Curleys Winecellars

Additional Information

Curley’s was established in 1969 by Hugh Kennedy Senior (Curley). Originally a small corner shop, selling groceries, fruit and vegetables on Belfast’s Glen Road. Early starts and late nights were key to building the small family business. Within 2 years a small stock room was added, soon followed by a fully contained self-service shop, and by 1980, Curley’s was a thriving 4,000sq ft mini-supermarket, serving the local community in West Belfast. In July 1981, the premises were devastated by a fire. Showing great strength in adversity, the owners traded on, using temporary premises, until they purchased the vacant Lucozade factory on the Falls Road. Curley’s Supermarket continued to grow and in 1985, the Kennedy family opened the Oaks Centre, in Dungannon, Co Tyrone. Anchored by Curley’s Supermarket and Wine Cellar, it housed a superb mix of local and national operators, including an award winning Post Office. By 1991, work had started on West Belfast’s first state of the art shopping centre, The Kennedy Centre, at the Curley’s site on the Falls Road. The centre included a multiscreen cinema, fast food outlets, 35 units for trading and a new Curley’s Superstore and Wine Cellar. The Kennedy family continued their investment across the province, opening 7 new Curley’s Wine Cellar stores throughout a six year period from 1994 to 2000. In 1999, a further £5million was invested in the Oaks Centre, adding facilities such as a drive-thru McDonald’s restaurant, a multiscreen cinema and a 45,000 sq ft Curley’s Superstore, previously unavailable in the Dungannon area. In August 1999, the Kennedy family opened a Curley’s Express store in Ballymena, offering a convenience store alongside a Curley’s Wine Cellar. Between 2000 and 2002, 3 additional Wine Cellars were opened in Bangor, Armagh and Downpatrick, bringing the total to 13 across Northern Ireland. In March 2008, Curley’s Supermarket and Wine Cellar, Dungannon were sold to Sainsbury’s PLC, followed by the Curley’s Supermarket and Wine Cellar at The Kennedy Centre, in September 2009. The Kennedy family continue their investment in the Kennedy Centre, including a new state-of the art underground car park, a further 20 brand new retail units and now house the largest supermarket in N. Ireland at 69,000 sq ft. with over 800 free car parking spaces. Completion of the redevelopment of the Kennedy Centre is expected in July 2010.