Boyle For Men – celebrating 60 years
MEET THE FINALISTS: BEST IN RETAIL
BOYLE For Men, which was founded in October 1966 by Margaret and Patsy Boyle in Cootehill, is synonymous with high standards and the personal touch.
Now exactly 60 years and two additional stores later, the men’s clothing retailer is operated by Patrick Boyle and his two sisters, Lorraine and Paula.
“We were born into it,” Patrick says. He believes the secret to their success is threefold.
“It’s about customer service so you have to have a passion for that,” he said.
“There’s no working from home in our job, you have to be on the floor!”
Secondly, Patrick talks about the “symbiotic relationship” between the customer service at Boyle’s and their staff.
“We don’t just employ bodies. Our staff are happy and have that drive to come into work.”
There’s no denying that as the managers in each of the family’s three stores have, between them, clocked up 131 years’ service in Boyle’s!
Phelim Pritchard in Boyle For Men, Cavan Town, started working in the company 55 years ago in 1971. Gerard Gaffney, the manager in Cootehill, has been with the company for 52 years and the manager in Monaghan Town, Cyril McKenna, has been with them for 24 years.
Then there’s the broad offering at Boyle For Men. The stores continue to offer a great selection of well-known fashion brands, from Barbour, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein to Farah Vintage, Penguin and Lyle & Scott, alongside classic menswear names such as Benetti, André and Carl Gross.
When asked how men’s clothing retail has changed in the past six decades, Patrick points to online sales and click and collect options, both of which are also available at Boyle’s.
They’ve also launched their own website.
The Cootehill and Cavan stores also underwent major re-fits in recent years, followed by Monaghan earlier this year.
Patrick also says suiting has also changed a lot in the past 10 years.
“You used to sell a three-piece suit to a man who would keep it for years but now we mix and match and men buy a new waistcoat the way we used to buy new ties.”
And that is good news for customers who can dress for all occasions at Boyle For Men confident they will get the expertise, customer service and personal touch that sets the retailer apart.
___
FULL LIST OF FINALISTS
Read about the other three finalists in this category by visiting the stories below.
A place where Sean knows their name
Reeling in the Years at Sports World, Cavan