Artigarvan store at heart of the community celebrates 20 years in business

THE owners of SPAR Artigarvan are celebrating 20 years as a SPAR store this month and are thanking their customers for making their store the beating heart of their local community.

The store is located on Berryhill Road and is owned by John Allen, who opened the store back in 2001 when he decided to kickstart his career as a retail business owner.

John commented: “I left my job as a financial advisor 20 years ago to give myself a new challenge and direction in my career.

"Acquiring the shop along with my brother-in-law Gary in 2001 was the best decision we ever made, and neither of us have looked back since!

"We love serving the local community and our shoppers are so important to us.’’

As a small rural village, the Artigarvan community benefit from the local knowledge and sourcing provided by John and his partnership with Henderson Group, who own the SPAR brand in Northern Ireland.

John continued: “The store is in the heart of the village on a frequently used back road which takes drivers from Strabane to the Glenshane pass, benefiting our store with the passing trade.

"We also have a really strong agricultural base in Artigarvan and we get a great amount of business from Glenmornan and outlying areas.”

When the store opened back in 2001 it initially traded as a Mace and upgraded to a SPAR, which opened with just six employees the following year.

In 2005 the store was extended to increase its footprint from 1,000 sq. ft to 2,500 sq ft.

New services including a Post Office opened, while new dairy and fresh produce bays packed with locally sourced products were installed, and the store offered a range of promotions on grocery ranges to further support their shoppers.

The most recent refit happened in 2021, which saw their chilled space increase by 30 per cent with over one hundred new lines added to the range, as well as adding to-go offerings including Barista Bar coffee and snacks, perfect for that passing trade.

After all the developments and improvements for the local community, the store now employs 18 staff and offers a huge range of exclusive, locally sourced everyday essentials and services, and food to go.

John continued: “We would like to thank our local community for their ongoing support that has led to our store success. Giving back to the community is hugely important to us, and over the years we have collaborated with our local school, Artigarvan Primary, to hold colouring competitions and sponsorship events.

“We also partner with local charities including Foyle Hospice and MS Society, and we supported a sponsored walk in aid of SPAR’s charity partner, Marie Curie.

"We raised an impressive £1,500, which was such a brilliant achievement for our small community in Artigarvan.’’