Bronagh Frayne
Store Manager
Centra, Westland Row, Dublin
I started in Centra during my summer holidays and when I moved onto college I worked weekends and mornings before my lectures. My first position was on the deli and I have worked in every department, the cafe, tills and cash office since then. I became full time four years ago when I graduated from college, and I am now the Store Manager.
Every day is different. I get to meet so many new people and it’s nice to be able to have a positive impact on someone’s day even if it is something as simple as making them a coffee. You get to interact with people from all over the world. Whether it’s selling a carton of milk to the lady who has spent her whole life living around the corner from you or being one of the first interactions a tourist has when visiting Ireland. No two days are the same, I could be a shopkeeper, tour guide, therapist or barista depending on who walks through the front door.
I completed the Musgrave Step Up to Supervisor programme and the Store Manager programme. They helped massively with communication, delegation, problem solving and how to deal with people in the best way. I am currently taking part in the Leading For The Next Generation programme where we are learning the business inside out and how to essentially go on and own our own stores one day. This has been huge for me in my journey, it really focuses on enhancing our current skill set while also learning new skills to help us become well-rounded retailers. We are looking at things such as self-reflection and coaching. This new course is helping us to get the best out of ourselves as Managers.
My dad has essentially taught me everything I know when it comes to Retail. He has worked in it his whole life. We’ve been working together for a long time now and he is very hands on in the business, so it has been great to watch and learn from him.
I would recommend retail as a career because I genuinely think it helps develop you as a person for life. You learn communication, people skills, patience, time management, and in general become a well-rounded individual. The knowledge you learn in retail will be with you for life in every aspect of it. You are exposed to new people and new challenges daily. You get a small chance every day to have a positive impact on someone’s life.