On Saturday, November 8, Moloney’s Irish Imports officially opened in the Former Irish on Grand space, the same Grand Avenue storefront where generations of locals have shopped for Irish foods, gifts, knitwear and cultural staples. The store is now owned by Emma Crawford and her partner, James Berget, who see their stewardship of the long-loved shop as both an unexpected opportunity and a continuation of family history.
“This place has been part of my life since I was a kid,” Crawford said. “I grew up coming here. I remember being really little and exploring everything upstairs. It’s surreal to be continuing a store that was never in the plan for my life.”
The plan changed in 2020, when Crawford — then newly unemployed during the pandemic — was encouraged by her mother to speak with longtime Irish on Grand owners Maeve O’Mara and Liam O’Neill. Their families had immigrated from Ireland at around the same time, decades earlier, and had stayed close. A casual chat inside the shop quickly turned into a job offer.
“I didn’t even realize it was an interview,” Crawford laughed. She joined the staff, working there for more than four years until the previous owners announced their retirement earlier this year.
Crawford and Berget initially explored purchasing a smaller building for a store of their own. When that deal fell through, the familiar Grand Avenue building was still on the market. Despite concerns about its size and cost, they decided it was, as Crawford put it, “the right thing to do.”
The jump from employees to owners came with challenges. The former owners kept their inventory, meaning Crawford and Berget rebuilt the business from scratch: new furniture, new fixtures, new licensing and entirely new stock. Importing products proved especially complex amid shifting tariffs on European goods.
“At one point, it was going to be 30% on all European imports,” Berget said. “We wondered if we needed to back out. It would’ve been devastating. How do you justify that?”
Even now, delays in customs and rising wholesale costs complicate ordering. Some food products expired in shipment before the store could open; others are arriving days or weeks late.
Still, support from local partners made the process possible. Bank Cherokee, just down the street, ultimately backed the business after recognizing both the legacy and the potential of the new store. “It feels like they’re rooting for us,” Crawford said. “That’s been incredibly meaningful.”
Inside the shop, returning customers will notice both familiarity and change. The second floor — once filled with goods — is no longer used for sales, giving the first floor a more open, curated feel. Many beloved brands remain, but Crawford is expanding the assortment to include independent Irish and Irish-American makers, with an emphasis on contemporary craft.
“I’m trying to bring in more independent small makers,” she explained. “There’s a huge resurgence of Irish crafts right now, especially among younger artists. I’m excited to showcase that.”
The pantry section remains largely intact, complete with beloved sausages “flown in from Chicago,” classic candies, teas and Christmas foods. Knitwear, jewelry, candles, and home goods from Ireland still anchor the shelves, though inventory will rotate more seasonally than in years past.
Crawford is conscious of the legacy she’s inheriting — and the differences customers may notice. “I know people are going to miss Maeve and Liam,” she said. “They were an institution. But part of the American story is the next generation picking up the heritage their parents brought here. That’s what this feels like.”
It also feels like a family operation. Crawford is expecting her first child, and her mother will be helping in the shop while she juggles parenthood and business ownership. “There’s a lot happening in life right now,” she said, smiling. “But we’ll make it work.”
Moloney’s Irish Imports will begin with limited hours — closed Mondays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 to 4 on Sundays — with expanded hours planned for St. Patrick’s Day and the holiday season. The owners hope their website and online store will be running by early December.
For now, the doors are open, the shelves are stocked, and the neighborhood mainstay has new life — one shaped by heritage, community, and the next chapter of a long-running story.
If you go:
Moloney’s Irish Imports
1124 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN
Hours:
Wed-Sat: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Closed Mondays & Tuesdays
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