Store closures for 2009? [Merged]

IvaBigWun

So now that Woolworths and Zavvi are gone for good which ones do you reckon are likely to follow in 2009?

I think Chartbusters are fcuked. Sure theyre mainly using the space for sunbeds and the internet now instead of DVDs but they are all in areas where the rent is very high. Ive heard Carphone Warehouse were struggling too.

Where else?

Darragh29

Apparently Harvey Norman can't wait to get out of here...

IvaBigWun

Darragh29 wrote: »

Apparently Harvey Norman can't wait to get out of here...

Good.

Go Harvey. No really. Go.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

RxQueen

adam's is going to afaik

Biggins

Tile Market is gone in the last few days.

Heard about Harvey Normans and Adams Kids section going. Glad to see the former leave but sad to see the latter go.

LolaDub

And Morgan the clothes store. Any others?

Ass

Darragh29 wrote: »

Apparently Harvey Norman can't wait to get out of here...

Evident by their spokesperson in their radio ads. "Go Harvey Go".

AlmightyCushion

I think Best Buy have a big stake in The Carphone Warehouse and are using them as a launchpad for the UK market so I doubt they'd go under.

Ckal

Zhivagos and Golden Discs, methinks. HMV pwns them.

gurramok

Sasha womens clothes store is already in admin. Barratts shoe shops have a closing down sale at every one of their branches also.

Biggins

Re: Harvey Normans

The Scientist wrote: »

Good riddance, wont have to listen to their poxy ad anymore.

Their thoughts: "Our prices can't be beaten..."

Aaa - YES they can!

IvaBigWun

Debenams have until Summer of this year to turn things around apparently. But arent they always busy?

Biggins

No word YET but as Land Of Leather is being sued by many in Ireland and 600 to 1000+ in England (its a sofa issue - see here), I expect them not to hang around here in Ireland by the end of the year.
They will declare bankruptcy when they have to pay the huge fines coming their way.

Business-wise, their takings in down 47% - See here:
They can't even sell the business.

LolaDub

Haven't harvey normans and carphone warehouse opened up reasonably new branches in carrickmines?

AlmightyCushion

IvaBigWun wrote: »

Debenams have until Summer of this year to turn things around apparently. But arent they always busy?

It doesn't matter how busy they are if they are making a loss.

Highsider

Have heard BTW tilesavers are going down the tubes not surprised TBH with some of the stories i've heard about them. Hope to god Harvey Norman fecks right off

Biggins

LolaDub wrote: »

Haven't harvey normans and carphone warehouse opened up reasonably new branches in carrickmines?

That at the very least, might be put on hold.

[URL="javascript:showPlayer('/business/2008/1127/businesstonight_av.html?2455517,null,209')"]Recession hitting retailers hard [/URL]
As the recession throughout Europe and the US deepens, UK chain Woolworths has gone into administration while here retail giant Harvey Norman's Australian owners have hinted they may pull out of Ireland. Gerry Harvey, the man behind Harvey Norman, says its investment in Ireland has been a catastrophe and revealed that sales at its 13 stores here are between 25-40% down on last year. He said he regretted investing in Ireland but that it was too big an investment to pull out now.

Source: http://www.rte.ie/business/2008/1127/businesstonight.html

DenMan

H Samuel, Land of Leather, 2 Seasons, Zavvi and Chartbusters all going too I'm afraid.

IvaBigWun

DenMan wrote: »

H Samuel, Land of Leather, 2 Seasons, Zavvi and Chartbusters all going too I'm afraid.

Zavvi is all but gone. And my hunch was right about Chartbusters? Didnt the guy who sold the original Xtravision chain set that up?

LolaDub

Biggins wrote: »

That at the very least, might be put on hold.

Its already open.

Biggins

LolaDub wrote: »

Its already open.

Crikey, that does surprise me. For the sake of the on the ground staff I hope they last through the hard times.
(The first in/last out option might still apply if cut backs come.)

swingking

The shops who are going to be hit hard by the recession are the music shops; ie. HMV, ZAVVI etc.

People are downloading their music and their movies. This will happen at a larger scale when people don't have the money to buy these luxury items.

I'd say DSG (PC World, Curry's) will close some of it's branches. People are buing their electronics up North and online.

blueeyedblonde

I've heard from colleagues that Debenhams is in serious trouble also. They may not last 6months, but judging by quality and range of goods in recent times, it was inevitable.

Bijoux

Heard that Jane Norman is going into liquidation....not sure if it's true or not though.

oztots

Wouldnt be suprised with all the music stores taking less. I really cant see why people still rent movies when they can all be downloaded.

AlmightyCushion

oztots wrote: »

Wouldnt be suprised with all the music stores taking less. I really cant see why people still rent movies when they can all be downloaded.

