Cabra History.Com

Now how often did your Ma’ drag you into this shop in Thomas Street?  Do you remember when you’d walk in one door there would be all the stuff for the Men, suits, overcoats, winter coats, sports coats, gabardine’s, raincoats, macs, umbrellas, caps, hats, trousers, shoes, socks, underpants, belts, shirts, vests, pullovers, pyjamas, jumpers, cardigans, body warmers, cuff-links, neck ties, casual jackets, donkey jackets, smoking jackets, long-johns, wellies, dressing gowns, dickie bows, woollen gloves, leather gloves, gardening cloves and that was the smallest section in the shop. Then they had all the stuff for the boys, all the stuff for the girls and loads of stuff for the Mammies. There was even a section for curtains and tie-backs, table clothes, hand towels, face  towels, bath towels, dish clothes, face clothes and if you went upstairs they had electric kettles, whistling kettles, large pots, small pots, frying pans, omelette pans, poached egg pans, egg cups, knives, forks, tea spoons, egg spoons, dessert spoons, soup spoons, ladles, toilet roll holders, soap dishes, shaving mugs, pedal bins, can openers, dinner plates, side plates, soup bowls, breakfast bowls, place mats, milk jugs and the list goes on and on. There was always plenty of staff to help, you didn’t have to look around the place for someone. And there’d be your man walking around the Men’s section with a measuring tape around his neck. ‘Would you like to try it on sir’? ‘Eh no thanks, I’m just waiting for the Misses…’ And what about the staff taking time to chat to each customer because they used to get to know everyone who came into the shop. ‘Ah, how are yeah Carmel and how is the back’?  You see it was all those little personal touches that made it worthwhile, they made it sound as though they really cared and I bet they did because that’s how it used to be in Dublin years ago…