Carraig Donn took home the crown of Best Fashion Retailer in Ireland at the Retail Excellence Ireland Awards which was held at the Galmont Hotel, Galway over the weekend.
Over 550 retail professionals gathered for the annual Black Tie Ball to celebrate the best in class of Irish Retail.
The event which was hosted by Hector Ó hEochagáin, saw extreme competition, in every category, with the best being honoured on the night.
Retailers from all over Ireland apply for various categories such as Fashion, Gifts, Jewellery, Furniture, Sustainability and eCommerce Awards.
The rigorous adjudication process sees entrants complete different stages before the Ball.
Stage one sees a shortlist of the Top 100 Retailers following a mystery audit from retail experts Customer Perceptions.
Stage two comprises of an intense review of the top 100 stores with an emphasis on what sets the store apart as well as customer service values, experience, product offering, unique selling points, sustainability efforts, store fit and more.
Following this selection, the Top 30 Stores were published by Retail Excellence Ireland last September.
The final stage comprised of an on site inspection from renowned retail guru, Matthew Brown, of Echo Chamber, leading to the winners of each category being honoured at the awards ceremony.
Carraig Donn has a total of 43 stores across Ireland as well as their multi-million online platform www.carraigdonn.com.
The award has been described as “a welcomed boost for the well-known retailer” who embark on their 60th year in business in 2025.
The company was formed in 1965 by the late Máire Hughes. Today, Máire’s son Pat Hughes, remains as the driving force of the company and has been at the helm for over 50 years.
Carraig Donn has grown exponentially over the years and now employs over 600 employeeswith its headquarters on Lodge Road in Westport along with it’s sister company, the renowned knitwear manufacturer, Aran Woollen Mills.
The winning store for Carraig Donn is a brand new store of over 3000 square feet which opened in July 2022 and is located in the heart of the Golden Island Shopping Centre in Athlone.
The Carraig Donn buying team, who source globally, strive to offer exclusive brands and products at amazing prices for the Irish customer which you cannot get anywhere else.
Carraig Donn plans to celebrate the award in style with an exciting programme of events for customers.
Photo: Carraig Donn team receive their award. Supplied