A friend of mine set me a challenge recently. He said I shouldn't base my writing on the state of the retail industry on just Grafton Street and Dublin's shopping centres – and that I should venture outside the Pale. I decided to take Keith Jordan up on this challenge, and travelled to Wexford town to interview Keith and his family, who run a very interesting enterprise on Main Street, Wexford.

When I met Keith's mother Catherine – who spearheads Westgate Design, which she runs with her three sons, Keith, Darren and Leonard – I found myself listening to a very savvy and clever retailer who has successfully built and expanded her company through two recessions. I found that Westgate Design in Wexford is as sharp as any other retail business on any other Irish high street, and that Keith, in his challenge to me, was correct.

Westgate Design encompasses three different businesses under one roof. Catherine and her sons each bring individual specialities to the business to make all the areas work. Upon entry, consumers find the impressive Design Centre showcasing many Irish- and internationally-designed giftware selections, including luxury brands Newbridge Silverware and Tipperary Crystal. The rear of the store houses a fashion department with a selection of boutique labels such as Aideen Bodkin, Avoca and Rohen Chen. Downstairs and running the length of the premises is a homely kitchen café. It is from this restaurant area that the third element of Westgate Design operates – an events and catering service, which offers marquees and full catering and bar set-up and service for all occasions. Westgate Design also offers a 'hire-it' service from here, where customers can rent everything from cutlery to tables and chairs for events.

Catherine grew the business from the 1970s when, as a farmer's wife, she started a local knitwear and craftwork group with other farmers' wives who then began to sell their products at exhibitions and gradually built a clientele. Catherine later branched out on her own under the name Westgate Design and bought the property on Main Street, Wexford.

While this recession has seen the property market plummet, Catherine recalls that the 1980s recession hit the farming industry the hardest, and she decided to capitalise on her pastimes of knitwear and craftwork when the opportunity presented itself.

Like all savvy entrepreneurs, she moved where the market dictated, and what started as a small deli-style coffee shop has grown over the years to keep up with the rise of coffee-shop chains. Now the catering and restaurant element of the business supports the giftware and fashion departments. Catherine says that, prior to the Celtic Tiger, the market for Aran knitwear and unique local giftware was huge, whereas in the late 1990s the popularity of luxury brands rocketed, so Catherine and Keith went on buying trips to bring in high-end fashion and giftware brands to meet this market demand.

In the early noughties, when the events market took off, Westgate Design developed its business to provide this service, and although in more recent years this demand has slowed, the other elements of the business are strong enough to support and continue this venture.

Catherine made clear three fundamental principles that have made Westgate Design successful, and I must say that these principles should provide the skeleton for the success of any retail business. The model remains the same, whether retailing from a country high street or from a shopping centre in the capital.

The first point Catherine stresses is that the 1980s recession was not as difficult for people as now because no one in Ireland had experienced the boom years of the Celtic Tiger. Now, the fall seems harder because people have been used to wealth. Westgate Design has succeeded because Catherine was as clever and savvy during the boom years as she was during the recession. Putting money aside to invest for the future, rather than splashing out during the years of affluence, means that Westgate Design is still flourishing today. Remembering the old days of 23% loan interest rates at banks, Catherine contends that following your head goes a long way in entrepreneurship, and others would be well advised to follow this tack. She says that remembering the Ireland we have built, regardless of the current economic situation, will aid any new business. The EU investment in this country has ensured a fantastic infrastructure landscape, and given Ireland a very positive perception within Europe – whereas in the 1980s we were a relatively unknown country.

Catherine stresses that vision and hope are key dependents for any entrepreneur, and this should be remembered. "The media have a lot to do with creating... a negative culture," she says. "Marketing a view of the positive aspects of Ireland will serve to create a much more positive culture, and bring people into the country."

Family ties and getting back to basics is the third principle that Catherine stresses. With the return of her three grown-up sons to the family business, after they gained professional experience in various industries, Westgate Design has a support system of enormous value. Getting back to basics in Catherine's eyes means remembering to look after the hand that feeds you. Catherine is full of praise for the dedicated staff at Westgate Design, and especially for the population of Wexford town and the surrounding areas who have supported the business since its origins.

The question this case study raises for me is – where are the Catherine Jordans of this recession? Are there budding entrepreneurs who aren't taking their chances or going back to the basics of making a product that people will buy – and slowly growing their clientele base and nurturing their product to make it a success? There needs to be a new generation of people like Catherine who will rise successfully from this recession, capitalise on the opportunities out there, and be in the position of Westgate Design in 30 years' time.

If Catherine's retail philosophy is anything to go by – and the proof is in the pudding – this is a clear footpath to success. Ireland will emerge from this recession, but the question is – will the future figures of Irish retail react to emerge successfully with it?

Westgate Design is presenting a Fashion Event on Sunday 3 October in Johnstown Castle, outside Wexford town. Peter O'Brien will be showing his gowns, and Michael Leong will present his new hat collection. This annual fundraising event is in aid of an IHCPT respite house in Wexford for children with special needs. Tickets are available from info@westgatedesign.ie or call Westgate Design on 053-9123787