A Century of Service: McLaughlin’s Hardware Store Closes Its Doors in Derry

After serving Derry’s community for over a century, McLaughlin’s hardware store, a beloved institution on the edge of the Bogside, will be closing its doors next month. This marks the end of an era for the city, as the store, owned and run by the same family since 1913, is believed to be the second oldest retail business in Derry.

A Legacy of Service and Community

When James McLaughlin first opened his doors in 1913, the city’s population was just 40,000. Over the following 111 years, Derry has more than doubled in size, but McLaughlin’s has remained a constant, a place where you could find virtually anything, from a needle to an anchor, as Seamus McLaughlin, one of three brothers who represent the third generation of the family running the store, fondly recalls.

“People always said you could get anything here, from a needle to an anchor,” says Seamus McLaughlin. “I think that’s why we’ve been so successful over the years, because we have catered for the public, and our customers have looked after us of course over the years.”

Joanne Dickson, a longtime customer, echoed this sentiment. “I’ve been coming here for years. You could ask for the strangest thing and no matter what it was they would say, ‘what colour and what size do you want it in’?” she said. “My granny and my mammy and everybody would have went. People have to retire some time, but it’s sad to see it go. It’s a big change for the town.”

A History Marked by Resilience

McLaughlin’s history is intertwined with Derry’s own, marked by both prosperity and hardship. At one point, the business operated from three separate premises in William Street, but all three were destroyed during the early years of the Troubles. The brothers consolidated their operations into the current larger store on the street, demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of adversity.

Now, after decades of dedicated service, Seamus, Liam, and Dessie McLaughlin have decided to retire. “We just think it’s time to call it a day,” explains Seamus McLaughlin. “Liam’s been here 51 years, Desi 50 years, I’m here 40 years, so we’ve done quite a bit behind the counter.”

Closing the doors will undoubtedly be bittersweet. “It certainly will be hard,” Seamus admits. “But that’s the way it is. We’ve enjoyed it. We’ve had bad times, we’ve had good times, so you have to move on. We’ll miss the customers because we’ve known many of them for many years. We’ve had some down three generations. We were told a story recently about a woman in her eighties who bought a pot for her mammy when she first worked in the shirt factory a way back and I think the pot is still in use by the great grandchildren, so that’s very nice.

Some customers have been very sentimental about it, saying they don’t know what they’re going to do when we’re gone. That’s nice to hear.”

Julie Dawson, who has worked in the store for 28 years, managing the homeware section, will also miss the shop dearly. “I have great memories, and I’ve had a job for 28 years, which is amazing,” she says. “And I’ve met such amazing people that are my friends also, my customers are my friends too, so I’m gonna miss that too. And I’m gonna miss my window, waving at everybody, which I do. It’s part of the community.”

McLaughlin’s Hardware Store leaves behind a legacy of dedicated service, community spirit, and countless memories. While the doors are closing, the impact of this beloved Derry institution will continue to resonate for generations to come.