WEST Cork style icon Marianne Weidner is bowing out of the fashion business with the closure of her popular Oska store at Toormore, near Schull, on June 30th.
Marianne (70) said the business is still going strong but she wants ‘to go out on a high note’.
She said it will give her more time to enjoy life with her husband Jud, who was involved in the business until he got Parkinson’s, and is now busy raising funds for the Michael J Fox Foundation.
The Oska shop at Toormore, near Ballyrisode beach, opened in 2008 and was one of three outlets that Marianne and Jud ran for years until they divested themselves of the Castlemartyr store three years ago.
The third outlet, Mount Usher Gardens in Co Wicklow, is still in full swing, having been taken over by the man behind the Oska brand.
June 30th is Marianne’s deadline day for closing, as the building is being put on the market, but it’s possible that there may be a short, pop-up shop to clear remaining stock.
Marianne thanked their long-time staff members, Kate and Rita, for being ‘fantastic’ as well as their ‘huge, loyal customer base.’
Meanwhile, Jud’s beautifully painted guitars are available to buy on his website juddotheguitartist.com. Jud will arrange the delivery of any purchased guitar and the Michael J Fox Foundation will get the money fundraised.
So far, the Back to the Future star’s foundation has, according to Jud, given €1.5bn to projects and research.
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