17/03/2026
THE IDEA! JUST AN IDEA!
We have had huge demand for space from businesses on the Main Street due to high rents, rates, fit out costs and running costs. So here is the idea. Sub divide a large unit like “Keegans Pub or the old Ken Blacks” into a Shared retail space where businesses can flourish.
Portlaoise is one of the fastest-growing towns in Ireland, yet its high street continues to lose independent retailers to rising rents, long leases, and the cost of fit-out. Shared 85 changes that.
Shared 85 is approx 3,000 sq ft modern retail hub on a street like Portlaoise — a beautifully fitted shared space where independent service businesses can trade from day one, without the risk of a standalone unit. Think of it as the future of the Irish high street.
WHAT IS SHARED 85? (An idea)
Shared 85 can offer up to six semi-open, glass-partitioned service units — each 12×12 ft — within a single premium retail environment. Units are fully fitted and ready to trade. A specialty coffee dock anchors the back of the space, driving footfall and dwell time throughout the day.
The building features a full glass shopfront with black powder-coated frames, a central lounge seating area, pendant lighting, and a design aesthetic rooted in Irish heritage — dark green, brass, warm timber.
Every unit shares utilities, Wi-Fi, cleaning, and building insurance. Tenants pay one simple monthly rate and focus on their trade.
THE BUSINESSES
Shared is designed for service-based businesses with proven local demand:
Barbershop
Nail Bar
Hairdresser
Jeweller
Beauty Studio
Spa & Wellness
Milliner
Physiotherapy & Sports Massage
Tattoo & Piercing Studio
Artisan Florist, Deli, Photography, and more
These are not online businesses. These are skilled, people-first trades that need a physical home — and Portlaoise has the population to support them.
