally we'd like to stay living in the town. Mountmellick has been good to both of us. We'd like to sell the business as a going concern, we are not going to give it away after all these years,” Bernie said.

People are already coming in to ask them not to sell, and reminiscing about the past.

“They are saying 'don't go, what are we going to do without you?',” Assumpta said.

The shop stretches over 157 m², and has several large storerooms.

The five bedroom house covers 150 m² over three floors.

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On the ground floor there is a kitchen / living room leading to the garden. The first floor has three large bedrooms, a wetroom, main bathroom and a storeroom.

The third floor has two further large bedrooms.

A large rear garden has a shared access entrance.

The asking price is on application through the auctioneer, Jim Cashen.