Not everyone has access to a fast connection, not everyone knows how to download stuff like that, not everyone likes to break the law or risk getting caught (regardless of how small the chance is).

IvaBigWun

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

Not everyone has access to a fast connection, not everyone knows how to download stuff like that, not everyone likes to break the law or risk getting caught (regardless of how small the chance is).

But lets be honest. The vast majority do. Or know someone that can do it for them.

Dyr

the music stores deserve it, they fleeced us for years

BoB_BoT

chartbusters have been hanging onto dear life for a long time now, before there was any word of recession.

People are saying music stores and dvd rental places will go due to downloading films and music. Problem is a lot of people are doing this illegally and it just gives more leverage for music and film organisations to conduct full scale witch-hunts, leading to massive fines, punish a few as an example only it'll be a big dramatic affair and be well published.

Rb

LolaDub wrote: »

Haven't harvey normans and carphone warehouse opened up reasonably new branches in carrickmines?

The Park in Carrickmines is, as a whole, doing awful.

Expect to see a lot of pull-outs from that retail park, or companies sub-letting their premises due to contractual obligations preventing them from a complete removal.

AlmightyCushion

IvaBigWun wrote: »

But lets be honest. The vast majority do. Or know someone that can do it for them.

No they don't believe me. When it comes to computers most people are idiots. I've lost count of the amounts of times I've been told the wireless on the computer is broken. When I ask them have they connected to the wireless network, the answer is always, no.

Rb

IvaBigWun wrote: »

But lets be honest. The vast majority do. Or know someone that can do it for them.

I would say the complete opposite actually, the vast majority have absolutely no idea about torrents, how to use them to download programs/music/etc and then how to burn them to a disk in a playable format.

People still rent for this very reason, they have no idea how to get a movie from the internet, to their computer, to the TV.

Obviously on fora or the like it will be 50/50 or better on who knows how to get movies from the internet, but it certainly isn't an accurate representation of the overall picture.

Music, however, is a different matter what with Limewire and other such programs making it so straight-forward (for both "criminals" and those who want to catch them).

dmcg90

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=2055450669

Thread already going about this.

pau8lieskins

I do think that music shops/dvd shops will be closing left right and center because of the internet but not to downloading (well a little) but by people purchasing DVD's/CD's over the net I saved 300 quid by staying at home shopping online rather than buying stuff from shops in the run up to Xmas.

I think tile, carpets and homeware places will close up, Big brand name places may considering pulling out of Ireland like Woolworths back in the 80's.

Dizzyblabla

I can't believe you guys are all saying good riddance to these stores. As annoying as their advertisements might be, how many people are employed in each shop? and it's not even just the shop floor, you've all the HR and Admin staff too up in the offices....

This is a really tough time for Ireland, being pleased that huge chain stores are shutting down across the whole island is a little selfish in my opinion.

mumhaabu

I think it would be great if the likes of Costa Cofee and O'Briens sandwich bars and those stupid smoothie kiosks all fecked right off, I would gladly say good bye to Harvey Norman if it was only to get that awful ad of the airwaves some time I feel like doing what Father Jack and blasting a Shotgun at the TV when that utter sh1te of an ad comes on. Thank you Jesus for inventing Sky+! :pac:

Plus for anyone down in the Republic of Munster, the Soundstore is miles ahead of Harvey Norman and is the best Electrical retailer I think, hopefully they stay independent and don't gobbled up by some multi national mega crook *cough* megacorp.

The sound in the name came from not Sound as in audio but the Cark saying Sound man!

I'd love to see half these hippys selling foul smelling garbage in rural town *markets* go bust too.

Highsider

Dizzyblabla wrote: »

I can't believe you guys are all saying good riddance to these stores. As annoying as their advertisements might be, how many people are employed in each shop? and it's not even just the shop floor, you've all the HR and Admin staff too up in the offices....

This is a really tough time for Ireland, being pleased that huge chain stores are shutting down across the whole island is a little selfish in my opinion.

I agree on the whole but there can't be anyone who won't be happy to see and hear the back of Harvey Norman

swingking

Actuallyl one place I'd like to see close down is Costa coffee. if you ask me it's Costalot for a cup of piss coffee. The prices that place is charging people is crazy. People will not be able to fork out that much on luxury coffee.

Zonda999

mumhaabu wrote: »

Plus for anyone down in the Republic of Munster, the Soundstore is miles ahead of Harvey Norman and is the best Electrical retailer I think, hopefully they stay independent and don't gobbled up by some multi national mega crook *cough* megacorp.

The sound in the name came from not Sound as in audio but the Cark saying Sound man!

