After many classes with Ray throughout the course of two weeks, our entire Haller group had to take a two hour exam today. It was pretty hard to grasp on first sight, but after the first question, the final two questions were pretty easy to write. After our exam, we headed on down to the Irish Design Center where we met Tom Petrone, and Maura Krushinski. Tom gave us the full tour, walking us through the jewelr y section, the clothing sections, and some accessories like scarfs, blankets, and even mini purses. I really admired the sweaters in the clothing section from just the material, it seemed really comfy and perfect to wear when it gets chilly outside. It surprised me that Tom was Italian and not Irish because he was giving me the vibe that he seemed really passionate about the culture and the backstory from the items he sells. Tom knew exactly where each product was manufactured, who made it, and what each product symbolized. I also liked that the shop isn’t just for people who already know a lot about Irish culture. From what I got from this visit was that Tom built this place so that someone who knows nothing about Ireland and someone who grew up immersed in it can both walk out feeling like they got something meaningful. Every part of the experience had intention behind it, from the building itself to the products to the way Tom talked about where the products came from

But Tom was honest with us about the store faces and the challenges. Tom explained how importing goods right now is brutal, the fees on the shipments have basically doubled because of the current economic climate, and that’s why a lot of small retailers like this have had to close. Running an authentic, high quality shop means the cost are almost always going to be higher, and that makes it harder to compete with how easy and cheap online shopping has become. Tom’s take was that stores like his need to lean hard into referrals and social media just to survive. Which honestly ties back what we’re trying to figure out for our own project with Erin and Carrigart.

Overall, I walked out of the Irish Design Center with a new appreciation for how much work goes into running a speciality retail shop. It’s one thing to sell a product, it’s another thing to sell a piece of culture. It’s clear that Tom and Maura know how to work the shop.