Less than a year after throwing the doors open on its brand-new store in Cavan, Homemakers landed the prestigious Irish Retailer of the Year award at a gala ceremony in Dublin. General manager Dermot O'Reilly spoke to the Cavan GAA Yearbook. The new Homemakers store - 55,000 sq. foot complete with a groundbreaking energy centre - opened its doors for the first time in March 2008. Within 11 months, it had claimed the Irish Retailer of the Year award at a blacktie ceremony at the Shelbourne Hotel. Despite gloomy predictions across the property sector, or perhaps because of Homemakers' admirable response to the economic downturn, the reputation of the Cavan outlet continues to grow apace. Dermot O'Reilly explains the history of the store, which is tied to one of the most recognisable construction firms in the country, P. Elliott Construction: "Homemakers started out 30 years ago as a builders' provider and fuel merchant, and both businesses continue to be very much the bread and butter of the business. But the company branched out, exploring other revenue streams, and made the move into the general retail sector with its new state-of-the-art superstore." The builders' centre takes up 7,000 sq. feet of the overall site while the yard and fuel merchant also remains an integral part of the Homemakers brand. But it is undoubtedly the area of retail in which the company has seen tremendous growth, particularly with the move to a visually stunning new superstore in 2008. Says Dermot: "Having started out on Church Street in Cavan, Homemakers moved to a new state-of-the-art superstore last year. We're very happy with it: it's a warm, bright environment, the lay-out is very user-friendly with adequate spacing between the aisles, everything is cleared signed and it has excellent disability-access. We wanted people to walk in and immediately feel comfortable in their surroundings, and I think we managed that." With new legislation in the building sector, all homes available for sale or rent from January 1st, 2009 require a formal Building Energy Rating (BER), so Homemakers' new Energy Centre has also become a thriving aspect of the overall business. "The Energy Centre is a new addition to the builders' centre," says Dermot. "When you walk in, you're met with a flat-screen television. If you like, you can take a seat there and watch a film which details all the different products available from air tightness and insulation to renewable methods of heating such as solar panels, geothermal systems or wood pellet boilers. There are also notice-boards full of the necessary information about green energy, building regulations and BER assessment. Sometimes, when it comes to things like that, people can be hit with a wall of jargon but we try to explain it all in very simple straightforward language. "In addition to new builds, existing home-owners can also benefit from Homemakers' expertise. We can arrange an assessment of your house and BER assessors, all approved by Sustainable Energy Ireland, will produce a report on your property to tell you where you're losing heat - from the attic, the open fire, etc. The assessors use very high-tech thermal imaging cameras to show problem areas and recommend potential solutions in their final report. "The Energy Centre has had a huge impact on Homemakers and a very positive one. It's going to be a huge part of the business going forward, with the fact that from the start of 2009 every house rented or sold must have a BER rating sure to make an impact. At the end of the day, with a bit of investment you can save money and I think everyone these days is keen to do a little bit for the environment too." The Energy Centre is already a success and looks sure to flourish even further as homeowners attempt to make their homes more energy-efficient. Nevertheless, the retail outlet remains the bulk of the Homemakers operation, with 80 per cent of the floor space dedicated to the retail superstore. Under one roof, the self-builder can get everything they need from breaking ground to the finishing touches - or, as Dermot puts it, "a cradle to the grave service - from the moment you dig out your foundations right up until the curtain-poles." A lot of thought has gone into the Homemakers lay-out - bright, spacious and easily navigable, there is nothing of the clutter which characterises some other home-oriented outlets. Dermot O'Reilly elaborates: "The store covers an area of 45,000 sq. feet so we had to put a lot of effort into getting the lay-out right. The last thing you want is a customer coming through the doors and being met with a maze. Downstairs you have all the pick-up products such as paint, DIY material, paint department homewares and housewares. Then, upstairs are the showrooms which range from electrical, a heat centre such as stoves and ranges, a sanitary area, doors & floors and the kitchen area. We also have a cafeteria, where customers can sit down and mull over their options, which has been a great success." One small part of the "cradle-to-grave" service is the expertise of a resident interior designer, Lisa Rooney. "Interior design is not just about design or colours schemes or furnishings," says Dermot. "To be good at it, I think one of the most important things is to really understand the customer. Some clients want to be very involved but need advice, while others would give the designer a free rein. Lisa is great at understanding exactly what the customer requires, and she has a fantastic eye for detail. The service is another aspect of the Homemakers model. "Other services include our wedding gift list. This is a web-based service where wedding goers cam simply go online and purchase items that the bride and groom have chosen. It really takes the guesswork out of what present to buy. It's a very simple and secure online service. "The company also offers a full 'fit-out service'. Headed by Karl Rudden, the team works closely with the individual client to ensure that each client's needs are met within the timescales required. The fit-out team have been extremely busy since the opening, having fit out a number of one-off houses but also having completed multiple apartments for larger clients." Given such wide-ranging expertise - this is the defining one-stop-shop - it is little surprise that Homemakers took top honours at the Irish Retailer of the Year awards. Dermot said: "We were thrilled to have won this award in front of so many other fantastic stores nationwide - in particular ahead of some of the large multiples like B&Q and Homebase. In a difficult time, especially for those retailers in the border counties, this is an underdog story with a happy ending." Tweet

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