'We are an institution': Cork computer shop to log off permanently in March

Having served the Apple computer users of Ireland for almost three decades, AT Mac, the country’s oldest shop of its kind, is holding its final sale before closing at the end of next month.

The Penrose Wharf premises has been an institution for Apple users since it opened in 1997 and it survived the crash of 2008 and the pandemic, when it was an ‘essential service’ for people working at home.

AT Mac proprietor Gerry Collins says the secret of the shop’s success has been the personal service and the deep knowledge of the team.

“When you walk into a shop and you’re called by your first name, there’s a good relationship there and we have that with 80% of our customers,” Mr Collins said.

“Our location is such is that we don’t have a lot of tyre kickers: Almost everyone who comes in comes in with a purpose, to buy something; we’re very efficient in that sense, not being on the main thoroughfare.

“People know where we are and they find us and they keep coming back.”

Tens of thousands of Macs have been sold through the shop, but it has a strong record in repair and in helping clients get back in to their set-up after entering the wrong password one time too many.

Mr Collins said: “A lot of the younger people like the shinier shops and that experience, but as they get more mature, they realise that service is the overriding factor and [to] have the problem sorted and get back the tools of the trade to what they do: That’s the way we have been able to help them.

“People who came up from West Cork, we’ve tried to turn their job around while they’ve had a pleasant afternoon in Cork, having lunch or doing a bit of shopping, to save them the return trip another day.”

The shop has a few customers who would be well known, including cartoonist Martyn Turner and the musician Donovan. “When there were concerts in the Marquee, we could get some of the people coming over from there: Paul Young, for instance, was over one day. He needed ‘urgent care’ taken of his computer and we were able to do it and turn it around for his concert that evening.”

As the final shutdown looms, Gerry had this to say: “We are an institution in Cork: When you’re in the centre of it yourself, you don’t see it, but when you come out at the far end of it, we are an institution.”

In the meantime, the shop has a large array of Macs, screens, laptops and other accessories for sale and everything is discounted — no reasonable offer will be refused — with special bargains for long-term customers.