'Last year I was on top of the world...I was so naïve': Northern Ireland mum opens up about closing her dream vintage clothing stop second-hand vintage store after just one year

News Letter

A much-loved Northern Ireland second-hand, vintage clothing store is closing after one year on the high street blaming ‘high rent, rates, and low foot traffic’.  Second Hand Sal on Scotch Street in Armagh opened its doors in May 2024 ‘with the goal of encouraging shoppers to embrace ethical and sustainable fashion by choosing vintage and pre-loved items’.  A passionate thrifty shopper, owner Sal McConnell, had long dreamed of opening a physical store after years of successfully selling items online. The shop became a haven for vintage fashion lovers, offering a range of clothing from the 1960s to the 1980s, alongside premium sporting brands.  However, in an emotional social media post, Sal revealed that the harsh economic conditions and challenges of maintaining a physical store had led to her difficult decision not to renew her lease. The high rent, rates, and low foot traffic in Armagh were cited as significant factors that made continuing in the high street location unsustainable.  She explained: “After one year of business I have decided to close my bricks and mortar shop.  “In recent months I have been struggling with the rent and the rates in town and the very, very low footfall in my local town, Armagh.  “Last year I was on top of the world. I pumped whatever money I had into this, getting it painted, getting it decorated, buying stock. I was so naïve and it’s no secret sadly that the UK economy and the North of Ireland economy, especially, is on hard times and we’re told to try and support local and to try and support small business but it’s just not happening.  “I love what I’ve built, I love this shop and I love that it’s just my little happy place and I love all of you and I love everybody for supporting me.  “This is just a little step that I had and yeah, it’s just sad, but it’s just one of those things.  “I completely understand that at the end of the month these days there’s not a lot of money to come and buy vintage clothes, so I get it.  “So the time has come for me to sign a lease for another year and I just cannot lock myself in for another year and have the stress that I have had trying to pay my bills this past couple of months.  “It’s been very hard. So I have decided now to physically, fully move my business online and I think it’s best for me, for my husband and my kids...they don’t want to see me sad.  The decision, although bittersweet, reflects the broader economic struggles many small businesses face in Northern Ireland. Despite the closure, Sal emphasized that this isn’t the end of her journey in the vintage fashion world.  She continued: “It’s with a very heavy heart that I say that Second Hand Sal, Scotch Street Armagh is closing but you will still see me prancing about, still see me doing my bit on the apps and on my website.  “I just want to say a massive, massive thank you to every single one of you that has liked, shared, messaged, bought, like anything.  “My customers, my locals that come in here and have been

Transcript

00:00Story time on how, after one year of business, I've decided to close my bricks and mortar shop.

00:09In recent months, I have been struggling with the rent and the rates in town and the very,

00:15very low footfall in my local town, Claremont. See, this time last year, this time last year,

00:21I was on top of the world. I pumped whatever money I had into this, getting it painted,

00:25getting it decorated, buying stock. I was so naive. There's no secret, sadly, that the economy,

00:32like the UK economy, the North of Ireland economy, especially, is on hard times. And

00:38we're told to try and support local and try and support small business, and

00:42it's just not happening. I love what I've built. I love the shop, and I love that it's just my

00:46little happy place. And I love all of you, and I love everybody for supporting me. This is just

00:52a little step that I had, and yeah, it's just sad, but it's just one of those things. I completely

00:59understand that at the end of the month these days, there's not a lot of money to come and buy

01:02vintage clothes. So the time has come for me to sign another lease for another year, and I just

01:06cannot lock myself in for another year and have the stress that I have had trying to pay my bills

01:13this past couple of months has been very hard. So I've decided now to physically, fully move my

01:19business online. And I think it's best for me, for my husband, for my kids, because the kids

01:25don't want to see me sad. I've had to record this bit so many times. Yes, it's with a very heavy

01:30heart that I say that Secondhand Sal, Scotch Street Armagh is closing, but you will still see

01:37me prancing about. You'll still see me doing my bit on the apps and on my website. And I just

01:43want to say a massive, massive, massive thank you to every single one of you that has liked,

01:50shared, messaged, bought, like anything. My customers, my locals that come in here and

01:57have been a shoulder for me to cry on, have brought me coffee, have just been amazing.

02:03Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so, so, like you don't understand so much.

02:08I'm going to go again. The shock may be gone, but I will be here, hopefully for a long time.

02:14I have found a space, a beautiful, stunning space that will allow me to still record my

02:19radio, still have my gorgeous vintage to post out. I'll take you there. But it is stunning,

02:25and one of my gorgeous customers have put me in touch with it. And things are changing,

02:32evolving, as people say. Things are changing, but for the better. I do feel good about it. I feel sad,

02:37but I do feel very, very good about it. And yeah, thank you so much. I just appreciate

02:42every single one of you. Do not come in here and make me cry, people, okay? That's one thing.

02:45Do not come into the shop and make me cry. But yeah, okay. Love to you all. Bye.

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