A former drummer in a punk rock band is expanding his retail and property empire with help from a Leamington property consultancy.
Garry Moloney, who started his Kong retail business in Leamington during the 1980s selling posters of pop and rock stars, now owns six shops retailing global brands in premium clothing.
Garry, whose property advisers are ehB Commercial in Leamington, has just bought a new retail property in Leamington and has opened new shops in both Leamington and Coventry.
Born in Whitnash, near Leamington, and now living in Warwick, he spent the late 70s and 80s touring the world with punk rock band Discharge, co-writing and making singles and a much covered debut album Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing before setting up his first Kong store off Bath Street, Leamington, in 1986 selling pop and rock posters and badges etc.
Within two years he opened a second Kong store in Birmingham’s Oasis shopping centre, also selling posters and badges, before opening a third in Coventry, where he began selling T-shirts and then moved on to skateboard hardware and skateboard fashion.
He has now launched the first franchised Carhartt store in the UK, sited on The Burgess, Coventry. “Carhartt’s global appeal stretches to Milan, Paris, Rome, London and New York, to name a few,” he said.
At the same time, with advice from Simon Hain from ehB Commercial, he has just bought the site of a former greengrocer on Bedford Street, Leamington, and turned it into another Kong shop.
“We needed much more space for our Leamington retail operation so we have bought and opened the new, larger premises across the road from our existing store in Bedford Street and are now looking to lease the Kong store at No 6, off which we developed and won a council award in 2008 for the Best Regenerated Building in Leamington,” said Garry..
Garry, who with his wife Vanessa also owns a partnership store with Adidas Originals, a Vans footwear store and another Kong outlet – all in The Burgess, Coventry, next to the Carhartt store – is hoping one day to further develop his new Leamington site.
“I have spoken to Simon Hain about my plans for that area,
Having relocated across the road, his former Kong shop at 6 Bedford Street (the site of the old Leamington Morning News) is now available for letting through ehB Commercial, details of which can be obtained by telephoning 01926 888181 or visiting www.ehbcommercial.com
ehB Commercial, which last year was crowned Warwickshire’s ‘Most Active Agent of the Year’ by a leading commercial property magazine, Estates Gazette, currently handles a raft of properties – including retail units, offices, warehouses and industrial units – as well as providing such services as valuations, acquisition & corporate property advice, development, investment & commercial property management and landlord & tenant reviews.
