History of Toss Bryan

As we celebrate the 70^th anniversary of Toss Bryan, let’s take a trip down memory lane and look back on how it all began. Toss Bryan first opened its doors in the 1950’s and has been run by the Bryan family since. It is directed by husband and wife, Tom and Lourde Bryan, but was first established by Tom’s father, Toss Bryan a native of Conna and his wife Kitty a native of Ballyduff. Toss worked for the ESB, during the rural electrification of Ireland. This was where 80% of rural households were connected to electricity. This was among the most important and revolutionary initiatives in the state's history because before this time, families had to get by using paraffin lamps and candles and had to haul water from wells and pumps. This meant that clothes had to be hand-washed, meals had to be cooked on an open fire and there was no electricity to refrigerate food.

Although Ireland's rural electrification was revolutionary, it was still quite the challenge to bring electricity to Ireland's rural areas due to both practical and cultural barriers, mainly because people were terrified of "the electric" and thought it would burn down their homes.

Toss then started his own business in 1953, wiring homes just connected to the national grid. Through this job, Toss learned that once people had electricity, people also wanted a refrigerator and other electrical appliances.

After spotting a gap in the market, Toss opened his first shop in Ballyhooly, where he was one of the first to sell electrical appliances in the area. In the 1960’s electric cookers, dishwashers and washing machines were the latest thing in technology. These technological advancements meant that housewives could save hours and cut down their time on their daily chores. Some big brands at the time in the electrical department included Novum, Phillips, Hotpoint, Hoover, Miele, Electrolux, BUSH and PYE.

As the business and family expanded, Toss Bryan moved his shop into 58. Patrick’s Street, Fermoy. He expanded into extra product lines including water pumps and central heating boilers. During this time, television sets started to arrive in Ireland. 1958 saw an estimated 20,000 television sets in the country and by 1961, RTE television began broadcasting. During the 60’s, Toss was one of the first to bring television sets to Fermoy. Local people gathered around the shop in amazement because it was one of the first televisions the people of Fermoy ever saw. This was revolutionary for Fermoy as television replaced radio as the new mass medium and television was a new and exciting way for people to both get information, news, and entertainment.

As Ireland modernised and the business continued to expand, by the 1970's Toss Bryan had workforce of about 25 people. Toss also employed electricians and plumbers to plumb and wire houses in the locality. In the 80's, Toss also ventured into the fuel business and bought the old gas house, which is now where Lidl, Fermoy is located. This was also a time of significant economic downturn and recession, therefore the gas house was sold towards the end of that decade.

Tossie’s son, Tom entered the family business in the early 1990’s after completing a bachelor’s degree in UCC in economics and history. This brought the store a fresh new perspective, and the latest information on current business practices. During this time, the shop introduced new product lines such as hardware, DIY, paint, wood flooring, stoves, and lawnmowers.

In 1996, the shop expanded on Patrick Street from 3,000 square feet to 12,000 square feet, also acquiring the premises on 6062 Patricks Street. Tom’s young romance led Lourde Bryan, a native Castlelyons, to join the business in 1996. Although Lourde’s qualification is in automobile engineering, she brought a real eye for detail to the business and worked in the technical background and improved systems efficiencies. Combining both Tom and Lourdes skills, qualities, and experiences, they have been able to work as a real team together and help each other to build Toss Bryan over the years.

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As the Celtic Tiger roared in the 90’s and early 2000’s, the business expanded rapidly and the shop further expanded in 2004, into a 30,000 square feet premises on the Courthouse Road, Fermoy. From only selling television sets and electrical appliances in the 60’s to expanding into pumps and central heating boilers in the 90’s, Toss Bryan has come a long way in the expansion of their products. Currently selling products such as washing machines, tumble dryers, washer dryers, cookers, ovens, fridge freezers, vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, air fryers, bathroom equipment, stoves, heaters, lawnmowers, garden furniture, tv’s and much more.

At present, Toss Bryan supply the newest technologies of current best seller brands, while still developing, and improving the business, both as a shop and as an e-commerce online store. As a small local shop, Toss Bryan try to build a national brand to reach their customers nationwide online. The aim is to ensure that their products are not just available to Fermoy and surrounding areas but to bring the Toss Bryan legacy all around the country.

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Marking 70 years of Toss Bryan in business, its longevity is attributed to their loyal customers and hardworking group of staff that provide exceptional customer service. As a result, Toss Bryan has been able to associate itself with some of the biggest brands such as Samsung, Dyson, Shark, Ninja, Beko, Zanussi, Indesit, AEG, Electrolux, Russell Hobbs, Morphy Richards, Rangemaster, Waterford Stanley, AGA, Henley Stoves, Klover, Bosch, Stiga, Simplicity, Segway, Rathwood, Dimplex, Kalor, Flamerite, Evonic, Sonas, Halo, Fleetwood, Dulux, Dargan, as well as plenty more.