Shanore is Jewelry Supplier of the Year

Newsletter of The North American Celtic Buyers Association
Contents
2 President’s
Message
3 Programs
and Promotions
3 New Members
4 Supplier of the
Year Awards
6 Enterprise
Ireland/NACBA
Vendor Tour
9 00$
by Katie Paulosky
9 Letters
10 Bank of Ireland
& NACBA
11 Election of
Officers to Board
of Directors
12 Celtic
Marketplace
& The
Ireland Show
March 2005
Shanore is Jewelry Supplier of the Year
incorporating precious stones and pearls, the
You could hear a pin drop at the International
Mothers Pendant, designed to include the birthBuyers Dinner in Dublin on January 23rd last when
stone of each child or grandchild and the highly
it became apparent that a new jewelry company
popular and successwould be named
ful Bridal Collection “Supplier of the
engagement rings,
Year”. For four
wedding bands and
consecutive years,
gifts. “Last year we
Solvar had scooped
took part in
the top award - an
NACBA’s Creating A
acknowledgement
Celtic Wedding proby their customers
gram, which went
of superior product
down really well with
development and
our customers, and
customer service
gave us the encourto the North
agement to launch
American market.
our Bridal Collection
Solvar took second
Brochure for 2005”
place this time
The Shanore team receive their awards. L-r Neville Gardner, NACBA,
Shane
Maher,
Frank
Maher
and
Alan
Clancy
of
Shanore
and
Ruairi
commented Shane.
around and they
Curtin, Enterprise Ireland.
Shanore further supare to be comported the range by attending store events for their
mended for their stellar and consistent record.
customers. Their rep, Alan Clancy facilitated 15
(They also won the award for Best Promotional
such events last year and his hard work was rewardSupport).
ed when he was named Best Company
The announcement that Shanore was Jewelry
Representative for 2004. This young man has won
Supplier of the Year for 2004 was greeted with a
the respect and appreciation of retailers for his outtremendous roar of applause. Shane Maher and his
standing service to their needs. A native of
father Frank were stunned and of course delighted
Moycullen, Co. Galway, Alan immigrated to the US
to accept the accolade. “This award was a wonderful
five years ago and has represented Shanore for the
and complete surprise that we believe reflects the
last year and a half. “After finishing College, I decidrelationships Shanore has tried hard to build with its
ed to get some international work experience. I
retailers”, said Shane. “We pride ourselves on listenintended on spending one year in the US but I have
ing to what they want and acting upon it”.
been here for 5 years now and have enjoyed every
The Shanore brand was launched at Showcase
minute” said Alan. “I really enjoy meeting new peoIreland in 2003. It is owned by Flaircraft, which has
ple and working with people who are passionate
been in the Jewelry business since 1979. The
about promoting Irish products and Irish culture”.
Shanore jewelry range includes Trinity Knot and
Claddagh pendants, earrings, bracelets and rings
President’s Message
The mission of the North American
Celtic Buyers Association is to facilitate
communication among businesses
involved in Celtic retailing in the USA and
Canada, and to develop and implement
programs of value to its members.
President
Neville Gardner, Donegal Square,
Bethlehem, PA
Vice President
Cynthia McBurney, Kathleen’s of Dublin
Portland, OR
Treasurer
Fran Siefert, Ballyhugh Irish Imports
Audubon, NJ
Secretary
Susan Banks, Faith & Begorra
Denville, NJ
Executive Director
Anne Tarrant
Board of Directors
Legh Burns, Celtic Crossing, NH
Ed Hansberry, Emerald Gifts, NJ
Liza Hendley, Fáilte Irish Import Shop, KY
Kenneth McKitrick, The Celtic Isles Shop
Tracey Riley, The Life of Riley Irish Imports, CT
Peggy Sheehan, Sheehan’s Irish Imports, MO
Maureen Siegert, Shamrock Imports, IA
Cindy Washburn, Oxford Hall Celtic Shoppe, PA
The North American
Celtic Buyers Association
27 Addison Avenue
Rutherford, N.J. 07070
Tel: 201-842-9922
Fax: 201-804-9143
Email: info@celticbuyers.com
www.celticbuyers.com
2
Buying Trends
are Changing
As we approach another St. Patrick’s Day
it seems that there is a shift in how we all
do our buying. It has become obvious that
fewer buyers are making the trips to trade
shows.
