MBTA 2025: Who's in the shop window for the Excellence in Retail Award?
SPONSORED BY MEATH COUNTY COUNCIL
The go-to destination for all things DIY, home and garden
TOPLINE MURTAGHS ASHBOURNE
Tell us about your business and team
Located in the heart of Ashbourne’s main street, Topline Murtaghs is your go-to destination for all things DIY, home and garden. With over 10,000 products under one roof, the store proudly stocks trusted brands such as Snickers, Hozelock, Kärcher, Ninja, Colourtrend: plus, lots more.
Customers can shop in-store for expert guidance or online at www.murtaghs.ie, with click & collect and home delivery options available.
Behind the business is a dedicated local team of 20, who bring knowledge, passion, and great customer service, continuing Topline Murtaghs’ long-standing reputation as a trusted part of the Ashbourne community for over 65 years.
Describe the best thing about your service
Whether you’re tackling a home improvement project, freshening up your garden, or simply looking for quality tools, the friendly team at Topline Murtaghs is always ready to help.
But the best thing about Topline Murtaghs is the personal touch. A knowledgeable, friendly team who go above and beyond for every customer. True to their tagline, “Here to Help, Happy to Advise,” they offer expert guidance and genuine care whether you shop in-store or online.
Testimony to this is a 4.9 star rating on Trustpilot, and their award of DIY Store of the Year from Retail Excellence Ireland in 2024.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
According to Colin Murtagh, Managing Director, “The best business advice I live by is to keep moving and never sit still. In retail, listening is key. Using “two ears and one mouth,” our customers guide our focus and drive our success.
What does the future hold for your business?
Retail is changing but using new technologies makes us more efficient and sustainable for the future. Initiatives like electronic price tags in-store offer better efficiencies and offering omni-channel shopping for customers with www.murtaghs.ie that even has a new AI chat assistant, means the future is bright for Topline Murtaghs.
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‘Dedication, reliability, friendliness and consistency are the best things about our service’
DOUGHTYS WILKINSTOWN
Tell us about your business and team
Doughtys Wilkinstown is a family-owned local MACE store and Texaco service station in North Meath. Established in 2006 by Brendan and Eimear Doughty, Doughtys has become part of the fabric of life in the community of Wilkinstown and surrounding areas.
We have so much on offer to service the needs of customers including; premium fuel, a wide grocery range, Keith’s Meats in-store butchery, an off-licence, our much loved real dairy whipped ice-cream, Bewley’s coffee, daily home-baking by Lilyphils foods and our renowned Doughtys’ Deli.
Outside, we have Mark Young Car Wash and Valeting and Feel Good Outdoors & Bike Rental, which are both locally owned and operated. Our newest most exciting addition is the development of Park Beo Greenway Hub, a new tourist and leisure amenity opening up access and facilities to visitors on the Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway. Here, we have extended our retail offering with Park Beo Outdoor Cafe, offering tasty snacks and a full Barista menu.
Our dedicated team of employees at Doughtys Wilkinstown, has grown steadily from 17 to 65. This dynamic crew, who are like family, are our biggest strength and are at the core of everything we do. They too are part of the fabric of the local area and are our neighbours, friends, family and customers as well as employees.
Describe the best thing about your service
We believe our dedication, reliability, friendliness and consistency are the best things about our service at Doughtys. From day one, customer service was our main focus with the aim of retaining that ‘old school’ local shop vibe along with a modern day offering. During numerous crises, from storms outages to the pandemic, we have maintained a reassuring presence against the odds and met our customers’ needs as they arose. This is something we continue to do under the radar whether it’s delivering essentials to those who are isolated, supporting the bereaved or assisting local causes.
At Doughtys, we have integrated as a business and as a family into all things local. We have been quiet supporters of countless groups, organisations, charities, schools and sports clubs throughout our 19 years in business. We’re proud main sponsors of Bhulf Ton GAA.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
We’re practical businesspeople who believe respect and success are earned. Hard work, graft and resilience is required to survive a demanding and ever evolving marketplace. We know that people are the greatest asset a business can invest in. The best business advice we’ve been given is to learn from challenges and to keep moving forward, one day at a time.
What does the future hold for your business?
At Doughtys Wilkinstown, we aim to continue with our customer and community focused approach in a world where the personal touch, particularly in retail, is too often being eroded. We will bring our core values forward as we proudly look ahead to celebrating 20 years of dedication, progress and shared success in the coming year. We aim to continue to grow Park Beo Greenway Hub as a valuable tourism amenity complementing the rich offering to be discovered here in the Boyne Valley.
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A warm welcome and the best customer shopping experience from the moment they walk in the door
JACK KIERNAN'S
Tell us about your business and team
Jack Kiernan’s is a family run business that will be 57 years on Trimgate St in November. We have six loyal staff, some of whom have been with us for over 25 years and now the grandchildren also help at busy times. We pride ourselves on a personal service and always make sure that our customers are no 1.
Describe the best thing about your service
We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and we try always to give our customers the best shopping experience from the moment they walk in the door.
We love chatting to our customers and giving them our time as they have chosen to support us.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
Always make your customers feel welcome. It costs nothing to say hello or greet with a smile. Even if you’re busy, always acknowledge them when they come in to the shop and we always try and do that.
What does the future hold for your business?
We are hoping to keep going and building our customer base. We also connect with customers through social media like tiktok, Facebook and Instagram and we will continue this positive path.
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Luxury gifts that combine timeless design with a personal touch
MAKE IT PERSONAL IRELAND
Tell us about your business and team
Make It Personal Ireland is a Dunshaughlin-based, award-winning brand creating personalised fashion accessories through bespoke machine embroidery. Founded and solo-run by designer Gráinne Lyons, the business produces handbags, hats, cosmetic bags, travel accessories, and luxury gifts that combine timeless design with a personal touch. Gráinne personally oversees every piece, ensuring precision and artistry. The brand also offers live embroidery activations and bespoke corporate services, bringing memorable, interactive experiences to events and retailers. Every accessory celebrates individuality, quality, and lasting style.
Describe the best thing about your service
The best thing about Make It Personal Ireland is our commitment to creating truly bespoke, personalised fashion accessories through machine embroidery, something no other Irish brand currently offers. Every piece, from handbags and hats to cosmetic and travel accessories, is individually crafted with precision, allowing customers to design their own monogram, name, or meaningful symbol. This combination of cutting-edge embroidery technology and traditional craftsmanship ensures each product is long lasting, elegant, and completely unique. We also offer live embroidery experiences for events and corporate clients, creating memorable, interactive moments that bring style and individuality to life.
What's the best business advice you've ever been given?
Gráinne Lyons always lives by the principle of “trusting the timing of your life” and manifesting it in everything I do. I stayed in my corporate job, worried about letting my bosses down, and now redundancy has arrived at the perfect moment, with a new website about to launch, giving me the courage and opportunity to take my business full time and grow it to its full potential.
What does the future hold for your business?
I cannot wait to see where going full-time with this takes me, after managing so much in evenings, weekends, and maternity leave. We are about to launch our new website with an online personalisation tool, letting customers customise every product while watching it live. We plan to expand B2B services, grow live embroidery activations, and not only work with major retailers on personalising their merchandise but also sell our own products through them.