New store opening next year
13:22, 04 Dec 2025Updated 13:26, 04 Dec 2025
Leeside landmark Singer’s Corner
A new Gala store is set to open in Cork’s Singer’s Corner next year as the well-known shop chain has become a tenant at the historic city building.
The news comes almost six months after the location’s old sewing shop, which was open for 150 years, closed in May. It’s understood that extensive renovations are expected at the property – known for its distinctive black-and-gold patterned facade – as Gala is set to transform the old store into a modern convenience shop.
The historic location was in high demand when it went up for rent in October, with a spokesperson for agents Casey and Kingston saying they received a large number of applications. Sam Kingston Jr told Cork Beo he’s hoping the Gala will open in the first six months of 2026, adding that the chain’s move to launch a new store is “an excellent sign of confidence for inside Cork city centre.”
The old Singer’s Corner sewing shop had been a staple of Leeside life since the 19th Century before its closure. The building itself is a late-Georgian end-of-terrace building designed by two of the most influential architects in Cork, the Deane brothers and the Pain brothers, who were instrumental in planning Washington Street.
The ground-floor shop was remodelled in the 1930s and 1940s, and since it first opened, it has been synonymous with Singer sewing machines. In their final few years, the store was regarded as the go-to for garment alterations and dry-cleaning.
Sign up here for our daily newsletter and get breaking news and top stories from Cork Beo direct to your inbox