I believe this is due to several factors; certainly it has become more and more expensive to spend a week in Ireland, even in
January. Hotel costs and unfavorable
exchange rates have convinced many buyers
to do their buying differently. The stream of
traveling sales representatives has made buying much easier for those of us who are on
the beaten path, and although this makes it
easier for retailers, it makes it much harder
for the smaller companies in Ireland and
Scotland to do business with us.
The buying cycle for most retailers seems
to be heading towards a shorter delivery
period and more frequent buying pattern.
This in itself is forcing the range of products to change somewhat to limit the number of companies who can do business in
this increasingly competitive and demanding marketplace. We can only hope that this
does not hurt the small producer who is
depending so heavily on Showcase for a
good proportion of their year’s business.
Having been forced to spend only two
days in Dublin at Showcase because the
Made in Scotland show ran concurrently, I
felt a little cheated. There was really not
enough time at either show to see all the
products and make considered selections
with all the companies I would have liked
to buy from.
Having said that, I would encourage our
members to make the trip to Dublin and
Glasgow each January. The benefits outweigh the cost in terms of finding new
products and seeing how they are presented- not to mention all the social opportunities that revolve around the shows.
Buyer Incentives for Celtic
Marketplace Trade Show
The Ireland Show in New Jersey and
Celtic Marketplace in Chicago certainly
provide a forum for retailers to do business
with Irish and other manufacturers and
agents on home soil, and it seems that these
shows have become increasingly important
in the annual buying calendar. To give buyers another reason to come to Celtic
Marketplace this September, NACBA is
offering a $200 product voucher to the first
120 buyers to pre-register. These vouchers
can be used with any exhibitor for an order
placed at the show. Seminars, networking,
giveaways and show specials are among the
many reasons you should attend the show,
which is fast becoming a favorite amongst
NACBA members.
Networking is a huge benefit
Networking with fellow shop owners has
been identified as a major benefit of
NACBA membership and there are no better places to do this than at trade shows.
Our Shop Talk Forum in Chicago receives
rave reviews. Getting new ideas, problem
solving and sharing new and innovative
ways to market our businesses is valuable
information indeed.
Likewise, interaction between buyers and
vendors is important and beneficial. This
was highlighted by the positive reaction to
the Vendor Tour organized jointly by
Enterprise Ireland and NACBA last
November. The opportunity to see the production process involved in the making of
Irish products certainly solidified buyer
admiration and respect for the companies
we visited. We all came away wanting to
buy everything we saw being made; there
could be no better way to put the products
in front of the buyer.
Participation and Feedback
Participation by NACBA members is
crucial to the success of our organization.
Promotions and other initiatives are
financed by your support and participation.
To further communicate how the promotions and marketing initiatives work, a
Board Member will be contacting you by
telephone in the coming weeks. We want to
communicate with you regarding ongoing
programs, and get some feedback from you
with regard to how we can better assist you
in the future. Please take this opportunity
to learn how you can increase business, give
us your ideas and and let us know how your
association is meeting your expectations.
Good luck to everyone this St. Patrick’s
Day. We look forward to seeing you at our
member meeting in NJ and later in the year
in Chicago.
Welcome New
NACBA Members
General Members
Irish Eyes of Virginia
Fredericksburg, VA
Doherty & Sullivan’s Irish Goods
Lee’s Summit, MO
O’Ireland
Carlsbad, CA
Neville Gardner
President
Current NACBA Programs and Promotions
The Scottish & Irish Store
Ottawa, Ontario
The Trinity & The Shamrock
Chicago, IL
Associate Members
Come Ye Back CD
for as little as $4.50 each
Foreign Currency Exchange Corp.
Bank of Ireland Group
Contact NACBA to order.
