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Quintessentially Galway
Quintessentially Galway
Opening Soon
Print Works @ Connacht Tribune
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The Printworks Food Market is bringing together over 2 dozen of the region’s best food entrepreneurs under one roof.
Opening in the spring of 2020, this indoor marketplace will welcome locals, tourists and businesspeople to a vibrant setting where they can enjoy a variety of locally produced food and drink that is a reflection our diverse and creative community.
We aim to create a Market that plays many roles – an incubator for small businesses, a showcase for local talent, a place to learn about food and try something new, a meeting spot for friends, a friendly environment for families, and a community amenity.
We are committed to building a Market with a mix of products and price points that will keep our customers interested while also being accessible to the larger community.
The Market is designed in a flexible way that can accommodate:
Hot food stalls with permanent, year-round spaces
Temporary pop-up spaces with seasonal products
Fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood and meats
Kitchen space for classes and demonstrations
Local musicians and artists
The Printworks Market is located in the City Centre, inside the Connacht Tribune building at 15 Market Street. There is a Car Park adjacent to the Market and we are a quick walk from local bus stops as well as the City’s coach and train stations.
The site of this Market has a long history which parallels the history of Galway city itself. The earliest map of Galway city in 1651 shows a grand house here with extensive gardens reaching back to the historic city wall which ran roughly along the line of Bowling Green at the rear of the building. The garden would not just have been ornamental it also supplied fruit and vegetables to the house. That map was prepared just as Galway was slipping into a long period of decline having been one of the busiest trading ports in these islands over the previous centuries.
In the following years the grand houses along this side of Market Street gradually gave way to more modest town houses and utilitarian buildings as the gentry moved out of the city to their country estates. In 1909 part of this premises was acquired by the newly-founded Connacht Tribune newspaper for its printing works which expanded into the what was a builders’ yard next door in the 1950’s.
For almost 100 years the factory space echoed to the sound of printing presses producing Ireland’s biggest-selling local newspaper as well as books, brochures, racing programmes and tons of advertising material. The clanking of the Letterpress machines which produced lines of type made out of metal would echo across Bowling Green day and night. The Connacht Tribune was at the forefront of printing technology being one of the first newspapers in the country to introduce colour printing to its newspapers and to computerise its production.
In 2008 the press fell silent for the last time as the demand for more colour and tighter deadlines made the move to a more modern facility necessary. Since 2014 the Printworks has been the site for the Galway International Arts Festival’s main gallery and has hosted exhibitions by world-famous artists as well as a number of exhibitions and events put on by Galway’s cultural community.
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The Printworks Market is a year-round, indoor marketplace that will host over 20 of the region’s most creative food entrepreneurs in a vibrant and welcoming setting. The Market will feature vendors who represent the best of what Galway has to offer, and who will help the Market establish itself as a reflection of our City’s vibrant, diverse, and authentic community. We are committed to building a Market with a mix of products and price points that will keep customers interested while also being accessible to the larger community.
Acting as a small business incubator, the Market will provide a low-risk platform for young businesses to grow and test new concepts in a receptive environment. Prohibitive costs associated with traditional retail and restaurant space are minimised by harnessing the efficiency of scale and shared services, by providing vendors with a predictable fixed cost base, and by simplifying customer acquisition efforts.
The Printworks Market is located in the City Centre, inside the Connacht Tribune building at 15 Market Street. There is a Car Park adjacent to the Market and we are a quick walk from local bus stops as well as the City’s coach and train stations.
The Market is located inside the 12,500sf ground-floor space that will house vendor stalls, customer seating, a bar, teaching kitchen and performance stage. There will be additional seating and limited vendor space in a covered area outdoors.
Our goal in designing the Market is to present a cohesive look across the market floor while also allowing vendors to express their own individuality and brand within their stalls. The layout is intended to be flexible, allowing it to change and adapt when needed as the Market evolves.
Market Vendors selling prepared foods will be provided a stall – essentially a cube of space bordered by a wood and steel frame – where they can customize and build-out their storefront. Utility connections (water and electric) will be provided at the rear of each stall, and ventilation will come from above. Vendors will be responsible for the design, build-out and maintenance of their stall, including all fixtures and equipment. Please note, there is no gas in the building.
There will be additional flexible space for retail and temporary vendors that can be customised to meet individual needs (micro-stalls, carts, table top displays, etc.).
All vendors must be open for business when the Market is open. The Market’s initial operating hours will be:
Thursday-Friday: 12pm-10pm
Saturday-Sunday: 11am-10pm
During summer months we will increase to a 6 day operating week:
Tuesday-Friday: 12pm-10pm
Saturday-Sunday: 10am-10pm
As the Market grows we plan to increase our opening days and hours, with the goal of operating 7 days/week throughout the year.
We will use the following criteria to evaluate prospective vendors when reviewing their business plans:
Business Model:
o Product assortment, price, and quality: The Market strives to have a diverse mix of businesses with the ability to offer consumers an attractive selection of products across several price points. We believe good food should be accessible to everyone.
o Business plan: How well thought out is your plan for the Market?
o Adaptability: Will you be able to adapt as the market grows and changes? Can you easily scale up or down?
Community Impact:
o Economic/Community impact: How will your new business impact the community and local economy?
o Product sourcing: Are you sourcing locally when possible? Will other local businesses benefit from your participation in the Market?
o Environmental impact: What considerations will you take to reduce your environmental impact?
o Potential for collaboration. We encourage cross-promotion and collaboration between vendors and with our neighbouring businesses.
Marketability:
o Uniqueness of concept: How does your business stand out from the rest? Will you attract customers to the Market because you are creating something extra-special?
o Experience, reputation, and references: Have you been successful before? Do you have a cult following? Is your customer service exceptional?
o Your story: What is the story behind your food and your business and how will this help draw customers in?