Influential entrepreneur Paul McGlade has passed away at 69 after a brief illness. With over half a century of experience in business, McGlade was the brains behind ventures such as Champion Sports, Optilase, Thérapie Clinics, and the Pygmalion nightclub situated on South William Street. His birthplace was Belfast in 1955 and his relatives remembered him on Monday as “a significant and audacious Irish businessman.”
His career commenced in the Northern Ireland markets, where he honed his talent for retail. His relatives divulged, “He swiftly recognised his knack for it.” In the late 1970s, he relocated to Dublin and promptly founded a bargain store named Apollo on Moore Street.
His kin acknowledged his early ambition, portraying him as “a diligent worker with big dreams” and a determination to impact the world. They stated, “His view of the world was full of potential and he paired this with an uncanny ability to understand what people needed.”
In response to the skyrocketing global interest in sports, he launched Champion Sports which evolved into a titan in the Irish sports retail industry. His restless disposition combined with an endless sense of wonder led him to establish Thérapie Clinic with the belief that everyone should afford massages and facials at competitive prices.
Over two decades ago, the first clinic was inaugurated on Molesworth Street in Dublin. Today, it comprises more than 75 clinics spanning across Ireland, Britain, and the US.
McGlade married Rita in 1981, and despite their eventual separation, they remained firm friends. They had four children, Paul, Phillip, Katie, and William, all of whom he mentored into the business world.
His relatives stated, “The tremendous pride he felt for his children and their accomplishments, specifically their triumph with Thérapie and Pyg amongst other ventures, was always on display.” However, they added, his professional accomplishments never overshadowed his love for his children and six grandchildren. According to McGlade, they were the genuine treasures of his life.