Upcoming
Trade Shows
NACBA / CIE Travel
& Tour Program
Sign up now and turn those questions about travel to
Ireland and Scotland into dollars!
Belleek Celtic Heart
Keepsake Box
A hot seller! Order from
your Reed & Barton rep.
Creating a Celtic Wedding
Fire up your wedding market! Order books, rent a banner,
purchase a poster. Contact NACBA for details.
The Ireland Show
Secaucus, NJ
April 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th. 2005
NACBA Meeting Sunday at 8.45am
www.irelandshowsecaucus.com
Celtic Marketplace Trade Show
Lombard IL
September 11th, 12th, 13th 2005
www.celticshow.com
Showcase Ireland
January 22nd 23rd, 24th, 25th 2006
R.D.S. Dublin
www.showcaseireland.com
The next NACBA Members Meeting
will take place Sunday, April 24th
at 8:45am at The Embassy Suites Hotel,
Secaucus, NJ.
3
Supplier of the Year
Award Winners
Jewelry Supplier of the Year Award
1st: Shanore
2nd: Solvar
3rd: TJH Ltd. - The Jewellery House
Gift Supplier of the Year
1st: Reed & Barton / Belleek
2nd: Latchfords of Ireland
3rd: Philip Gray Fine Art
Best Packaging & Presentation
Fragrances of Ireland
Supplier of the Year Award Winners
Best Promotional Support
Solvar
Best Rep
Alan Clancy, Shanore
Hottest Product
Escorted Tours to Ireland - CIE Tours International
Our sincere thanks and appreciation to all who attended
and otherwise supported the International Buyers Dinner.
In particular, we want to thank our sponsors:
Amethyst Designs
CAPS Freight
Celtic Card Company
CIE Tours International
Fado Ltd
Latchfords of Ireland
Shanore
Showcase Ireland Events
Solvar
TJH - The Jewellery House
Cathal Corr of Latchfords of Ireland accepts the award from Neville Gardner
and Ruairi Curtin Enterprise Ireland.
Brian Schwer and Mariellen Donohue of TJH accept their award from
NACBA President Neville Gardner.
4
Philip Gray accepts his award from Neville Gardner of NACBA and Ruairi
Curtin, Enterprise Ireland.
Barbara Campbell and David Cox of Fragrances of Ireland receive Best
Packaging & Presentation Award from Neville Gardner, NACBA.
Nicky Obernik accepts the award for Best Promotional Support from NACBA
President Neville Gardner.
Marcus Obernik and Regina Sloan Kubiak of Solvar receive their award from
Neville Gardner, NACBA and Ruairi Curtin, Enterprise Ireland.
Jim Kelly, Vice President Sales for CIE Tours International accepts ‘Hottest
Product’ Award from NACBA President Neville Gardner.
CIE Tours wins ‘Hottest’ Product of 2004
George Davis of Reed & Barton accepts the award for Gift Supplier of
the Year.
NACBA member stores voted for an unusual ‘hottest’ product this
year - Tours to Ireland by CIE Tours International. The selection was
a direct result of the success stores have had in selling travel to their
customers through the NACBA / CIE Travel and Tours Program. Not
often do you find a product that costs nothing to stock, requires no
shelf space and generates a significant return for little effort! CIE
Tours is a worthy winner, not only for helping NACBA to adopt and
develop this new, high-quality and valuable product, but also for its
ongoing commitment to the program.
Other top vote getters in this category were (these are products that
you might want to consider carrying in your store): The Warrior Bangle
by Fado, Capes and Ponchos by Branigan Weavers, The Wedding Tiara
by Tara Jewellery, St. Bridget’s Cross by The Cat & the Moon, Engagement Rings by Shanore, Stained Glass Windows by Bridget’s of Erin.
5
Enterprise Ireland / NACBA
Vendor Tour
In a difficult market environment it is
particularly important to find ways to stay
energized and maintain growth. Retailers
and vendors alike need to be creative and
courageous in order to generate new business, and be proactive in pursuing mutually
beneficial initiatives.
