Borders Group opens in Blanchardstown this Friday

MrJoeSoap

Only heard of this today and I'm absolutely chuffed! I practically lived in the place when I was in the States so hopefully this one will be just as successful!

http://www.bordersstores.co.uk/home/about_us/corporate/press_release_archives/

Special guests Paul McGrath and Cathy Kelly to visit new West Dublin superstore for grand opening weekend

Borders opens its first book, music and movie superstore in the Republic of Ireland in the West Dublin suburb of Blanchardstown on Friday 27th October. The action-packed grand opening weekend begins with a high-profile pre-opening party on the evening of Thursday 26th October and the doors will officially open to customers at 10 a.m. the following morning when a local schoolchild will cut the ribbon. Throughout the weekend, celebrity book signings by football legend Paul McGrath and bestselling novelist Cathy Kelly, plus children’s readings and entertainment, and music from local jazz band Bop Five, will ensure that Borders Blanchardstown is ‘the’ place to be.

rain on

i have barely seen my flatmate for the last three weeks because the new employees there are doing sixty-hour weeks to get the place ready on time. sounds like it's going to be good though.

r3nu4l

If it's anything like the ones on Oxford street in London or the one in Cambridge then it should be very good. Plenty of choice for all.

Starbucks have an outlet in most of their stores in England so they may have one in Blanchardstown too, if you like that sort of thing

_blank_

Great bookshop.

I lived in the one in Bondi, Sydney for about six months.

helles belles

the one in birmingham is rubbish. Most of it is full of magazines, dvds and cds. hardly a bookshop!

r3nu4l

helles belles wrote:

the one in birmingham is rubbish. Most of it is full of magazines, dvds and cds. hardly a bookshop!

Weird, because they're usually so generic, seen one and you can almost walk around the rest blindfolded Glad I don't live in Birmingham so

damienom

Ah it won't be the same without the fat yanks walking around and the homeless boys in looking at porn like in San Diego.....ah the memories!!

Wonder does this mean they can order in stuff from the States that we can't get here?

Idgeitman

Had my first look around yesterday, amazing place!. I'm gonna head up with a heap of cash one day haha, great selection.

~ Idgeitman

MrJoeSoap

Went down for the first time yesterday as well, ended up spending a fair bit. The place is top class, even the little Anto's walking around shouting "Nah c'mere and we rip the piss outta some more books" couldn't put me off.

Idgeitman

damienom wrote:

Wonder does this mean they can order in stuff from the States that we can't get here?

I'd say so, I was looking at the magazines and they have 2600 Magazine with a little sticker slapped onto it saying "US Import" so im sure they would import other stuff.

~ Idgeitman

damienom

Was just out there today, is it just me or are they a fair bit more expensive than anywhere else??

Saying that, still spent a fortune

sceptre

I was there myself today. They definitely don't appear any cheaper than anywhere else. Nice selection though so came away with a packed bag and some free chocolate.

giddyup

Wanted to post this somewhere and found this thread. Borders is closing. After 5? months! It's a corporate decision and not specific to the Blanch store. What a shame. It's the best book store in this neck of the woods and a nice place to buy a book/magazine and grab a tasty beverage for an hour.

BostonB

giddyup wrote:

Wanted to post this somewhere and found this thread. Borders is closing. After 5? months! It's a corporate decision and not specific to the Blanch store. What a shame. It's the best book store in this neck of the woods and a nice place to buy a book/magazine and grab a tasty beverage for an hour.

From whence came this nugget?

giddyup

It was in one of the local freesheets. If you look at the press release link in the first post you'll see the relevant press release. Lots of corporate horsesh1t which basically is saying we are getting rid of UK and Ireland stores. There is always the possibility that someone will buy the lot - so it may survive in some form.

BostonB

giddyup wrote:

It was in one of the local freesheets. If you look at the press release link in the first post you'll see the relevant press release. Lots of corporate horsesh1t which basically is saying we are getting rid of UK and Ireland stores. There is always the possibility that someone will buy the lot - so it may survive in some form.

My eyes glaze over reading corporate crud. But now I've forced my self to read it I see what you mean. Pity it was a lot better than Easons in the shopping centers at least.

Blush_01

That's poo, when is it closing? It's been on my "must get around to visiting" list. I really wanted to check out Paperchase!

copacetic

giddyup wrote:

It was in one of the local freesheets. If you look at the press release link in the first post you'll see the relevant press release. Lots of corporate horsesh1t which basically is saying we are getting rid of UK and Ireland stores. There is always the possibility that someone will buy the lot - so it may survive in some form.

Does it not sound more like they are looking to franchise them out rather than close them?

Rosser

Local free sheets are hardly the Times:)

The UK / IRK chain is being sold on as a franchise and apparently Richard Branson is one of the bidders or it might be an MBO

term

Hi all

"Exploring strategic alternatives" is the key phrase in the press release.

Essentially, Borders are investing all available resources into the US, to close approx 200 of the smaller Waldenbrooks stores and get the operational side of the Borders stores better.
Net result, no cash for any other part of the business. No investment sees the international arms having to thread water for 2-3 years, not a foreseeable option.

UK & IRL stores are out-performing overall books markets by 5-6% for last year, so they are worth keeping open.

Options are

- straight sale to venture cap
- MBO
- trade sale

Currently, MBO top of most peoples expectations of outcome, but see Richard Branson is casting an eye over the operation and FNAC do a similar type of store on the real mainland and have been scouting the UK/IRL for opportunities.

Net result, name may change but store in Blanch will be here for a while longer yet.

eskimo

Borders in Blanch is not closing. That paper was wrong. The headline was grabbing but not once in the actual article did it say the shop was closing. And it's not.

You can't even believe the local papers.

siochain

Impressive selection and I could easily pass a day in there. I did notice on a few items that they were more expensive than Easons.

BostonB

I find their range of books and magazines is far better than Easons. I've seen books in there that I've had to order on the internet before because nowhere here had them. Eason's IMO has gone downhill in reason years.

emeraldstar

I still like Eason's...

how does one get to Blanchardstown?

Enii

Anyone hear rumours (again) about Borders Blanchardstown closing down in August?

copacetic

bargain alerts thread says closing 10th august.

Dionysus

Enii wrote: »

Anyone hear rumours (again) about Borders Blanchardstown closing down in August?

Just got an email from them saying that they are, in fact, closing down:

http://www.bordersmail.com/emails/web/214/183/183/2/8/810396/9ec12992e14a1ff2b3b3cf8e407994c9/

MrJoeSoap

Shame. Always great to pass a half-hour there.

sxt

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

Shame. Always great to pass a half-hour there.

or two and a half hours ,time flew by when you were in there

Bunnyhopper

I was in there this afternoon. The place is mobbed - if it keeps up at that rate they'll run out of stock before 10 August. It's a shame to see it go, but in truth I always spent a lot more time than money in there. Online prices are so consistently lower that it's hard to see how bricks-and-mortar bookshops survive at all.