Agree with you on that one. If Harvey Normans in Dublin have the same prices as those down in Cork, i dont know how they've survived against the likes of Power City and DID. I wish we had those stores down here. Especially Power City. They appear very competitive on price and will clearly beat any other stores price

pjproby

This is the most extraordinary thread I have ever read. People here actually wishing for job losses, store closures. A very advanced form of grave dancing by grave dancers. The last post here also urging a no vote to Lisbon. After the stores have all gone, the staff of course can emigrate. it will bring us back to the good old days of pre eu when emigration was an instrument of economic policy. Shame on those of you wishing for such a calamity to befall us.

The_Conductor

Zonda999 wrote: »

They appear very competitive on price and will clearly beat any other stores price

They still can't compete with NI or UK prices. Lots of places in the UK will ship over here by the pallet load- you just have to shop around......

Biggins

pjproby wrote: »

...Shame on those of you wishing for such a calamity to befall us.

I don't (and I suspect others here) like seeing any business to close that is genuinely striving to survive and is at the same time not fleecing to an extraordinary extent, the hard working customers whom also suffer their too far over inflated profit prices.

Am I glad to see any rip-off merchants go down, Yes by god and I won't be losing sleep over them.
Just like bad factories, bad doctors, bad insurance, bad services close in general, its the way of commerce.
The business market is not going to grind to a halt. The excess profit making fatter-cats will be cut down, made leaner and again I say, by god its about time.

Nope, as the saying goes: "Good riddance to bad rubbish"

Antigone05

a close friend works in Harvey Norman.

Would you wish for the end of his job, and pull out... because of their annoying ads??

Gummy Panda

Was in debehams before 2 weeks before xmas day and the selection looked the same as the previous quater. Items weren't displayed properly and the pricing showed UK and EU. A 35 pound jumper was 60euro even though the pound had made a massive drop.

I know they may have bought these at a different rate and they set the price to what they expect the market to pay, but by this stage people were already jumping across the border for bargains. Slow reaction to the market is probably going to close them.

mumhaabu

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Was in debehams before 2 weeks before xmas day and the selection looked the same as the previous quater. Items weren't displayed properly and the pricing showed UK and EU. A 35 pound jumper was 60euro even though the pound had made a massive drop.

I know they may have bought these at a different rate and they set the price to what they expect the market to pay, but by this stage people were already jumping across the border for bargains. Slow reaction to the market is probably going to close them.

A friend of mine claims in that case they are obliged to take Sterling in ROI as payment if they display in sterling. I think this is baloney, any truth in it?

AlmightyCushion

mumhaabu wrote: »

A friend of mine claims in that case they are obliged to take Sterling in ROI as payment if they display in sterling. I think this is baloney, any truth in it?

Sterling isn't legal tender here so I doubt there is any legal obligation for them to accept it.

Vadrefjorde

pjproby wrote: »

This is the most extraordinary thread I have ever read. People here actually wishing for job losses, store closures. A very advanced form of grave dancing by grave dancers. The last post here also urging a no vote to Lisbon. After the stores have all gone, the staff of course can emigrate. it will bring us back to the good old days of pre eu when emigration was an instrument of economic policy. Shame on those of you wishing for such a calamity to befall us.

The people here are merely pointing out inevitabilities, i would think...
Urging a no vote has no relevance to the thread or the discussion, it's a fact that ireland had more retail outlets than was required even in the boom times, now that the credit bubble has burst and the economy which depended on a pyramid scheme of borrowing on the strength of overvalued assets has ended then obviously the retail sector will be hard hit. Even more hard hit as the very people who threw money at it regardless of price, now realise the last few years spendathon was all a big con and all they have to show for it is negative equity.
I wouldn't blame them for being angry to be honest...
We also have enough hotels to accomodate the population of Iceland, another sector which will see mass closures in the coming 12 months...
The job losses and closures are an inevitability i'm afraid, and whilst i personally feel sorry for individual people who would lose their job, it's an unfortunate reality that the country needs to shed most of this excess..

ejmaztec

I think that the government has missed a major opportunity. To follow on from their scheme where they handed out iodine tablets, so that we could all survive a direct hit from a nuke, they should now give everybody free prozac. That way, we'll still be happy, no matter how hard things get. Twenty year's worth should cover it.

The only downside would be that, when the next election comes up, we'll be so happy, that we'll inadvertently vote the bastards back in again.

GirlInterrupted

blueeyedblonde wrote: »

I've heard from colleagues that Debenhams is in serious trouble also. They may not last 6months, but judging by quality and range of goods in recent times, it was inevitable.

Debenhams stock is particularly poor quality, whenever I've been in one of those stores I've been surprised they have any customers at all. Even the so called 'Designers at Debenahams' range(s) are shabby.

Gummy Panda

If Debehams are closing, i'm glad i never got my friend a 100euro gift card for his wedding.