300th store opened as Spar celebrates diamond anniversary in NI

Henderson Group, which owns Spar brand in Northern Ireland, has opened its 300th Spar store in Co. Tyrone last week.

The group reached the milestone store number as it celebrates 60 years since the brand arrived in Northern Ireland in 1961. Henderson Group plans o open 13 stores and supermarkets in 2021, with Spar Coagh the fifth this year so far.

The new store, which has created 24 jobs, represents an investment of nearly £500,000 by operators Andy Davis and Graham Johnston of Spar 77 Retail. It sits on the site formerly owned by John and Pearl McGaw where they ran their motor store for 47 years.

Paddy Doody, sales and marketing director at Henderson Group, said this was a momentous occasion for the business and symbolised the opportunities the brand has brought to local entrepreneurs.

“Spar has brought countless opportunities for entrepreneurs, independent retailers and local suppliers since it arrived in the ‘60s, and no more so than in recent years. The concept has evolved and developed as consumer shopping behaviour and demands have changed,” Doody said.

“Spar is an international network, and our retailers thrive from it on a local level. We offer hundreds of locally sourced fresh ranges and produce which not only meet demand but support our thriving agri-food industry, providing profitable businesses for our retailers setting them apart from their competitors.”

The Spar Coagh store boasts aisles of fresh bays packed with locally sourced products, including enjoy local and The Greengrocers own brands from Henderson Wholesale.

Complementing the fresh offering will be 77 Retail’s award-winning The Green Deli, serving hot breakfasts, homemade lunches and carvery dinners, plus a counter from local favourite Mauds Ice Cream, and Arc Wines off-licence.

“We are very proud to be operating Spar Coagh, a milestone store for the brand, and on a site that has been serving the community for nearly 50 years already,” Andy Davis said.

“We opened Spar Cadogan in 2010 and since then have built our own network of Spar stores across Northern Ireland, employing over 140 people across six sites. We are passionate about bringing an amazing shopping experience made for those local communities and developing careers within our retail industry.

“We are looking forward to getting to know our neighbours and welcoming our shoppers in-store alongside our store manager, Nicky Huddelson, who is local to Cookstown. We’re bringing a proposition to the village that is in demand, from our Solo forecourt to Barista Bar coffee as well as self-check-out areas which offer a contactless cash solution from Glory.”

Spar Coagh officially opened on Friday (28 May) by Davis and Johnston, alongside Henderson Group joint managing directors Martin and Geoffry Agnew and chairman, John Agnew. They were joined by previous site owners John and Pearl McGaw.