A much-loved Northern Ireland second-hand, vintage clothing store is closing after one year on the high street blaming ‘high rent, rates, and low foot traffic’.
Second Hand Sal on Scotch Street in Armagh opened its doors in May 2024 ‘with the goal of encouraging shoppers to embrace ethical and sustainable fashion by choosing vintage and pre-loved items’.
A passionate thrifty shopper, owner Sal McConnell, had long dreamed of opening a physical store after years of successfully selling items online. The shop became a haven for vintage fashion lovers, offering a range of clothing from the 1960s to the 1980s, alongside premium sporting brands.
However, in an emotional social media post, Sal revealed that the harsh economic conditions and challenges of maintaining a physical store had led to her difficult decision not to renew her lease. The high rent, rates, and low foot traffic in Armagh were cited as significant factors that made continuing in the high street location unsustainable.
She explained: “After one year of business I have decided to close my bricks and mortar shop.
“In recent months I have been struggling with the rent and the rates in town and the very, very low footfall in my local town, Armagh.
“Last year I was on top of the world. I pumped whatever money I had into this, getting it painted, getting it decorated, buying stock. I was so naïve and it’s no secret sadly that the UK economy and the North of Ireland economy, especially, is on hard times and we’re told to try and support local and to try and support small business but it’s just not happening.
“I love what I’ve built, I love this shop and I love that it’s just my little happy place and I love all of you and I love everybody for supporting me.
“This is just a little step that I had and yeah, it’s just sad, but it’s just one of those things.
“I completely understand that at the end of the month these days there’s not a lot of money to come and buy vintage clothes, so I get it.
“So the time has come for me to sign a lease for another year and I just cannot lock myself in for another year and have the stress that I have had trying to pay my bills this past couple of months.
“It’s been very hard. So I have decided now to physically, fully move my business online and I think it’s best for me, for my husband and my kids...they don’t want to see me sad.
The decision, although bittersweet, reflects the broader economic struggles many small businesses face in Northern Ireland. Despite the closure, Sal emphasized that this isn’t the end of her journey in the vintage fashion world.
She continued: “It’s with a very heavy heart that I say that Second Hand Sal, Scotch Street Armagh is closing but you will still see me prancing about, still see me doing my bit on the apps and on my website.
“I just want to say a massive, massive thank you to every single one of you that has liked, shared, messaged, bought, like anything.
“My customers, my locals that come in here and have been
