Northern Ireland interiors boutique extends opening hours to meet growing demand for Sunday shopping

Independent Belfast interiors boutique, Maven has extended its opening hours to meet growing consumer demand for Sunday shopping.

Founded by sisters, Catherine and Patricia McGinnis in 2013, Maven is located in the landmark former Bank of Ireland building on Belfast’s Lisburn Road.

The move to open on Sundays comes just ahead of the popular store’s 11th birthday, and the first anniversary of the brand’s move to its new flagship Lisburn Road store, which falls in early July.

Reflecting on their customers’ changing needs in recent years, Catherine and Patricia have taken the decision to open seven days a week.

Patricia said changing consumer shopping trends had driven the move: “We pride ourselves on listening to and responding to our customers’ needs. The move to our new, larger premises last year was a direct response to increasing demand, which meant we had outgrown our previous much-loved space.

“The new larger Maven store has allowed us to significantly expand our product offering, and to display larger collections of furniture, which has been so well-received. Buying a piece of furniture is a considered choice and people want the opportunity to see and feel what they’re buying. We have worked hard to curate an eclectic collection of handpicked pieces from some of Europe’s top design houses. It’s a collection that continues to evolve, and we will be announcing the arrival of more exciting new additions over the coming months.”

Whilst the brand also has a flourishing e-commerce business via its website, the sisters have found a growing demand for its in-store offering, which has driven the decision to extend its weekend opening hours. The team has invested in its team, creating four new full and part time roles, bringing its total number of employees to eight. The larger team will support the continued growth of the business and the new seven-day operation.

Catherine added: “As people’s lives become busier and busier, there are so many demands on leisure time. Sundays tend to be a more relaxed day, where people’s time is more their own, and we wanted to provide more opportunities for people to visit and browse in-store around their schedules.

“We are also seeing an increase in our trade from the south of Ireland, with these customers very much focused on weekend visits – opening on Sundays will also help us to accommodate customers visiting Belfast for the weekend.”

The popular store features an eclectic collection of contemporary homewares & furniture, sourced from some of Europe’s leading interiors brands. Brands including & Tradition, Carl Hansen & Son and Gubi, sit alongside smaller independent makers such as Annadale Brickworks and Field Day.