Local Business Profile: Centra, Curr Road

Name: Naomi Curry
Business Name: Centra, Curr Road
Business Location: Curr Road, outside Omagh

How long have you been in business? I have been in business for one year exactly this week.

How many staff do you employ? 30.

What are your strengths? I am extremely passionate about everything I do. I remain open-minded and flexible in my thinking, a trait which benefits both my staff and customers while improving my business in the long run. Juggling a business and three children under five means I have quickly learnt how to multi-task and accomplish as much as possible in one day. It is so important in this market to stay relevant and I am not afraid to take risks to meet existing and new customers’ needs. Making decisions won’t always result in success but a carefully considered decision is better than not making one at all! Every day is for learning.

What are your weaknesses? I find it hard to switch off.

Has Covid-19 affected your business? Yes, at the beginning of the pandemic business slowed significantly. However, with the continued support of the local community and the few remaining transient customers we soon adapted to new ways of working. Keeping our staff and customers safe is our key priority. It has been a challenging year for all businesses and we are grateful for all the support.

What makes your business unique? Our state-of-the-art building, forecourt and parking facilities. There is such a good atmosphere when you walk into the shop. We have an amazing team who work so hard every day to meet the needs of all our customers. I thrive on knowing that what I am doing is making a difference beyond the business. The business is now a part of the local community which means so much.

What does your business mean to you? Everything, it’s my livelihood, my staff’s livelihood. Everyone involved has worked so hard to get the business to where it is now and I feel such a sense of pride every day when I see what we have accomplished in a year since opening. I have been completely focused and committed in achieving the vision I had for the site and bringing it to life.
All the hard work has paid off. I cannot thank my family enough for all their support during the year and a special thank you to the entire team for their dedication and for always going above and beyond. It is them who they keep the wheels turning everyday.

Aside from family and friends, who has been the greatest influence on your life?
Obviously, I am going to say my mother and father as they instilled such a good work ethic in me and taught us the importance of hard work.
Working with various colleagues in the property industry gave me an insight into how you can be successful businesswoman and I suppose I did inspire to be like my former mentors in the world of property.

What are your plans for the future? This year has been a rollercoaster and I have enjoyed my first year in retail. I look forward to expanding further and seeking new opportunities.

Any advice for anyone starting out in your industry? If you have the passion and drive, be ambitious and follow your dream. Seek professional advice. I found the experience of my retail accountant and retail partners crucial in the initial stages.

If you weren’t in this field of business, what would you be doing? Previously, I worked for Savills in Belfast as a Chartered Surveyor. I would still be working in this sector as I enjoyed the variety of work.

What do you do to relax? There hasn’t been much relaxation this year, it has been all go! Any free time I do get is quality time spent with my family.

What would you do if you won the lottery? I love to see other people happy; I would give it to family and friends to help them out and enjoy a big family holiday. Our family circle has unfortunately lost loved ones to cancer in recent years and I would give back to Marie Curie and Action Cancer.

We might be limited in our travel at the moment but where is your favourite holiday destination?
Dubai, the level of customer service and attention to detail is outstanding. I would love to see Italy, so I hope to do this in the near future.

What do you miss most about Tyrone when you are away? I am an Armagh woman at heart but love the banter with the Tyrone folk on a daily basis!

And finally, take the chance to give a shout out to another local business who you think is doing great things (expand on why you’ve chosen them):
I think all businesses this year deserve a massive shout out. It has been such a difficult year for business owners. Everyone has tried their best to navigate their way through the pandemic by investing further in their businesses in order to adopt to the new ways of life.

Local Business Profile; in association with Omagh Chamber of Commerce