Clerys to re-open on November 21st

Clerys department store is to re-open its doors on November 21st following nearly four months of closure.

The Dublin store was forced to cease trading in July after a freak summer storm caused extensive flood-related damage to the O’Connell Street outlet.

Some 86 staff were laid off on a temporary basis as a result.

The affected employees, who worked primarily in sales and back-of-house functions, remained as Clerys’ employees during the temporary lay-off period.

In September 2012, Clerys was taken over by a Boston-based private equity group, Gordon Brothers, only hours after joint receivers were appointed to the company, following a request by the company’s directors.

At the time, Clerys employed 147 staff directly at the O’Connell Street store while more than 200 worked for the 49 concessionaires there.

The shop incurred “significant water damage” during the heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in July, which forced the 160-year-old store to temporarily cease trading.

A spokesperson said the store has been “completely restored with dramatic changes to the interior look and ambience”.