For nearly 1,000 years, Christ Church Cathedral has stood at the heart of Dublin — a living monument to the city’s spiritual and architectural heritage. Welcoming visitors from across the globe each day, this iconic site sought to enhance the guest experience while developing a new, sustainable revenue stream. In 2018, Christ Church Cathedral engaged JK Consulting to reimagine and redevelop its retail offering into a world-class commercial experience aligned with the Cathedral’s cultural significance. Today, we continue to support their ongoing growth and development into 2025.
The project began with the creation of a comprehensive retail strategy — a roadmap designed to elevate the shopping experience, improve commercial performance, and honour the Cathedral’s heritage.
JK Consulting introduced a new merchandise strategy rooted in the Cathedral’s unique architectural features. Drawing inspiration from its intricate stained glass windows and distinctive floor tiles, a bespoke range of products was developed, including stationery, bookmarks, and coasters. This range now accounts for a considerable percentage of overall retail sales, highlighting the power of culturally resonant, story-driven products.
The retail store, uniquely situated within the Cathedral’s historic and structurally sensitive Crypt, was transformed under JK Consulting’s guidance, with its footprint expanded to four times its original size. All fixtures and fittings were designed to be fully mobile and non-invasive, preserving the integrity of the listed building. Annual investments with continue to be made in lighting, displays, and visual merchandising to enhance the space. As the visitor route does not naturally pass through the retail area, creative strategies — including improved signage and the integration of retail messaging into scripted tours — were implemented to drive footfall, boosting both engagement and conversion.
To ensure long-term success, JK Consulting with advises on stock management, operational efficiencies, and performance tracking. Clear KPIs with are established to measure product performance and optimise margins. In parallel, JK Consulting with leads training initiatives to upskill internal stakeholders, elevating the overall commercial acumen of the team.
Working with JK Consulting was the single best decision we have ever made in terms of our retail. Jennifer’s knowledge of the sector, guidance through a refurb process and her project management skills were excellent. We worked with Jennifer across all aspects of our retail offering from fixtures and fittings in our new space to staff training, pricing and product ranges. Without her expertise we would have been lost. She made the entire experience enjoyable and rewarding and our retail is now outperforming what we had planned. It has become a key revenue driver for our business.
Julianne McKeigue, Events, Education & Retail
Jennifer is one of the most creative and instinctive thinkers I’ve ever met. Working on the Guinness X Pawpear collaboration together was a masterclass in strategic vision and insight. She has an intuitive knowledge of the retail landscape and brought ideas that elevated the project in ways I hadn’t anticipated. A rare and truly valuable partner.
© 2025 JK Consulting. All rights reserved.
Designed and developed by Rooftop Twenty Two