3 June 2026: Boots is marking a major milestone as it celebrates its 60th anniversary in Northern Ireland.  

Its first store in Cornmarket, Belfast opened its doors in March 1966, and today, Boots is Northern Ireland’s leading health, beauty and wellness retailer with a team over 1,200 expert colleagues based in 65 stores across the region.  

Over the last 60 years, Boots has become a cornerstone of the community, allowing shoppers to take advantage of the extensive offering of health, beauty and wellness products both online and in-store. Recently, its flagship stores have seen significant transformation, meeting the rapidly growing beauty and wellness market as customers in Northern Ireland seek to browse and trial the latest trending beauty brands in store including Caudalie, Ouai, Wella, Phillip Kingsley, Ultra Violette, Kiehl’s and NARS. 

Boots continues to invest in its presence, with the recent refurbishment of our flagship Belfast store in Donegal Place and upcoming opening of airport stores at both Belfast City and Belfast International Airport. 

It plays a key role in supporting community healthcare through dispensing of prescriptions and provision of vital services including the NHS Pharmacy First scheme, allowing patients to get advice and treatment from a local pharmacist for common conditions including sore throat, shingles and urinary tract infections (UTIs) without the need for an appointment with a GP. Last year, Boots pharmacies in Northern Ireland dispensed over 5 million items and conducted over 47,000 Pharmacy First consultations. 

Aileen McGroggan, Director of Stores for Boots in Northern Ireland, said: “For 60 years, Boots has been proud to serve communities right across Northern Ireland. Our teams are at the heart of what we do, and many have supported local families across generations. As customer needs have evolved, we’ve continued to innovate our health, beauty and wellness offering while remaining a trusted place people can turn to for advice, support and care.”  

Boots and charity partners continue to work closely to support the local community throughout Northern Ireland. Together with Macmillan Cancer Support, Boots offers support for people suffering from cancer. Over 190 trained Boots Macmillan Information Pharmacists (BMIPs), Boots Macmillan Beauty Advisors (BMBAs) and Boots Macmillan Optometrist Professionals (BMOPs) provide support from answering questions about medication to managing visible effects of cancer and its treatment. 

Boots installed donation points for The Hygiene Bank in 34 stores in Northern Ireland, to help tackle hygiene inequality. In 2025, these donation points received over 2,000 kg of new and unused toiletries and personal care products, collected and distributed to people in need via a network of 83 local community partners in Northern Ireland.  

Boots first introduced its stores to Northern Ireland in 1966 when its Cornmarket store first opened its doors, and a new store opening in Bangor following shortly afterwards. It rapidly expanded, driven by customer demand, bringing new pharmacy services to the region, as well as brands only available at Boots, including No7 and Boots Soltan. 

Sophie Clapp, Boots Archivist, said: “Boots has a long and rich history in Northern Ireland, and the opening of our first store in 1966 marked the beginning of an important relationship with local communities. Over the decades, our stores have become familiar fixtures on high streets and a place that generations of customers have relied on for their everyday health and beauty needs.”