Retailers appreciate the huge challenge
facing Irish manufacturers in light of currency issues. The strength of the Euro
against the dollar has forced our suppliers
to increase their prices but we understand
that this was beyond their control and done
with great reluctance.
Shop owners realized that they needed to
be prepared to explain to customers not just
why they were paying more, but that they
were purchasing the highest quality products made in Ireland. The ‘Made in Ireland’
tag is hugely important in our stores and
the explanation of product origin is a vital
selling point. The more we know about the
products the better they sell.
6
NACBA discussed this with Enterprise
Ireland last year and together we conceived
an idea to help both retailer and manufacturer in this important endeavor to sell
more Irish products. Very quickly this idea
became a reality and in November 2004 we
took 25 shop owners on a whistle stop tour
to visit the manufacturers and see the manufacturing process first-hand. The trip was a
huge success for both buyers and vendors
and each and every one of us learned valuable information that we are using every
day in our stores to sell Irish products.
Our thanks to Enterprise Ireland for
making this happen and to the participating vendors who extended extraordinary
hospitality to our group. Among the vendors we visited were Avoca Handweavers,
Carraig Donn Industries, The Cat and the
Moon, Classic Jewellery, Condron
Knitwear, Facet Ltd, Fado Jewelry,
Fragrances of Ireland Ltd, Galway Irish
Crystal, Mullingar Pewter, Philip Gray Fine
Arts and Stephen Pearce Pottery.
“That we could observe, and sometimes
participate in, the manufacturing process
provided us with a first hand experience of
the many steps involved in designing and
casting a piece of jewelry, knitting and
assembling a sweater, looming a cape,
throwing pottery, etc. With our new
understanding of the manufacturing
processes and of the manufacturers themselves, we are now better able to inform
our customers of the care and details that
go into every item”.
Bonnie Ehre, Accents of Ireland, NY
Fran Siefert takes a turn at the potters’ wheel at
Stephen Pearce Pottery.
Michael Tattan, Director Stephen Pearce Pottery
with NACBA President Neville Garnder.
“Meeting the vendors at the shows is
sometimes hurried and visiting them on
their premises made a world of difference.
An added benefit was the interaction with
other storeowners. I have never met a more
open and helpful group! Everyone is so willing to share ideas. I can't imagine that is the
case in other industries. This tour provided
another opportunity to meet others in the
same business and to now call them friends”.
with business owners that had so much in
common with me. I now realize that the
trials and tribulations of starting my business are perfectly normal, which is quite
comforting.
I returned home with a renewed excitement and enthusiasm for my business. I
held a staff meeting to share the stories,
tips, and experiences I learned. I told my
staff of the new items we were going to
carry, the background of the vendors, and
the several changes we were going to make
in the way our shop operates. I’m very glad
to say my enthusiasm was contagious”.
“Few words can fully express the value
of the experience. A retailer viewing the creation of products enhances our ability to
establish marketing plans, sales techniques
and instills confidence in the quality of
products. We are proud to be to able to
describe from personal recollection how the
products are made and that they are truly
made from beginning to end in Ireland, not
outsourced”.
Barbara Hand, Legends of the Celts, WI
Kerreen O’Connor, CO
Cheryl Parabicoli, The Tinkers Cart, MA
Martin Corrigan gave a tour of the Classic
Jewellery factory.
Members of the group in the Facet workshop.
“NACBA and Enterprise Ireland created
a priceless educational tour at an economical price. Getting connected to NACBA
buyers and vendors while traveling, touring,
dining, and pubbing added a layer of fellowship and knowledge to our group.
Talking face to face with shop owners and
Irish vendors to share successes and difficulties was affirming and enlightening to me.
Group interaction brought up brilliant
ideas and partnering happened. Since I am
really committed to growing the Travel and
Tour Program, anytime I experience the
Emerald Isle in person adds credibility to
share with employees, customers, and
potential travelers. The warm hospitality,
the gourmet meals, the visual knowledge of
Vincent Hughes gave an informative and
interesting tour of Carraig Donn facilities.
