Primetime, Cork's streetwear backbone, closes on Washington Street after 34 years

Primetime was a streetwear store on Washington Street in Cork city centre, Ireland. Opened in 1992, it spent 34 years selling streetwear, skate decks, jeans and hoodies under owners Niall Hassett and Louisa Heckett, becoming a fixture of the city's alternative scene. More than 300 staff passed through over the years, and the owners called them the backbone of the store.

The shop was more than a retailer. DJ and producer Stevie Grainger called it the backbone of Cork's music, arts, fashion, graf, skate, breaking and cultural scene, and artist Conor Harrington credited it with supporting him from the age of seventeen. For over three decades it was a hub where Cork's creative community gathered.

In February 2026 Primetime announced it would close its doors for the final time on Saturday 28 February. The owners said they felt so lucky to have been an integral part of the city's culture and story for 34 years, but that nothing lasts forever. The closure came amid rising costs hitting independent retailers across the country, and Cork lost one of the core shops behind more than three decades of diverse culture.