Jim retires

Jim Freeman, who owns the gift centre in the old Grattan’s complex in Windsor Avenue, is calling it a day after 41 years in business.

He’s been ploughing a lone furrow since shortly after Tesco vacated the premises to take up their new home on Millennium Way, but his success proves location is not necessarily key.

“I’ve been the only one down here for the last few years.

“When Tesco moved we intended to retire but orders kept coming in.

“We kept buying in more stock because the orders were coming in but I’ve decided it's time to stop buying in, we’re just selling out and then the shop will close.”

Jim said he expected to be closed some time around the end of February, beginning of March.

“I’ve very much enjoyed my time here,” said Jim, who was born in Ballymoney and has been living in Carryduff for most of his life.

“I travelled up and down that road for 40 years,” recalled Jim.

Jim has been running his own business in the Windsor Avenue complex for 31 years. Before that he was the general manager of Grattan’s for 10 years. His work with McClelland’s in Belfast saw him travel the world as a buyer.

Jim tenure as manager of Grattan’s was an eventful one.

He recalled: “It was burnt out on December 5, 1975 and opened again on November 28, 1978.

“There was the supermarket across the way and five shops down this side - I took two bays and the rest had one bay.

"There was a clothes shop, a carpet shop, a cafe, a butchers and ourselves.”

In the early 70s Jim became the man to bring late night trading to Northern Ireland.

He explained: “We were the first shop in Northern Ireland that opened to 9.30pm on a Friday night.

“I’d been in America and saw what was happening out there.

“I wanted to get people with cars to fill their boots with groceries rather than fill their baskets. We were the first shop in Northern Ireland to do it and it snowballed from there.”

For 31 years Jim worked alongside his wife Joan and Elizabeth Houston.

Of his retirement he said: “I’ve nothing really planned. I’ll enjoy the garden and enjoy some golf.”