“The amount of information I gleaned
from this trip was invaluable. Visiting the
vendors at their locale was helpful in that,
at trade shows, there is so much to do in so
little time. I am now able to put a personal
setting with a vendor. They are no longer
just another jeweler, potter, woolen manufacturer, etc. I must say there are a few vendors I met on this trip that I have passed by
at different trade shows for various reasons
but who will now be at the top of my preferred vendor list. The outpouring of information and hospitality was incredible.
Another exceptional aspect of this trip
was visiting with my fellow shop owners.
As a new business owner, having
absolutely no experience whatsoever, it was
great to share information and experiences
The Cat & The Moon in Sligo houses an art
gallery as well as the workshop and a stunning
retail store - great merchandising ideas there!
“The education that all of these fine manufactures gave us was not only insightful but
so pertinent to our jobs as promoters and
sellers of fine Irish made wares. To be able to
describe the actual process of the creation of
someone’s wedding ring has brought about a
new sense of pride from those brides and
grooms. Seeing raw wool being loomed into
patterned and colorful creations has given
me a whole new selling point”.
Darryl Foley, Anna Liffey, VT
Cheers!
7
“The Irish Centre has been successfully in
business for 26 years. This experience is definitely an asset, but sometimes it does lead
to resistance and stagnation. My participation in the trip was definitely the shot in the
arm that I needed. My pride in selling
“made in Ireland” products is renewed. I
returned to my store empowered with new
ideas for display, packaging and service”.
Maeve O’Malley of Enterprise Ireland got a different kind of 'tour' from Philip Gray!
At Fado, John Condron explains the manufacturing process.
seeing products made in Ireland (rather
than out sourced), the music and laughter
all only confirmed my devotion to our
NACBA family and Irish friends. A
huge thanks”.
“By any standard: educational, commercial and/or social, the tour was a resounding
success. The vendors we met, the things we
learned and the contacts we made were
invaluable, and will remain a part of our
business forever”.
Anne Gleine, Ha’penny Bridge Imports, OH
Mary Reilly, Irish Centre, NJ
Judith & Legh Burns, Celtic Crossing, NH
“This experience literally revolutionized
the way I do business in my store. I gleaned
more new ideas in that 5 days than most
business owners are able to do in a lifetime!”.
Must go back in summer to see the Lavender
Fields in bloom!
Charlene Connolly Sheridan,
That Irish Shoppe, IA
Rita Condron treated everyone to a bountiful
lunch in her home.
“The time spent on the bus was just as
informative as the time spent in the visits to
companies. We all gained a lot of valuable
information from each other”.
Linda Low, Little Shop of Shamrocks, NY
Mullingar Pewter
Here’s an inexpensive way to get some advertising
for St. Patrick’s and Tartan Day.
Busy looms at Avoca
letter outlined just what is Tartan Day, why it is on April 6th, why
it is important to Americans, and gave them the website (tartanday.org) and telephone numbers of Scottish societies that may be
For St. Patrick’s, I sent each elementary school in our county the
“Everything Irish” book for children. It has some wonderful simple
stories as well as arts and crafts the children can do in school. It’s
of help to them.
If you don’t carry the books, the letter works well to remind
teachers you are there.
a teacher’s whole week of activities! For Tartan Day, I sent a letter
to each middle and high school social studies department. The
8
Lori English, Celtic Heritage, Gatlinburg, TN.
00$
by Katie Paulosky
Kathleen’s of Dublin, Portland, OR
Adding Vendors to the mix
I’m sure M would have a difficult time
keeping James Bond engaged in his work if
he were sent on the same mission every
time. It’s no different with your own secret
agents of sales. Varity is the spice of life. By
adding vendors into the mix of driving
sales, games, and helping us to foster sales
goals in our stores we not only gain an
engaged selling staff but happy vendors and
a healthy bottom line.
On the “business side” of your store,
strong partnerships are a cornerstone of
business today. We all know they can impact
our business in both a positive and negative
way. For example, relationships with our
vendors can keep our business running
smoothly or stop us dead in our tracts.
