1969 - 2025
(HJS) started life in October 1969 as Curleys, in a tiny corner shop unit on Belfast's Glen Road. More than three decades on, it has a well deserved reputation as Belfast's most successful and customer friendly independent supermarket group, employing 600 over 21 sites.
Curley's first foray into the world of commerce was a light grocery and fruit and vegetables unit, and within two years of successful trading, a small stock room was added, followed by a fully contained, self service shop, which opened late and early to accommodate the local community.
In 1980, Curleys was a thriving, 4,000 sq. ft mini-supermarket, until the devastation of a fire in July 1981. Determined to keep trading, the owner's promptly took possession of a group of nearby cottages, then purchased a vacant Lucozade factory on a derelict site and stoically traded on.
Recognising the appeal of a multi-shop offering to the under-shopped West Belfast area, the founder Hugh Kennedy attracted a range of national and local retailers to join his fast expanding centre.
1985 saw the launch of the Oaks Centre in Dungannon, CO Tyrone, which housed a superb mix of local and national operators and was anchored by a Curley’s supermarket and Wine Cellar. Six years later, in April 1991, Curley's began work on the west of the city's first state of the art shopping centre, the Kennedy Centre, accommodation 35 traders, a multiscreen cinema, fast food, and a new Curley’s superstore. Further to this, £5million was later invested in the Oaks centre in Dungannon in 1999, to add on facilities not available in Dungannon - a McDonalds drive thru, a multiscreen cinema and a 45,000 sq. ft superstore.
2000-02 saw the opening of three more Winecellars (Bangor, Armagh, & Downpatrick) taking the total to thirteen off-sales across N. Ireland. Curleys Group of companies had a group turnover of over £60 million and a work force over 600 employees.
Curleys Dungannon Supermarket & Wine cellar Sold to Sainsbury's PLC 31 March 2008
HJS Developments redevelopment @ the Kennedy Centre
A MULTI MILLION POUND INVESTMENT IN THE WEST
Jobs and Benefits Office at Andersonstown development 2010
Curleys Belfast Supermarket & Wine cellar Sold to Sainsbury's PLC 31 September 2009
Retail Park adjacent to the Kennedy Centre acquired 2010.
Strabane site purchased and redeveloped to host Home Bargains Lynas foodservice and Winemark.
PHASE 4 NEW SAINSBURY’S SUPERSTORE
PHASE 5 SHOPPING CENTRE EXTENSION
Curleys Wine-cellar's chain Sold to Wineflair 2015
Limavady retail development site acquired 2016
Cookstown retail park acquired 2017
Coleraine retail site acquired 2017
Ballymoney site acquired (Home Bargains)
Limavady Development Sold to TJ Morris (Home Bargains) 2019
Lurgan Retail Development acquired 2018-2022 £5Million investment
2022 saw the opening of a new purpose built 25,000 Home Bargains on the site.
Tim Hortons drive thru opens at Kennedy Centre Belfast Dec 2022
CPL Acquired Homebase investment property Cookstown Jan 2024
PureGym and Greggs Opens at Oaks Centre Dungannon July 2024.
Planning Submitted for £2million extension creating new units to Retail Park In Strabane.
The HJS group interests include shopping and entertainment centre's, and multiple commercial properties in N Ireland. The group
continue to look for development and investment opportunities
throughout the region.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers who have been loyal to us throughout the past 55 years.
Hugh & Stephen.