Centra will be the first convenience store to open in the City Quays / Clarendon Dock area, which is currently home to over 5,000 workers. City Quays will eventually provide jobs and homes for 13,000, with City Quays 2 accommodating 1,000 workers.
Spanning 2,615sq ft, the bright and contemporary new store marries high convenience with an expanded food-to-go offering. Amenities in store include Frank & Honest Coffee – the largest gourmet coffee brand on the island of Ireland; a Green Kitchen hot and cold deli, with a plentiful choice of healthy sandwich and salad options, a Mex-a-go Burrito Bar, hot self-serve food-to-go options and self-scanning checkouts. Boasting strong eco-credentials, all Frank and Honest coffee cups and food-to-go packaging will be 100% compostable.
For an enhanced shopping experience, Centra City Quays also features a seating area and complimentary Wi-Fi, providing customers with a dedicated space to dine-in and take a break. The unit will also include a covered terrace for waterfront dining and direct access to the river Lagan walk and cycleway that connects City Quays to Belfast’s Waterfront Hall.
The store is the latest addition to the Gracey family’s portfolio, which also includes two MACE stores at Newtown Park and The Gasworks. Next week’s opening builds on the family’s estate, which was established by leading retailer, Tony Gracey over two decades ago. Today, his daughter Anna and son Stephen are at the helm of this latest addition to the family business.
Commenting ahead of the opening, Anna McErlean said: “Our business was founded by our father Tony Gracey 22 years ago. At one point, he had 10 stores, before deciding to consolidate the business in 2010 to two stores – Mace Newton Park and Mace Gasworks.
“I joined the business around seven years ago; I had just completed my law degree at Queen’s University and thought it would be a good opportunity for me to learn that side of the business before deciding my career path – I never left. My brother Stephen joined the business in 2018 after four years working in retail business development. Our passion for the business and customer-centric approach has at the heart of our recent successful refit of our Gasworks store and the opening of our new store at City Quays.
“Our father Tony has decided to take more of a back seat, with Stephen and I now at the forefront of the business today. Together we are proud to mark another milestone as we open our new Centra store at City Quays, bringing significant investment to the local area. We are proud of our roots in the Belfast retail space and are proud to bring further employment to the city.”
Nigel Maxwell, Centra Sales Director added: “We are delighted to support the Gracey family in this exciting new venture, which brings significant investment to Belfast. One of our core objectives is to work with our retailers with a joint aim to redefine convenience for the consumer. The new Centra City Quays store does just this; bringing an exciting and fresh retail concept to the area that will be matched by the first-class customer service synonymous with the Gracey family name.”
“We are confident that our new look Centra stores offer customers an enhanced shopping experience, where they can get value for money, without compromising on quality. We are sure this new look store will be a great addition to City Quays, which features a vibrant business and residential community.”
Graeme Johnston, Belfast Harbour’s Property Director, said: “With over 5,000 workers already based in the area, further offices underway and the Marriott hotel now open, this is a significant opportunity for Centra.
“As part of the procurement process to secure a retailer we surveyed existing workers in City Quays. They wanted access to a wide range of quality, fresh produce that supported healthier lifestyles – Centra’s modern take on convenience and coffee was a perfect fit.
“City Quays has already become a natural extension of the City Centre. With the waterfront walkway and attractions such as the Marriott hotel and now Centra, we expect even greater numbers of people to visit and enjoy this new part of Belfast.”
Nigel Maxwell, Centra Sales Director with Anna McErlean and Stephen Gracey, owners of the new Centra store at City Quays, Belfast.
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