Clerys Advert 1932

Take a step back in time and experience what it was like to shop inside Clerys of O’Connell Street in Dublin in the early 1930s.

This charming advertisement was shot in 1932, just 10 years after the rebuilding of Clerys, which had been destroyed in the 1916 rising. With a bird’s eye view of the shop floor a wealth of choice is on offer, from shirts and skirts to a mini zoo to entertain the children, Clerys has ‘nearly everything you need’.

From the wrought iron balcony the viewer is shown the hustle and bustle of the furniture department selling the highest quality furniture, fabric and carpets; then down to the basement, alive with bargain hunters; and finally to the café full of people unwinding after shopping.

The store, which thrived for decades, finally closed its doors in 2015. It will continue to live on in the hearts of the many happy shoppers who frequented it.