Business

Bathroom business opens new store in Lisburn in £100,000 investment

Pictured at the opening of Bathshack's latest showroom in Lisburn: Connor Dunlop, operations manager; Peter Dunlop, managing director and Ryan Dunlop, area manager
Pictured at the opening of Bathshack's latest showroom in Lisburn: Connor Dunlop, operations manager; Peter Dunlop, managing director and Ryan Dunlop, area manager Pictured at the opening of Bathshack's latest showroom in Lisburn: Connor Dunlop, operations manager; Peter Dunlop, managing director and Ryan Dunlop, area manager

A BATHROOM business has opened a new showroom in Lisburn following a £100,000 investment.

Bathshack has created three jobs with the launch of its store in Laganside Business Park in the city.

The 10,000 sq ft showroom and warehouse, which stocks hundreds of tile products, wooden floors and bathroom supplies, opened to the public on Wednesday.

The Lisburn store is the fifth the company has opened in Ireland. Bathshack also has shops in Ballymena, Belfast, Cork and Dublin.

The company employs 50 people over its five stores.

Customers in Britain make up around 10 per cent of its trade and the company aims to build its business by opening new shops there.

Bathshack also plans to open further stores in the Republic.

The business was initially set up as an online retailer in 2009.

Managing director Peter Dunlop traded from his father's warehouse in Glarryford, outside Ballymena in Co Antrim, before opening his first shop.

"Our Belfast showroom has been a huge success since it opened in 2013," he said.

"Located at Dargan Crescent, the showroom is convenient for customers north of the city but we also wanted a location that would be appropriately located for those customers south of Belfast, as well as helping us extend our reach into counties Down and Armagh.

"Lisburn is a thriving city and when the opportunity arose to open a showroom there, we took it."

He said the industry has changed in the 10 years since the company was established.

"Nowadays, customers are more savvy - they are spending more time online researching products before purchasing with value for money continuing to be the most important factor," he said.

"That's why our full catalogue is available to view on our website and to ensure we maintain our competitive prices and excellent service to customers, we continually source new products and ranges from reputable factories across the world. Being responsive is key within this industry."