The traditional relationship is as follows:
Letters
Dear NACBA,
Looking back over the last two years, the
lessons learned and the progress made,
Shane Maher and his father Frank must be
delighted at their change of fortune.
I met them first just over two years ago
as they reviewed their situation on return
from a selling trip to the US.
With Shane’s vision and Frank’s experience they took an important decision in
relation to freshening their product offering
and their presentation to the Irish American
retail stores.
They decided to consult with their distributor friends at NACBA, Enterprise Ireland
and design/branding agencies with a view to
making changes to ensure a good future.
Work began on establishing “Shanore”, a
new and vibrant brand, as well as listening
and acting on what customers wanted. And,
we, the retail store, like what you, the vendor, offer. We buy it, promote it, and hopefully need to buy more. In return vendors,
some of you, offer deals on shipping, dated
billing, or discounts, all of which are great
for business owners. But let’s be honest
here, sales staffs don’t really care if the boss
gets dated billing, it doesn’t give them any
incentive to sell your product over anything
else. And they are the ones on the sales
floor with your product! Don’t we want to
impact their desire to sell your product too?
How excited do you think James Bond
would be to go on his missions if M were
getting all the fabulous extras and he got
nothing more than the privilege of doing
his job. It’s not much incentive is it?
With everyone looking to develop new
are better ways of doing business I offer this:
vendors offer product to your customers to
give to their employees as incentives. Maybe
it’s something from last year or samples you
don’t need or use anymore. Or maybe you
can offer a gift certificate to the employee.
Maybe it’s the newest thing you have and
you really want to get the word out.
Whatever you choose for the gift, the point
is that you are helping drive sales of YOUR
product in the stores. Just think of it, hundreds of secret agents of sales trying to sell
your product first, even over your competitors, and not just in one store but dozens
around the country. You could even partner
with shops to have special in-store events.
After a year, month, or event if the sales
staff hit the sales figures for your product
you offer free product to their staff. You
could also run this idea on a sliding scale.
However you want to run it it’s put to you.
In the end everyone wins. The shop has
great sales figures, the staff gets a little
something extra for their hard work, and
the vendor has pushed even more product
out the door with little effort.
This is not a new concept. All types of
industries do this; there must be something
to it. Vendors and shop owners - open your
minds to the possibilities of this new partnership. Give it a try and see everyone’s
bottom line increase.
bit by bit their confidence grew. They
appreciated the support and advice that
came their way and the bodies, agencies and
professional companies that helped and
supported, were pleased with the positive
way the company responded.
Last year Shane and Frank were delighted
to feel they had been rewarded for their
hard work when they received the NACBA
Best Packaging and Presentation award.
This year they have been left speechless
by the award given to their American representative Alan Clancy - Best Company
Representative - for his hard work in helping to establish Shanore.
However their emotions have still not
recovered from the follow up shock of winning the Supplier of the Year award for jewelry. As a result, they have asked me to sincerely thank all their customers for supporting them, and especially their friends in
NACBA for honouring them. I am delighted to do so, and also to add my own con-
gratulations to Shane, Frank, Alan and all at
Shanore, on achieving such high accolades.
John Clarke
Branding Advisor
Dear Neville,
As reasonably new associate members, I
would like to thank you, Anne Tarrant and
the Board of NACBA for the effort put in
to promote not only the Celtic Marketplace
Trade Show, but also increased awareness
between vendors and retailers. As supporters
of the excellent Creating a Celtic Wedding
program, we are already reaping the benefit
on the Kilt Rental market. Your association
is unique and I hope you will continue to
flourish, which will be a great asset to both
sides of the trade.
Yours sincerely, L. Russell Cooper
Sales Development Manager
The House of Edgar
9
Bank of Ireland & NACBA
Offer a Fast and Simple Way of
Paying your Suppliers Abroad
Want a fast, simple and cost effective way to pay your suppliers abroad?
Bank of Ireland has teamed up with the board of the North American
Celtic Buyers Association to launch a new way of making payments abroad.
