Heritage Meets Innovation in Irish National Stud’s Retail Revival
The Irish National Stud is a unique dual-purpose destination: a cornerstone of Ireland’s world-renowned thoroughbred horse breeding industry and one of the country’s premier tourist attractions. Nestled in the heart of County Kildare, it embodies everything that makes the region exceptional—from majestic stallions to tranquil, landscaped gardens.
Tasked with revitalising the retail experience, JK Consulting was brought in to lead a complete transformation of the onsite shop. From initial concept through to final execution, we partnered closely with the Irish National Stud’s management team to reimagine the visitor experience. This included managing the end-to-end redevelopment—running a competitive tender process to identify the right partners for design and fit-out, and overseeing every stage of delivery.
JK Consulting delivered a fresh, purpose-built retail concept that reflects the heritage and prestige of the brand. We developed an entirely bespoke product offering, anchored in the Stud’s equestrian legacy and enhanced with sustainable, locally inspired product lines.
Working within a newly extended 2,500 sq ft retail space, we collaborated with designers and shopfitters to create a store that’s both commercially effective and visually compelling. The result is an immersive brand home that resonates deeply with both domestic and international visitors.
Custom product ranges developed exclusively for the Stud, including a cherry blossom-themed collection inspired by the adjacent Japanese Gardens.
Tailored assortments curated for a diverse visitor base—from families with young children to heritage-focused tourists.
Horses feature prominently in the shop’s visual identity and storytelling, reinforcing the Stud’s core values and brand narrative.
JK Consulting oversaw every aspect of the retail transformation—from strategic planning and design briefing to supplier selection and onsite execution.
The outcome is a retail environment that feels entirely at home within the Irish National Stud—a space that enhances the overall visitor journey and turns a simple shop visit into a lasting memory.
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.
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