Ireland’s longest serving music store, Sinnott’s of Michael Street, is to close next month after almost fifty years serving the musical tastes of Waterfordians. Proprietors Noel and Rita Sinnott are retiring from business while their daughter Jane, who manages the store, will take a rest before pursuing other interests.
Noel, an avid jazz enthusiast, first began selling records beside the fruit and vegetables in his mother’s shop at Johnstown and, as the music mad Sixties took off, records soon became the main stay of the business. Taking all the changes and innovations of the fast moving music sector in his stride, Noel later opened shops at The Hypermarket and Barronstrand Street before moving to Michael Street. The original John Street store continued to trade up to a few years ago.
During the height of thee showband era, Noel was also involved in the management end of the business and booked a number of famous Waterford showbands, including The Savoy, The Decca and The Footappers, out of his John Street ‘headquarters’.
