One of Northern Ireland’s oldest butchery businesses has been put up for sale – 90 years after first setting up shop.
‘Dowey’s’, based at High Street in Lurgan, has gone on the market and listed by Dungannon-based Baird Real Estate.
The agent confirmed to Armagh I that the popular business will eventually close, with the sale providing the opportunity for a butcher to acquire the business – at 20 High Street to be specific – to continue trading.
At the same time, in the absence of any butchers stepping forward, it is also seen as ideal for a “developer exploring potential for mixed-use or expansion”.
It is, according to the agent, a property which “offers endless possibilities”.
Established as John R Dowey back in 1936, the business is now affectionately known to all in the town simply as ‘Dowey’s’.
It has been renowned for the finest quality of meats, excellence value and first class service, with three generations of the family taking up the mantle behind the counter.
It was John R Dowey Snr who established the business back in 1936 when he set up the original. He actually managed two shops at that time, but decided to bring the business together under one roof and built his premises on the rather-less-busy High Street of 1956.
His son would join the family business and possessed both a love for farming and the necessary skills to join in his father in helping the butchery grow.
Fast forward to the 1980s and, a victim of their own success, it was felt the time was right to expand. New premises were acquired and the year-long process of works to create a purpose-built unit began and was completed.
September 1990 saw the doors open on the newly-expanded business, with the addition of a deli counter which has proved hugely popular in the intervening years.
Simon Dowey, grandson of the founder and son of his successor, was the next in the family line to join the team, doing so in 2007 with a degree in IT and the drive to continue writing the next chapter in a true Lurgan success story.
Awards over the years were plentiful. They are past winners – and runners-up previously – in the ‘Retail Butcher’s Shop of the Year’ competition, while they have also earned plaudits in the prestigious Master Butcher Sausage and Burger competitions.
They also used Simon’s arrival and his know-how in IT to help grasp the new age and introduced an app offering rewards to customers.
It is a business proud of its past but which was firmly placed in looking to the future.
Now, Baird’s Real Estate is looking for a potential buyer to either continue that success, or to take the expansive and prominent property in an entirely new direction.
In its marketing materials, the agent advises: “Occupying a prominent position on Lurgan’s bustling High Street, this substantial property presents a superb opportunity for those seeking a high-visibility commercial premises with excellent potential.
“The property has long been home to a well-known local butcher’s and offers a versatile layout comprising a spacious ground floor retail area, preparation rooms, kitchen, staff facilities, office space and generous storage space.
“To the upper floors at the front of the building are two additional levels offering significant development potential (currently without internal access), ideal for conversion or expansion subject to necessary consents.
“Externally, the property benefits from a rear yard with vehicular access, providing added convenience for deliveries or parking.
“Whether you are an established business seeking a prime town centre location, an investor looking for a high-yield opportunity, or a developer exploring potential for mixed-use or expansion, this property offers endless possibilities.”
Fixtures and fittings may be negotiable and, for interested buyers, the price is available upon application from Baird Real Estate.
