Newry Maritime Association Celebrate the Boyds Stores Story

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Unveiling the plaque are from left: James McArevey, Newry Maritime Association; Cllr Glyn Hanna, Chair, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council; Andrew Boyd, Boyds Stores and Helena Young, Newry Maritime Association. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie

If it hasn't got it - you don't need it! That perhaps should be the motto of the Newry institution that is Boyds Stores at John Mitchel Place in the city, which has an unbelievable range of household products.

Members of the Boyd Family pictured outside the store. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie

Sunday past, 28 June, was a day for celebration for the store with another institution, Newry Maritime Association making sure the Boyd Stores story is preserved for the future by placing a commemorative plaque on the premises and unveiling a portrait of Andrew Maguire Boyd who ran the business until his death in 1954. The Association point out that Newry was a town, now city built on trade and by the mid 1800s it was thriving, with goods arriving and leaving daily from Newry Port.

Members of the Boyd family pictured at the Boyds Stores celebration. From left: Andrew Maguire Boyd, Gwen Purce, Toby Purce, Andrew Boyd, Herbie Purce and Atalanta Purce. — Members of the Boyd family pictured at the Boyds Stores celebration. From left:
Andrew Maguire Boyd, Gwen Purce, Toby Purce, Andrew Boyd, Herbie Purce and
Atalanta Purce.

Family business, Boyds Stores are Newry's oldest independent traders. Members of the extended Boyd family, friends and neighbours gathered at the family business to mark 147 years of the celebrated Newry store on what was a beautiful sunny morning. Things have changed incredibly since Patrick Russell Boyd originally launched his Newry Hardware and Ironmongery business at 58 Hill Street in 1879 and 2026 when the new modern store has over 10,000 lines for sale.

The latest man at the helm is Andrew Boyd who joined his Father Russell in Boyds Stores in 1990 who stepped up as principal over 18 years ago. Under his tenure the shop offerings have continued to expand, Boyds restaurant has received a complete makeover, an outside catering arm has been developed with an outlet on the Dublin Road and considerable investment has been made in a purpose-built mobile catering unit for event hire.

Toby Purce, Andrew Boyd and Herbie Purce at the unveiling of the portrait of Andrew Maguire Boyd — Toby Purce, Andrew Boyd and Herbie Purce at the unveiling of the portrait of
Andrew Maguire Boyd

Andrew Boyd with the help of Glyn Hanna, Chair, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and James McArevey and Helena Young, Newry Maritime Association unveiled a plaque on the wall of the store at 1pm on Sunday. The plaque tells the Boyd story, adding that Andrew Maguire Boyd took control of the business in 1915, thus making 'Andy Boyd's' a household name in Newry to this day.

McArevey also presented Boyd with a book of selected plays, to which the store owner quipped "Every day in this shop is not a play - It's a pantomime". No doubt Boyds, the Grand old Dame of John Mitchel Place will continue on for many more years to come - Oh Yes it Will!