I hope this is the right place to be asking this question:

Many newsagents in Ireland (and Wales, so far as I can see) are called
"the Gem".  I am wondering why that is, what it the origin of the
word, and its meaning?

I hope someone here can enlighten me.
TIA

Cat(h)

Cat(h) wrote:
> I hope this is the right place to be asking this question:
>
> Many newsagents in Ireland (and Wales, so far as I can see) are called
> "the Gem".  I am wondering why that is, what it the origin of the
> word, and its meaning?
>
> I hope someone here can enlighten me.
> TIA
>
> Cat(h)

Never heard of it.

On Tue, 4 Dec 2007 04:35:36 -0800 (PST), "Cat(h)"
 wrote:

>I hope this is the right place to be asking this question:
>
>Many newsagents in Ireland (and Wales, so far as I can see) are called
>"the Gem".  I am wondering why that is, what it the origin of the
>word, and its meaning?
>
>I hope someone here can enlighten me.
>TIA
>
It is possible that they are all part of a company called Gem.

-- 
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in uk.culture.language.english)

Cat(h) wrote:
> I hope this is the right place to be asking this question:
>
> Many newsagents in Ireland (and Wales, so far as I can see) are called
> "the Gem".  I am wondering why that is, what it the origin of the
> word, and its meaning?

It seems to be mostly in Ireland. It doesn't seem to be a chain, as such. 
Perhaps it is a franchise operation, or (more likely) some sort of 
co-operative operation, like Spar? Presumably they are tied to a particular 
wholesaler. Maybe it is something which was popular in the past but which 
has largely gone out of fashion in  Britain? (Like Spar, for example. I read 
somewhere that the Irish still smoke Craven 'A', but I am assured that this 
is not the case...)
-- 
John Briggs

Peter Duncanson wrote:
> On Tue, 4 Dec 2007 04:35:36 -0800 (PST), "Cat(h)"
>  wrote:
>
>> I hope this is the right place to be asking this question:
>>
>> Many newsagents in Ireland (and Wales, so far as I can see) are
>> called "the Gem".  I am wondering why that is, what it the origin of
>> the word, and its meaning?
>>
>> I hope someone here can enlighten me.
>> TIA
>>
> It is possible that they are all part of a company called Gem.

"The Gem", peut-être?
-- 
John Briggs

On Tue, 04 Dec 2007 21:26:00 GMT, "John Briggs"
 wrote:

>Peter Duncanson wrote:
>> On Tue, 4 Dec 2007 04:35:36 -0800 (PST), "Cat(h)"
>>  wrote:
>>
>>> I hope this is the right place to be asking this question:
>>>
>>> Many newsagents in Ireland (and Wales, so far as I can see) are
>>> called "the Gem".  I am wondering why that is, what it the origin of
>>> the word, and its meaning?
>>>
>>> I hope someone here can enlighten me.
>>> TIA
>>>
>> It is possible that they are all part of a company called Gem.
>
>"The Gem", peut-?e?

Possibly. I was pulled off track by discovering an entry in the
Belfast Gazette dated 28 September 2007:

    Notice is hereby given pursuant to Article 603 (3) of the
    Companies (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, that at the
    expiration of 3 months from the date of this notice the
    names of the undermentioned companies will, unless cause is
    shown to the contrary, be struck-off the register and the
    companies will be dissolved.
    ....
    Gem Newsagents Limited
    ....

-- 
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in uk.culture.language.english)

On Dec 4, 5:17 pm, "John Briggs"  wrote:
> Cat(h) wrote:
> > I hope this is the right place to be asking this question:
>
> > Many newsagents in Ireland (and Wales, so far as I can see) are called
> > "the Gem".  I am wondering why that is, what it the origin of the
> > word, and its meaning?
>
> It seems to be mostly in Ireland. It doesn't seem to be a chain, as such.
> Perhaps it is a franchise operation, or (more likely) some sort of
> co-operative operation, like Spar? Presumably they are tied to a particular
> wholesaler. Maybe it is something which was popular in the past but which
> has largely gone out of fashion in  Britain? (Like Spar, for example. I read
> somewhere that the Irish still smoke Craven 'A', but I am assured that this
> is not the case...)
> --
> John Briggs

Most chains or franchises tend to be commonly branded, with readily
identifyable graphics.  Not so "The Gem" newsagents.  They tend to be
small old little shops which have been there forever.  Some of them
are called The Gem, but also have a symbol livery (Mace, Londis, Gala,
Spar etc.)
Thanks for everyone's efforts, but I am not sure my question is
answered yet.

Cat(h)