Champion Green will offer one business a pop-up store at Blackrock Village worth €50,000 as part of the local retail support network's Readymade Retail competition.
The winning business will be hosted in a 479 sq ft unit in a prime location beside Bewley’s and Holland and Barrett at the upmarket south Dublin shopping centre for a period six months, including the busy Christmas period.
The group said the competition is open to all non-food SMEs, including online businesses looking to expand into a retail space, regional stores eager to test the Dublin market, or any small business wanting to capitalise on the festive sales period and beyond.
The pop-up shop is estimated to be worth €21,550, including rents and rates but excluding utilities, and is being provided by Aviva Life & Pensions on a six-month rental licence, from October 2022 to March 2023.
"We are proud to have supported Champion Green since it first launched in 2020, encouraging the growth of local businesses and start-ups," said Jenny Donnelly, of Aviva Life & Pensions.
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“Providing short-term retail space to small businesses in prime locations allows them experience the potential of retail for their brand or business, risk-free.
"It is a showcase for the original and innovative products and services that our SMEs provide, whilst at the same time adding a new consumer offering to the Blackrock Village centre.”
Fit out specialists Roccul will offer the winner additional fit-out advice and equipment to the value of €5,000, and the winning company will also receive free parcel-sending within Ireland for a year from An Post Commerce to support online retail and a free direct mail campaign in south Co Dublin, a combined value of €10,000.
“We are proud to encourage local online retail with our range of parcel solutions, meaning online shoppers and traders can rely on prompt affordable delivery of their goods”, said Julie Gill, commercial marketing director at An Post.
Entrepreneur Bobby Kerr will also give the prize winner a business planning session, and they will receive a complimentary one-year membership of Champion Green's business group partners, Retail Excellence, the Small Firms Association and Chambers Ireland.
Champion Green and Bannerton PR will also provide a store marketing campaign worth €15,000, and the winner will receive business planning and professional mentoring through the government-backed MentorsWork scheme. The closing date for entries is 5 September.
Duncan Graham, managing director of Retail Excellence, will chair the judging panel, alongside chair of Kilkenny Design Marian O'Gorman, who founded Champion Green to encourage consumers to shop locally during the pandemic.
"The Champion Green campaign encourages the public to shop and to ‘click local’, as well as seeking local service-providers first, to help businesses in their community to bounce back, thrive, and remain vibrant for future generations," O'Gorman said.
Blackrock Village Centre has recently undergone a €10m refurbishment, managed by Aviva. Previous Readymade Retail winners include Irish design brand, Jill & Gill, and Ambr Eyewear.
Photo: Tommy O'Reilly, director of Roccul. (Pic: Julien Behal Photography)
