“The Arcade” as it was always known as, is one of the longest established businesses in Athlone having been set up in 1933 in Pearse St by Mrs Sally Casserly grandmother of Marese Ward Shine the present proprietor.
The business was moved to Barrack Street in 1938 from where Sally Casserly retired in 1970. The Arcade was then taken over by Sally’s daughter Bernie and her husband Matt Ward who ran the business until they retired in 2004. Marese is the third generation of the family and she took over the business from her parents and moved to a new modern shop in No. 5 Pearse St. only 50 metres from the original shop.