Shaws Department Stores
Shaws Department Stores is an Irish department store chain founded by Henry Shaw in 1864. It began as a small drapery shop in Mountmellick, County Laois. The business was operated by Henry Shaw and his wife, Annie. After opening shops in Portlaoise and Athy, the business was registered as a limited company in 1934.
During the early to mid 20th century, the business was controlled by William Henry Shaw and then Samuel Shaw. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, brothers Mervyn, Trevor and Billy Shaw controlled the business.
Shaws opened a shop in Carlow in 1949. In the mid 20th century, the business also expanded into Waterford, Roscrea, Fermoy and Limerick.
In the 1970s, Shaws opened a shop in Dungarvan. It later opened a second shop in the town, which primarily stocked electrical products. In 2024, the electrical shop was closed.
In 1976, Shaws acquired the Haddens department store chain, with the Carlow shop remaining under the Haddens name but the shops in Wexford, Dungarvan and Carlow being rebranded as Shaws. In 1984, Haddens in Carlow was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt in the following years.
Between 2003 and 2008, the business opened new shops in Wexford, Carlow, Castlebar, Drogheda and Ballina.
In 2013, the business moved to a new 20,000 square foot shop in Portlaoise, closing one of its earliest locations, which had operated for 109 years.
During the 2010s, a dispute arose among the Shaw family in relation to the control of the business. The dispute was ultimately settled in March 2016, with the chairman and a number of directors and family members leaving the business.
In late 2024, the business opened a shop in Athlone.
As of 2025, the business has 16 shops throughout Ireland, employees over 700 people, and continues to be owned by the Shaw family. The current managing director is Jonathan Shaw, grandson of Samuel Shaw.