Through its Orlando based subsidiary, Foreign Currency Exchange Corp.
(FCE), Bank of Ireland is offering members of the North American Celtic
Buyers Association a discounted package to facilitate the transfer of funds
to suppliers.
The process of transferring money abroad using this service is safe, user
friendly and very efficient. Essentially the process involves using FCE’s online
software to input the payment details, wiring the money to FCE and the rest
is handled by the Bank. This entire process can be facilitated at costs significantly lower than your typical main street bank.
Commenting on the launch of this initiative, Brendan Kelly, Vice
President Sales & Marketing, FCE said: - “We are delighted to offer this
service to the members of the North American Celtic Buyers Association. By
using us, retailers can be assured of a trusted partner that offers competitive
pricing in an efficient & simplistic manner. Our proposition is firmly based
on convenience and value with the support of Bank of Ireland’s brand, repu-
The magnificent award scrolls for Supplier of the Year
Awards were designed and created by Kevin Dillon,
Celtic Card Company. www.celticcardcompany.com
tation and long track record for integrity, innovation and service” Bank of
Ireland’s FCE has worked with Neville Gardner of Donegal Square over the
past few months in developing this proposition. Speaking at the launch,
Neville added: - “This is indeed a unique and exciting offer to our members.
www.celticbuyers.com
The NACBA website is currently being modi-
Bank of Ireland’s FCE have proven to be an efficient, responsive and pro-
fied and updated to serve you better. Thanks to
active service provider. I have used FCE on a number of occasions in the
Board Member Mike McKitrick, the changes will
past and have always found the process to be very cost effective and simple
give the home page a consumer focus, which is
to use.”
designed to entice customers to visit your store.
Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, FCE is a wholly owned subsidiary of
The Members Area will feature up-to-date infor-
Bank of Ireland Group. FCE is a foreign currency banknote provider and
mation on all NACBA programs, promotions and
international payments specialist. It employs over 100 people though out
initiatives and will enable you to download the
North America and operates through over 10,000 outlets comprising in
relevant materials.
excess of 300 Banking companies, 1,000 Hotels, Tourist attractions such as
Universal Studios Orlando and has numerous corporate clients.
So, how do NACBA members avail of this initiative & discounted pack-
You will also notice changes to the Member’s
Forum - this is the area where you can post questions and communicate with fellow members.
age? Simply contact Brendan Kelly of FCE at 1-800-999-0689 (email
Make a habit of checking it out frequently - it’s a
Brendan.Kelly@fceco.com) and he will take you through the process.
marvelous resource.
The password to enter the members’ area of the
site will be changed shortly and will be available
only to General Members in good standing (2005
dues paid).
Election of Officers to
the NACBA Board of
Directors
Nominations of Officers to the Board of NACBA
have now closed. All NACBA General Members
(in good standing) have received ballots for the
election of new officers.
The Nominees…
Ward Gahan, Biddy Murphy’s Exquisite
Celtic Gifts, South Haven, MI
Ward Gahan is a native of Cahir, Co.
Tipperary and has been living in the US
since 1985.
An engineer by profession, Ward maintained close ties to home over the years
and his love of all things Irish inspired him
to open an Irish shop, which he named for his mother Bridget. He
felt strongly that high quality Irish made products would be popular
with the many tourists that visit South Haven, and it appears he was
right. Business has been good since he opened in July 2004 and as
he develops a greater awareness of his market profile he plans to
expand his range to include among other things, more fashion clothing. “We found some great product lines at Showcase”, says Ward,
who is also excited at the potential for NACBA’s Creating a Celtic
Wedding program in his store.
And speaking of weddings, Ward made a very special purchase
while in Dublin - an engagement ring from Fado! He and his fiancée,
Mary are looking forward to a June wedding.
Ward is most impressed with the resources NACBA has to offer
members. “I found NACBA on the internet when I was researching
the market and was delighted to know that there was a trade association that could help me”, he said. “I spoke to some NACBA members who were most helpful and open in exchange of information. As
a Board Member I look forward to giving something back and to
perhaps bringing some new ideas to the table”.
