Shock closures of well-known Limerick stores leave parents guessing

MYSTERY surrounds one of Limerick’s best-known school uniform suppliers and menswear stores after all three outlets suddenly shut their doors without explanation just weeks before the back-to-school rush.

Noel’s Menswear, which has branches at Bedford Row in the city centre, at the Crescent Shopping Centre in Dooradoyle, and in Newcastle West, is a long-running family business, selling menswear and children’s wear for more than 40 years.

But its three branches have not opened since the start of the month, sparking concern and confusion among parents and schools who would regularly purchase school uniforms from the firm.

“They were always so easy to deal with. It’s sad to see it now temporarily closed, as they have put it. Everyone is a bit confused as it is so close to the time children are going back to school,” said one parent.

The store would have provided many Limerick men with their first ever suit.

And members of the Limerick senior hurling team were also regular visitors to the stores.

Signs on the door are advising customers that the stores are “temporarily closed”.

These signs also give information about a telephone number to call for school uniform collections or alterations.

A statement posted on Noel’s Menswear’s social media pages reads: “The Noel’s Stores in Bedford Row, Crescent Shopping Centre, Newcastle West and The Long For The Outdoors store in the Crescent Shopping Centre are temporarily closed.”

And it has now emerged that Wickham Properties, the trading name of Noel’s Menswear, is the subject of a winding-up petition.

Winding-up refers to closing the operations of a business, selling off its assets, paying off creditors, and distributing any remaining assets to the owners.

A petition for winding up is usually based on the company’s inability to pay.

A creditors’ meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday, August 20.

The Long Family – Vanessa, Bryan, Maureen, Noel and Garry – operate Noels Menswear, according to a post on the Crescent Shopping Centre’s official website.

Limerick Live rang the telephone number which was given to customers to contact, and left a voice message.

The call was returned, but Limerick Live was told by the person who made the call that they could not comment.

Multiple attempts were made previously to contact Noel’s Menswear but without success.

A visit to the store’s premises in Bedford Row was also made this Monday morning.

Only the window displays appeared to be there, with the remainder of the store empty.

No further information about the time and venue of the creditors’ meeting was available.

A filing to the Companies Registration Office revealed that at the start of last year, Noel’s Menswear had 17 staff on its books.

For the majority of its 40 years trading in the city centre, Noel’s Menswear was based at Wickham Street, moving to Bedford Row around a decade ago. Separately, a Noel’s Menswear store operated in Ennis for a time.

If the shop in Bedford Row did cease trading permanently, it would be the second store to close in that street this year.

Shoeshop Schuh shuttered its city centre branch there just before Easter.

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Shock closures of well-known Limerick stores leave parents guessing

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