Cork retailer John Buckley Sports is running to a new location of its own

“It’s really been about finding a permanent home that’s our own, to have a premises that we can do what we want with,” said company director Conor Kavanagh.

“We’d prefer to be in charge of our own destiny, and I think the spot we have chosen is a very good spot.

“I think everyone else is running for the outlet centres, but we are quite confident that the city is going to survive and that a small independent retailer can survive against all the big multiples,” he added.

The Camden Wharf premises was brought to market last year by Declan Hickey of Casey & Kingston with a guide price of €300,000 — but didn’t quite make the guide.

“It will be great to see a new user in such a high profile location in the city,” Mr Hickey said.

The premises is across the River Lee from the Cork Opera House and the Crawford Art Gallery, sitting adjacent to the Q carpark at Carroll’s Quay.

The Camden Wharf move will mean the business has relocated as many times as there are baton changes in a relay since founder and former Irish international runner John Buckley opened his first shop on Blarney Street in 1981.

Since then, it’s nudged its way slowly closer to the city centre, operating from two different Mulgrave Road premises — including No 11 — where it has traded for the past 14 years.

Mr Kavanagh said the move to Camden Wharf, at the northern end of Christy Ring Bridge, would bring “two sporting legends closer together”.

“It will be the meeting of Christy Ring and John Buckley,” he quipped.

Mr Kavanagh said owning its own premises going forward meant the shop would have a permanent home rather than relying on leased premises. The business currently employs seven staff, a mixture of part-time and full-time.

As they still have 10 years left on the existing lease, it has not yet been decided what the future is for Mulgrave Road — which is a bigger premises than the new one.

“We’ve been spoilt for choice on Mulgrave Road, so when we move, we will have to be a bit more clever about how we manage our stock,” Mr Kavanagh said.

Brands stocked at John Buckley Sports — where gait analysis “is the first port of call” — include Asics, Brook, Hoka, Mizuna, Adidas, New Balance, and Saucony.

Nike is no longer stocked following a move by the global sportswear brand to cut back on third-party selling during the pandemic.

“If people want a good shoe, they come to us. We don’t need to be right in the city centre — we are a destination store, rather than depending on passing footfall,” Mr Kavanagh said.

He added that a big part of their business success is down to the staff “and their knowledge and interest in getting the right product for the customer”.

As well as selling “specialised products”, about 25% of business is generated by referrals from health care professionals, Mr Kavanagh said. They also have a seasonal trophy business, supplying medals for school sports and the like. The shop has long been supported by Ireland’s international runners such as Olympic medal winners Sonia O’Sullivan and Rob Heffernan.

John Buckley himself has held several Irish records and has won European Masters titles and World titles for distance running.

Officially retired from the business, he continues to take an interest and is involved in organising the upcoming John Buckley Sports 39th Annual Road Race — which takes place on May 20 over the Marina circuit. The growing popularity of the Marina area among walkers, reinforced by covid, has been great for business, Mr Kavanagh said.

“I’d say 50% of our customers are walkers and the uptake has been huge since covid.”

The move to the new shop is expected to take at least six months. “Hopefully, we’ll be in before the start of next year,” Mr Kavanagh said.