![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_2024-09-28.jpg\")
The shop will close for good on New Years Day<\/p>\nThey said it was an easy decision in the endThe shop will close for good on New Years Day<\/p>\n
A famous family run shop in Mayo<\/a> has closed its doors after 50 years in business.<\/p>\n John O’Brien Mens’ and Boys’ Wear store<\/a> on Bridge Street is set to close its doors for good on New Years Day.<\/p>\n An offer from The Mariner Hotel to buy the building convinced owners Conor and Susan O’Brien that it was time to move on.<\/p>\n The decision to sell was an easy one they said, due to realising that the business was not improving.<\/p>\n Speaking to The Mayo News, Susan said: “It’s time for us to change now. There’s no use changing in ten or fifteen years time. We’re young enough to change and embrace it.<\/p>\n “I’m really looking forward to it and we’ve got a nice cushion behind us, so we may as well take the opportunity and run.”<\/p>\n “We can start living a bit now.”<\/p>\n The couple lived above the shop with their three children for twenty years.<\/p>\n Conor said that his favourite part of the day was when they would all come home from school.<\/p>\n He said: “You’d look forward to seeing them come home.<\/p>\n “It was a nice experience being able to work and see your kids as well at the same time.<\/p>\n “They’d pop down if they needed help with anything, or they might bring something down to me and you could always run up and see them doing their homework”<\/p>\n Conor added that he would not encourage his children to follow in his footsteps.<\/p>\n He said: “I wouldn’t like to put them into this. If they were interested, I’d actually talk them out of it. Having to go into retail, it’s just too hard.<\/p>\n For all the latest breaking news headlines today, visit our website home page<\/a>.<\/p>\n “You won’t make enough money to buy a house or anything like that.<\/p>\n “They’re well educated and they’re going into professional careers.<\/p>\n “That’s where I point them to anyway, because retail is just long hours with little reward.\u201d<\/p>\n Galway Beo\u2019s top stories and breaking news service on WhatsApp.<\/p>\n