Centra Ballyjamesduff - the heartbeat of the town

Since 2005, Rodney Dolan has owned and ran Centra in Ballyjamesduff. The shop is celebrating its 19th Christmas at the heart of the community. And, from little acorns do great oaks grow! Rodney started out with nine staff and today employs 22.

Despite the growth, Rodney and his team have faced a number of challenges head on.

“2008 to 2014 were tough, that was when the economic crash happened and shopping up the North became much more competitive,” he relayed, adding that “people were shopping with their pockets”.

“Things started to improve gradually from 2014 onwards but then the Covid-19 pandemic hit and that changed everything, from the perspective of a small, rural shop. People who wouldn’t normally shop with us became aware that we had more to offer that they had realised. We began home deliveries and I remember in the early stages of the pandemic giving people their messages through the window of the house,” continued Rodney.

He feels that the pandemic marked a turning point for Ballyjamesduff and there was a new-found appreciation in what the town had to offer. “We’re in post Covid-19 times now, two years out of it, and we thought that business might go back to pre-pandemic trade but it didn’t,” he added.

“People continued to shop with us and I think it’s because we looked after them during the pandemic and they returned that by remaining supportive to us.”

Rodney has high praise for his staff. “The staff here were and are absolutely brilliant... They remained loyal to me and to the store and that is something that I very much appreciate. Some of the staff have worked here for a very long time."

Today, he is happy to report that the store is busier than ever. “More and more people are working from home; they have hybrid arrangements and are at home two or three days a week. So, when they are working from home, they are using their local shop to buy lunch or their provisions for the day.

"Before this, the shop close to their office would have got that trade and that has now come back locally. There are also more people in town during the week now and trade has become very consistent. We also try to support local events whether that is through providing spot prizes, sponsorship.”

And, as the festive season approaches, there’s plenty of deals available in Centra. There’s bargains galore on alcohol, tins of sweets, biscuits, and the large boxes of crisps as well as a range of toys, board games and stocking fillers.

Rodney wishes all his staff and valued customers a very happy Christtmas and peaceful New Year.