JC Savage:JC SAVAGE, who has died aged 66, was one of a handful of independent supermarket owners still operating in the Republic.
JC, or John Columbanus, came from an extended family steeped in the grocery business, laying claim to up to six generations of Savages who ran shops in the Fingal town of Swords. JC's was one of north Dublin's best-known independent supermarkets. The original family shop on the main street is still operated by the family, under the Londis flag. It was here that his love of retailing was nurtured when, as a young boy, he did grocery deliveries for his father on the company bicycle.
JC went to school at the local St Columcille's national school in Swords and to O'Connell CBS secondary school in North Richmond Street, where he was a contemporary of Noel Ahern, brother of former taoiseach Bertie Ahern. On leaving school, he got a job with what is now Bristol Meyers Squibb, one of the first major multinational firms to locate in north Dublin, working in production with the pharmaceutical group.
However, he was soon drawn back to retailing, branching out on his own in 1977, building a small shopping centre on the Rathbeale Road. A shrewd operator with a sharp eye for emerging trends, he identified the move towards big-name supermarket operators taking anchor units in much larger complexes. And so, about 12 years ago he rebuilt his premises, expanded it substantially and personally negotiated with Dunnes Stores to take the front unit, but to sell only textiles.
JC always operated independently. He would source goods directly from wholesalers all over Britain, mainland Europe and the US. He was also known for buying goods (not fresh food) that were short-dated, that needed to be sold within a few weeks. "He could always move the goods, and you knew you were going to get paid at the end of the month," said one associate.
Nor was he afraid of competition: "You have to set out your stall, and let them come," he would say to staff.
Earlier this year, Senator Feargal Quinn, founder and former owner of Superquinn, featured JC's in the RTÉ television series Retail Therapy.
Quinn got a retail consultant to run the rule over the shop. "It's a bit like a teenager's bedroom," said the consultant, "it needs sorting out."
Quinn attempted to do this, clearing the aisles of special offer goods for a relaunch, but the shop was soon back to its old ways. "I'm a great believer in the old Denis Guiney approach: pile 'em high and sell 'em cheap," JC said.
Quinn described JC as a great family man with a strong sense of humour. "What impressed me was the magic he put into the shopping experience," he said. "It was about fun, it wasn't all geared towards price."
Quinn also recalled how he had held a great wine sale. Some wine was priced at €9.99 per bottle. JC took customers aside, explaining it was very good wine and was really €7.99, but not to tell anyone. He put that price on it because he didn't want restaurant owners snapping it all up.
In more recent times, he held wine sales, having bought job lots from wine warehouses. "Don't tell your friends in Dublin 4," the ads would run, "these are only for the people of North Dublin!"
He recognised early on that fresh meat was an important draw. Today, more than 20 butchers work as part of the 200 strong full and part-time workforce at the supermarket.
JC had two great loves aside from running the grocery business: following the Dublin football team and horses. He was a regular face at Leopardstown and went to Cheltenham every year. He was a "silent partner" in the group that owned the horse Flashing Steel, a consortium that included Charles Haughey and his son-in-law John Mulhern. Flashing Steel was a Grand National winner in 1995 and enjoyed success in a number of other high-class races. In more recent times, he had an interest in a horse called Master Swordsman.
He visited Texas several times, where he had relatives and while there he would visit stores to see if he could bring any new ideas home. Back in Ireland, he was sometimes seen sporting a Texan hat and cowboy boots, not just any cowboy boots according to his friends. He could give chapter and verse on the real ones, and how they were made. In true JC style, he also offered to source them, for anyone who was interested.
JC died just before the Retail Therapyprogramme was broadcast, the victim of a virus caught abroad, some years previously.
He is survived by his wife Geraldine, and nine children: Tara, Joseph, Michael, Robert, Colm, Raymond, Niall, Crónan, and Philomena.
JC Savage: born August 1st, 1943; died April 2nd, 2010