Lucky Lane is the quirky Limerick shop that houses a charming sense of organised chaos, nostalgia and vibrant colour. The faint smell of old books follows you throughout, and every corner of the place tells a story.
What started as just a couple of rails of second-hand clothing over a decade ago, has since evolved into one of Limerick’s havens for second-hand enthusiasts, book lovers, and those who enjoy finding something unusual.
“When we opened, all we had were a couple of rails of used clothing, nothing else” says owner David Irwin.
These days, Lucky Lane is known for its mix of treasures; from rare books, to quirky collectables, second-hand wonders, and one-of-a-kind finds that would feel at home in any vintage market.
The shelves are lined with forgotten hardbacks and literary masterpieces, many of which predate barcodes entirely. “We specialise now in used books, pre-ISBN books, before barcodes and without the glossy covers, or modern printing methods. This is the only place you can get this stuff now,” explains David.
Every now and then, their order holds some real hidden gems. The shop owner, David states, “I buy pallets of books and go through them, and every now and then you come across something that somebody’s missed.
“There’s some first editions of George Bernard Shaw, Virginia Woolf, Stephen King, so that’s exciting.”
Behind the scenes, however, the magic takes great effort. One of the biggest challenges a place like Lucky Lane faces is sourcing. “Every single item must be individually replaced. Sometimes that can be a challenge. It’d be easier if we were running a Tesco,” jokes David.
Running a shop like this isn’t like managing a franchise or a chain of stores. There are no catalogues to order from, no boxes of the same stock waiting in storage. Each object on sale is handpicked, sometimes through auctions or by chance and each has its own story to tell.
David gives his insight into the process of picking stock items almost entirely off his own intuition, and that of his colleague and co-founder Mark Sheehan. “The whole thing used to be curated by my taste, mostly, and Mark’s.
“Since then, I’ve kind of relaxed a little bit and let the staff have their say. And I do trust them to know what sells, what people are interested in, what they’re asking for.”
The result of this creative collaboration is a space that reflects the personalities of the dedicated staff who work there and showcases their depth of care to the establishment.
Lucky Lane has become more than just a shop, it’s a creative hub. Beyond the day-to-day trading and hunting for treasures, David has hosted poetry readings, gigs and other events filled with live music, conversation and local art.
When asked about the evolution of the shop David hopes to branch into the event hosting area as he states, “The worst thing you can do with something unique and original is to duplicate it and put it somewhere else.”
It’s this sense of authenticity that is at the heart of Lucky Lane’s charm as they don’t cave to trends, instead thriving on curiosity. Each visit is different and feels personal.
‘Different’ is the best way to describe Lucky Lane. It’s a small piece of individuality in a world of sameness and a reminder that curiosity and creativity still have a real home on Limerick’s streets.
David humbly remarks his unique shop is “Good for Christmas gifts,” but anyone who’s ever stepped inside knows that it’s so much more than that.