Charlie O’Loughlin opened his first discount store on Moore Street in Dublin in 1990. Over the following decades, he expanded his no-frills retailer across the island, building up a chain of 80 stores. Originally trading as Pound City, it rebranded to EuroGiant after Ireland joined the euro. The retailer operated on tight margins, sourcing around half of its stock from China, Vietnam, and Thailand. By carefully managing costs, however, it remained profitable and employed more than 600 people. This year, however, O’Loughlin pulled down the shutters for the last time. Arrears had built up with several landlords during the pandemic,…

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