The present proprietors of Dublin’s oldest bike store say the growing cost of running a business is one of the reasons for the closure.
Delaney’s Bikes on the city’s southside initially opened its doors more than a century ago. Since 1917, the business has been near the Harold’s Cross Bridge intersection on the city’s southside.
Brian Delaney, who has worked at the business with his brother Paul for the last four decades, claims that the company has assisted hundreds of Dubliners with their bikes over the years.
Their great-grandpa founded the company, which has been passed down through the generations.
“I don’t believe any of us expected it to endure this long. Being in the family and one generation taking over from the next, I don’t think any of us expected it to last 105 years.” “Not much lasts that long these days, so we must have done something good,” Brian explained.
The red storefront has remained almost unchanged throughout the years, with the exception of the occasional touch-up. It’s become a landmark and a familiar site for many on the busy highway.
“My father used to say that whenever someone asked for directions, they were invariably told, “Coming up to Dublin?” “Come up the canal to the red shop on the corner, cross the bridge, and you’ll be right in town.” “They’d look here for a turning point,” he explained.
Paul is rummaging through stock and old invoices from the 1960s in the basement. “I hope we could continue.” However, given the current context, that is just not practical. So we ran the numbers, adding up what was coming in and what was going out. “And we’ve decided to shut it down,” Paul stated.
Although the brothers are nearing retirement age, the present expense of running the company has sealed their fate.
“Everything I buy has increased by over 60%.” “And then there’s the cost of living, electricity… they’ve all gone up,” Paul explained. “We did our best to deal with it.” We extended our hours and reduced our pay. It took a lot of time, thought, and back and forth between myself and my brother.
“And when we went to the accountant, he said, ‘Yeah, guys, you’re doing the right thing.'” “Close it and start a fresh chapter somewhere else.”
Customers have been dropping in to say their goodbyes this week. The business, as well as the two floors above it, are for sale. At the end of the month, the brothers will lock up for the last time.
“It won’t hit me until I lock the door and look back and think, “Wow, we’ve only had 100 years.” It’s getting to me now that I think about it. It will be difficult, to say the least. “An era has come to an end,” he continued.
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