idea for shop - comments

91011

One of my clients in Carlow is looking at doing a store that amongst other items would be selling a wide range of retro sweets including the old style 1/4 pound jars, sherberts, space dust, love hearts, refreshers etc.

Location = Tullow st / Dublin st

Is there a market for this type of stuff or is it a passing fashion?

Thundercats Ho

There used to be a sweet shop like this, where top gear was located on Tullow street.
It went well for a while, but don't think it lasted too long iirc.

tombull82

This place in in Kilkenny, Seems to be doing deadly, and the website is very well done also an takes a lot of orders from what I heard.
http://www.slipsweetshop.com/about.php

carlovian1

tombull82 wrote: »

This place in in Kilkenny, Seems to be doing deadly, and the website is very well done also an takes a lot of orders from what I heard.
http://www.slipsweetshop.com/about.php

yep i've heard so much about this place too - its getting rave reviews

mneylon

One of our clients sent us some of the traditional sweets last year and the staff loved them
I've no idea how big a market there would be for it, but there's a market for it ..

patrickc

the shop in KK seems to do a big trade, everytime I go passed it or into it, theres always customers in it.

racso1975

people always like the odd sweet that brings them down memory lane. Not sure it carlow has the population or tullow st has enough passing trade to make it viable. Defo tell them to undercut the killlkenny shop.

mneylon

racso1975 wrote: »

Defo tell them to undercut the killlkenny shop.

I wouldn't
Offer better service / choice etc

Competing on price alone is not a good idea

91011

Thanks for the comments - he went down to Kilkenny and liked it, but as others said, thought it was expensive.

It would be an added department within a store, so not necessary to charge a premium price.

tombull82

hopefully its not pennylane? I personally dont this type of shop would be suited in there. A nostalgia type shop needs to offer an aire of class about it.

deelite

There's an old-fashioned sweet shop in Balbriggan (Dublin) - I've never been there though. It might be worth speaking with the owners to see how they're doing...

91011

tombull82 wrote: »

hopefully its not pennylane? I personally dont this type of shop would be suited in there. A nostalgia type shop needs to offer an aire of class about it.

nope - can't say until things are decided, but it is a decent store around the pedestrian area.

tombull82

damn you if you do go ahead with this as i'll probably be first in the door, an second, and third . Also its not like i need more sweets i can tell you that.

Schism

Great idea. I would definitely go there.

Ms Happy

Totally went off that sweet shop in KK

When I ordered from them at first their prices were fairly reasonable with free postage so I was quite happy, raved about the lovely sweets to everyone etc.

Fast forward a few weeks later and the prices of the sweets have gone up. When queried I was told the price increase was introduced so the free postage would stay. I thought this was fair enough but gave up when they started charging for postage too!!!

I've voted with my feet!!

91011

Thanks for all the replies - I do some of the web & marketing work for the client who has the Special Days store on Tullow street and its been decided to transform about 25% of the store into "Carlow Candy Co."

Pricewise will be VERY competitive as the worst thing about buying loose sweets is finding out the price after you chosen, so prices will be 99c / 100g - 1.29/ 100g. He also hopes to have small traditional style jars for customers to create their own Sweet Jar.

It will be mixed between a pick & mix selection (99c) and a Jar selection of handmade sweets (1.29).

Staffwise it will add at least 2 x part-time positions

SIX PACK

thats very reasonable considering in the Omniplex cinema a few sweets in a bag cost about €6 or €7.Im not sure what they charge per 100g probably about €3.50 .. most snacks in the cinema are a rip off for that matter :rolleyes:

racso1975

discount for boardsies :P

That 99c is a good price per 100g. great to hear it

pitkan

Best of luck if the idea goes ahead. Saw a guy at an indoor market selling old favourite sweets and he was doing well even though space limited his variety. Carlow is probably big enough to support such a venture as long as the local school do not object.

91011

pitkan wrote: »

Best of luck if the idea goes ahead. Saw a guy at an indoor market selling old favourite sweets and he was doing well even though space limited his variety. Carlow is probably big enough to support such a venture as long as the local school do not object.

Looks like its full steam ahead and the trad sweet area will be open at end of next week.

I know there will be 1 or 2 additional part time positions, so if you know anyone looking for part-time work, ask them to drop their CV in before any sign goes up.

threein99

91011 wrote: »

Looks like its full steam ahead and the trad sweet area will be open at end of next week.

I know there will be 1 or 2 additional part time positions, so if you know anyone looking for part-time work, ask them to drop their CV in before any sign goes up.

Where abouts on Tullow street is this shop gonna be ? I'll be bringing a wheel barrow to load up on sweets out of there

tombull82

and here was i starting a diet. :-) ha

91011

threein99 wrote: »

Where abouts on Tullow street is this shop gonna be ? I'll be bringing a wheel barrow to load up on sweets out of there

It will be part of the Special Days store opposite the Dinn Ri.

foggy_lad

just a warning about a shop dedicated to sweets, the Cigar divan used to sell all the old sweets from jars and there was also a shop called kellys near the entrance to superquin carpark that sold all these sweets too and they never did very well as the sweets needed good marketing to sell.

91011

foggy_lad wrote: »

just a warning about a shop dedicated to sweets, the Cigar divan used to sell all the old sweets from jars and there was also a shop called kellys near the entrance to superquin carpark that sold all these sweets too and they never did very well as the sweets needed good marketing to sell.

I agree, a single product store would not work. The Sweet area is simply replacing the board games & gadgets and all other products along with a range of new products will remain in situ. From what I've seen of the plans, it is about 32 linear foot of wall space + some floor space.

foggy_lad

91011 wrote: »

I agree, a single product store would not work. The Sweet area is simply replacing the board games & gadgets and all other products along with a range of new products will remain in situ. From what I've seen of the plans, it is about 32 linear foot of wall space + some floor space.

sounds like the wall of pick n mix that used to be inside the door of quinsworth years ago, that turned out to be a great success apart from the pilfering:)

91011

foggy_lad wrote: »

sounds like the wall of pick n mix that used to be inside the door of quinsworth years ago, that turned out to be a great success apart from the pilfering:)

but the difference here will be a lot of the sweets will be in jars behind the counter and served the old fashioned way. - It won't be perfect, I havevn't allowed him spend much on fit out, but emphasis will be on value & service.

foundry

I handed in a cv today to be told nothing was coming up?

91011

foundry wrote: »

I handed in a cv today to be told nothing was coming up?

staff wouldn't have knowledge of future staffing requirements - The serve over counter is labour intensive & the store will have to have at least one extra part-time member, possibly 2. If a CV has been handed in, it will always be sent with other stuff to the office.

foundry

cheers for that!