Greenisland: Parish Community Shop to reopen after devastating fire at church
Greenisland’s Parish Community Shop is set to reopen this weekend following last year’s devastating fire at the church complex.
There will be a ‘soft’ launch on Friday, May 23 at 11am with the shop, currently housed in a temporary unit, reopening to the community.
Meanwhile, the official reopening ceremony and ribbon cutting will take place on Saturday, May 24 at 11am.
Run as a social enterprise and staffed almost entirely by volunteers, the shop has been serving the community since the 1990s.
It was damaged during the blaze that swept through the Station Road buildings on September 1, 2024, destroying the church roof, interior and parish centre.
The incident came only hours after the congregation marked the church’s 70th anniversary with a series of celebratory events.
Rev Isy Hawthorne-Steele, minister at Greenisland Church of Ireland said: “The shop offers fresh food and goods at discounted prices, with the profits going towards missionary work in third world countries.
"It’s a service to the community and it’s been a big loss; we have had a lot of people since asking us when it’s going to reopen.”
Cutting the ribbon to officially reopen the shop on Saturday will be Wendy Eccles, wife of Trevor Eccles, a former Director of the Parish Community Shop who sadly passed away last year.
The shop will resume normal business from Monday, May 26 when it will be open Monday-Saturday 9:30am-5:00pm.