Boots to open second store in Athlone

Boots is to open a second store in Athlone, it was announced this morning (Wednesday).

The health and beauty retail chain has taken out a 10-year lease on a 3,500 square foot unit on the ground floor of the Athlone Towncentre.

The store, which will be in the unit formerly occupied by McGorisk's Pharmacy, is expected to open during the second quarter of this year (ie., between April and June).

Boots has an existing and long-established store in the Golden Island Shopping Centre, and the announcement of its upcoming addition to the Towncentre said: "Athlone will now have two Boots stores offering the brand’s popular pharmacy and prescription service".

Shirley Delahunt, marketing manager, Athlone Towncentre said: "We're delighted to welcome another major brand to Athlone Towncentre.

"With a great reputation and strong customer appeal, we know that Boots will become a favourite with shoppers.

"Now with our new leases, new lettings and renewals, in addition to 98% retail occupancy, there’s even more compelling brand reasons to make the centre a destination of choice," she stated.

Last week Lovisa, the international Australian-based jewellery brand, held the official opening of its 1,000 sq. ft. store at ground floor level in the Athlone Towncentre, where it is "reporting brisk business" so far.

Lovisa is based in the ground floor unit previously occupied by Golden Discs, which moved to a larger unit on the first floor of the shopping centre last year.

Athlone Towncentre also said there had been a "successful re-letting of the An Post post office with a new postmaster," and that this post office "continues to offer essential all-day services such as pension withdrawals and social welfare payments".