Former Oddbins staff open Baggot Street Wines

Triumphant Dublin GAA footballers and brothers Bernard (left) and Alan (right) Brogan cut the ribbon with (from left): Shay and son Garret Connolly (owner) and members of staff including Catherine Noakes and Alison Mooney at the official launch of Baggot Street Wines.

Four former Oddbins employees have opened Baggot Street Wines in Dublin’s affluent Ballsbridge area.

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Situated in a prominent position in the middle of Upper Baggot Street and owned by Garret Connolly, together with partner Catherine Noakes operating as General Manager and Wine Buyer, the outlet lists 650 wines.

“Over 50 per cent of our wines come from Italy, Spain and France,” Garret told Drinks Industry Ireland.

He’d spent 11 years with Oddbins in management roles in all four Dublin outlets which closed down recently as well as achieving Oddbins highest turnover branch and wholesale centre for the North of England at Street Lane in Leeds from 2006 to 2008.

Of Slovakian descent, multi-lingual Milos Szenesi works on the spirits and beer side which is equally diverse alongside fellow former Oddbins employee Claremorris-born Alison Noone.

Although the outlet has been open for the last nine weeks, it had its official opening only recently, offering trade press and wine sampling opportunities and the chance to try some of its range of 145 different craft beers.

“We’ve over 200 different types of spirits, too, ranging from the mainstreams to the unusual,” reports Garret whose father Shay owns a bar in New York, “We want to become the local beer and wine shop for this area.

“The ethos at Baggot Street Wines is to engage in the local community and create a warm atmosphere and be accessible to customers whilst providing what they want.”

Shay Connolly sold off his family business of some 60 years, Connolly Foods Services, in 2006 to BWG Spar and now runs Shayz Lounge on Franklin Street NY with Garret’s brother Jimmy.

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