Caron Sullivan, Sullivan’s Irish Alley,
Flushing MI
Caron Sullivan and her husband Ed
always wanted to own their own business
and their vision became a reality when they
opened Sullivan’s Irish Alley in June 2001.
Caron, who is an engineer by profession
loves her new career as a shop owner and
enjoys the daily interaction with customers.
Their biggest recent growth area has been in travel and tours. “It
was simply magic when we heard about the NACBA / CIE tour program”, says Caron. “We were continually being asked about travel to
Ireland by our customers. Now we could help them to make their
dream vacation happen while adding to our bottom line!” The
demand for tours has been so strong that Caron and Ed have successfully sold their first custom tour and will take 36 customers on a
10-day CIE tour this Easter.
Both she and Ed are active in the local Irish American community
and work hard to give their customers the very best products and
service. Their hard work was rewarded recently when Sullivan’s Irish
Alley was named Business of the Year 2004 by Flushing Chamber
of Commerce.
Not bad for a lady whose life was on the line just a few short years
ago. Having been an insulin dependent diabetic since first grade,
Caron’s kidneys started to fail just about the time the store opened
it’s doors. She was told that she would need a kidney transplant to
keep her alive and her Mother was identified as a donor. Two weeks
before surgery the hospital called to say they had a kidney and a pancreas available and in the fall of 2002 Caron underwent life-saving
surgery. She hasn’t looked back.
Kenneth (Mike) McKitrick, The Celtic
Isles Shop, Waynesville, OH
Currently serving on the NACBA
Board, Mike McKitrick is well known to
members and is enjoying his tenure. “I feel
honored to be a board member”, says
Mike, “and believe that for anyone in the
Celtic business membership is a must. This
is our organization working for our shops; an organization with a
human face and with the same concerns we shop owners have”.
Mike and his wife Mara whose heritage is both Irish and Scottish
opened The Celtic Isles Shop in Waynesville, Ohio in 1997. They
enjoy discussing ethnic roots, Celtic products and travel with their
customers who are both local and tourist.
They are particularly excited about the development of the
NACBA / CIE tour program and see it as a marvelous new shelf
product. But like any professional retailer, they want to know as
much as possible about the products they sell, so while on a minivacation after Showcase Ireland last year, they did some investigative
work! On two occasions they followed CIE tour buses to the next
stop and then mingled with the tourists asking them how they liked
their tour so far. “The response was unanimous”, reports Mike.
“Every last person we spoke to had only good things to say. They
were loving it! It’s nice to know that we can confidently sell CIE
tours knowing that we are offering our customers a high quality
product consistent with every other product in our store”.
11
Make your plans now to join your fellow members and friends
and all your favorite vendors at “The Buyers Show”
The Ireland Show
Embassy Suites Hotel
September 11, 12, 13
Secaucus, New Jersey
Don’t forget
The Shop Forum
on Saturday
September 10th at 6pm
April 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 2005
Register now at
www.celticshow.com
or by calling
(201) 842-9922
The first 120 buyers to
register receive a $200
product voucher to use
at the show!
www.irelandshowsecaucus.com
for registration and additional
information.
Secaucus Hotels
Embassy Suites Hotel (201) 864-7300
AmeriSuites Hotel (201) 422-9480
Courtyard by Mariott (201) 617-8888
Showcase 2005…
Holiday Inn (201) 348-2000
NACBA Meeting Sunday at 8.45am
at The Embassy Suites Hotel
Parade Honors
Congratulations to Betty Rohman,
Harp & Thistle, Peoria Heights, IL who
was selected as Grand Marshal of the
Peoria, IL St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Congratulations to Peg Cullen, My
Irish Cottage, Summit, NJ who was
selected as Grand Marshal of the
Union, NJ St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
On behalf of its members,
NACBA extends sincere sympathy
to Mary Reilly of the Irish Centre
in Spring Lake, NJ whose husband
Jim passed away suddenly on
Saturday January 15th.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam
12