Athy store expands following online success

A FAMILY business in Athy is celebrating a major milestone after expanding its retail premises to meet growing demand driven by its thriving online presence.

The Workwear Department, which has long been known locally for its embroidery and screen-printing services, has evolved over the past decade into a destination for premium workwear and lifestyle brands, attracting customers from across Ireland.

Owners Joyce and John Rainsford said the expansion has been "a long time coming" as the business continues to grow both online and in-store.

Joyce said: "We started off as a workwear business, embroidering and screen-printing clothing for local companies. Then, around nine years ago, we brought in the Carhartt brand and launched our website, The Workshop Is Open. That really changed everything."

The business now stocks leading brands including Carhartt, Ariat and YETI, with more brands set to arrive following the recent expansion.

The additional retail space allows the team to display a wider product range and improve the shopping experience for customers.

While the company has built a loyal local customer base through its printing and embroidery services, its retail business has gained national attention through social media.

The Workshop Is Open's Instagram account now boasts more than 22,000 followers, with customers regularly travelling from Dublin, Cork, Waterford and beyond to visit the Athy store.

Like many businesses, the company faced uncertainty during the Covid-19 pandemic when production work came to a halt. Rather than standing still, Joyce and her husband, John, shifted their focus online:

"We had to completely change the way we looked at the business," she said. "Before Covid, we were mainly production. During the pandemic, retail became almost 80 per cent of what we did because online sales really exploded."

The business remains proudly family-run, with Joyce and John at the helm.

John has become the familiar face of the brand through its popular Instagram and TikTok videos, while college student Cian returns each summer to help the couple during their busiest months.

Joyce believes customers increasingly value the personal experience of shopping with an independent retailer.

"People like coming in because they're meeting the people they've seen online. This is our livelihood, we're invested in the products, and we're genuinely delighted to see customers come through the door."

The expansion marks another chapter in the growth of the Athy business, which continues to combine its long-established workwear expertise with a modern retail and online presence, helping to bring customers from across the country into the town.