Penneys Development

threein99

Where abouts in Carlow is this going to be?

kilkea

threein99 wrote: »

Where abouts in Carlow is this going to be?

Where Penneys currently is, so the old Quinnsworth site in Hanover.

threein99

kilkea wrote:

Where Penneys currently is, so the old Quinnsworth site in Hanover.

Oh right, I thought Penny's was on Tullow Street

road_high

Dublin street is a classic turn of the century streetscape alright, but is so rundown and half empty. Two empty hotels, numerous second hand shops. Too much parking on it too.

Rasher2903

Anyone hear that Boots are going into the new Penneys Development?

Agent Coulson

I've heard Boots are coming ever year for the last 8/9 years.

But I'd imagine a new development like this would be a good time for them to finally arrive.

iano.p

Agent Coulson wrote:

I've heard Boots are coming ever year for the last 8/9 years.

Boots could never find a site they liked. Alot of the other shopping centres they liked already had another pharmacy in it. That got first offer on in carlow because of the estate agent.

madmaggie

I hope by the time it all opens that we haven't hit another recession, and there are units left empty. It looks fantastic, and a huge Penneys store would be a great draw for shoppers to Carlow.

road_high

Listening to one particular local FF Senator this week, you'd think this was going to be some kind of panacea to Carlow's problems.
It's welcome indeed but certainly no answer to the bigger picture which is the severe lack of local quality employment and almost non existent tourist trade.
It's a major new Penney's store (hardly ground breaking) plus a few possible add ons. The new jobs provided will be limited (I assume most/all existing staff will transfer over) with some new positions from a bigger store. But these will be in the main low wage, min contract or part time roles.
It still doesn't address the fact that Carlow centre and Main streets are struggling hugely, there are many very large retail units empty/never occupied skirting all over the town- not sure how adding even more will help that particular scenario? Off hand I can think of so may units empty in Graiguecullen, 4 Lakes retail park, out beside Ken Blacks and the Carlow SC.
Not to repeat the Main streets.

What the town really is more employment and companies to set up in high skilled areas like Pharma, IT, Financial and Business services. Places that employ say 50-500 workers, thus adding a payroll base that can support all this retail comfortably.

Agent Coulson

The town needs another Braun or Sugar Factory that can also employ a lot of semi skilled/general operatives type roles.

road_high

Agent Coulson wrote: »

The town needs another Braun or Sugar Factory that can also employ a lot of semi skilled/general operatives type roles.

Realistically not going to happen as these jobs no longer exist in Ireland. Heard before Amazon.com were considering the old Braun site for a warehouse/distribution operation which would have been ideal as regards employing unskilled staff.
Any manufacturing/assembly there is, is usually skilled technician or else heavily automated. Sadly, there's a big cohort of Carlow for which semi skilled or general operative positions in the likes of Braun were a life blood but the economic world has moved on.

madmaggie

As an ex Braun employee, the writing was on the wall for this type of manufacturing from the turn of this century. As a previous poster said if the employment base isn't there, what will support all these retail outlets.

Nokia6230i

Sign up & (new) roller shutters down on the (temporary) Penneys Store in Carlow S.C.

Think it's an 8 week build for completion by Bennett Construction which would mean it's getting near finishing up time.

Given the St. Patricks Day Parade won't be assembling in the car-park unlike previous years, this would suggest it's getting near wrapping up time for the old store.

Nokia6230i

Further to the above, Penneys new temporary store is to open Monday morning the 6th of March at 10am.

Nokia6230i

Following on from the opening this morning at the delayed time of 10am (I'm sure there was a reason but wouldn't mind someone enlightening me please.....to build up an audience on a Monday morning was it?), the photos on Carlow S.C. Facebook page looked like the good folk of the town'd lost their ****.

Took a stroll through it today but couldn't find the Superquinn sausages.

I'm assuming the design is one Penneys're rolling out in new units & retrospectively also & it's quite the A&F/H&M ambience about it regarding the layout & lighting; Bennett Construction did very well.

Looks way better rather than being split into 4 units as it was in Hanover though to be fair after being on the go since 79 it was gone unreal dated & given the stop-start of the issue, that made it look even more run down because they couldn't do anything with it on understanding it was a case of when rather than if.

Minus the shelves in SQ/SV time it means the store is moved right back to the walls encompassing all the available space.

My eyes may deceive me but it looks like they've made use of some of warehouse also but I stand to be corrected.

It's the security guards I feel sorry for though; it's beyond the size for the one or maximum two they normally had on in the old unit.

Finally, for those eagle-eyed enough to notice the Penneys signs have come down so if anyone has them photographed well done!

sunny2004

Is there a delay on the new development ? any updates ?

Laois_Man

sunny2004 wrote: »

Is there a delay on the new development ? any updates ?

Last I heard, based on their success in their "temporary" new home, Penny's were re-evaluating their desire to be involved in any new build at all.

road_high

Laois_Man wrote: »

Last I heard, based on their success in their "temporary" new home, Penny's were re-evaluating their desire to be involved in any new build at all.

Surely even if that's true, they could hardly pull out- legally etc
It didn't take a rocket scientist to know the temp store would be a success as the old store was already just was outdated

iano.p

The developer hasn't the funds in place to build it yet and might not have it in place. They are still looking for funding.

road_high

iano.p wrote: »

The developer hasn't the funds in place to build it yet and might not have it in place. They are still looking for funding.

If it's true about the Anchor tenant having cold feet I'd imagine that makes their case even harder.

iano.p

road_high wrote:

If it's true about the Anchor tenant having cold feet I'd imagine that makes their case even harder.

I was told penny's have a get out claus if the building isn't ready by a date. Do maybe that's what they are hoping for and can stay in the old superquinn

road_high

iano.p wrote: »

I was told penny's have a get out claus if the building isn't ready by a date. Do maybe that's what they are hoping for and can stay in the old superquinn

I was really impressed by the store inold SQ. Few permanent works like flooring and fittings then it would be as good as new.

Koolhanger

Wife heard this week from council that this development is now shelved.
Primary funder was depending on income from another job to fund this development. Original job has now fallen through, apparently.
It's only hearsay but supposed to be the truth.

It's never going to happen, folks. I think I wanted it more than anyone!

road_high

Koolhanger wrote: »

Wife heard this week from council that this development is now shelved.
Primary funder was depending on income from another job to fund this development. Original job has now fallen through, apparently.
It's only hearsay but supposed to be the truth.

It's never going to happen, folks. I think I wanted it more than anyone!

Surely something else can come through on this site. I can't believe they went so far without have everything 100% confirmed, signed sealed and delivered. I do think Carlow has an awful lot of retail space already and the focus needs to be a major upgrade and focus on Tullow st and environs. I don't think this would help particularly in that regard.

Agent Coulson

On a side note I heard someone is taking over the empty Homebase site soon.

Didn't here who but that's a big site.

road_high

Agent Coulson wrote: »

On a side note I heard someone is taking over the empty Homebase site soon.

Didn't here who but that's a big site.

No idea. Must be something similar though like B&Q or Harvey Norman or something like that?
See, there's another massive empty, blue chip store already built in Carlow ....and vacant....adding even more retail space in that scenario seems like madness to me.

iano.p

road_high wrote:

I can't believe they went so far without have everything 100% confirmed, signed sealed and delivered.

the builder never had the funding he was always hoping for bigger projects to pay off first. It's been said here a few times already.

Agent Coulson wrote:

On a side note I heard someone is taking over the empty Homebase site soon.

The fit out started this week. It's a shop that sells "everything like homestore&more and the army shop combined" I was told I can't remember the name i think it was rugged or something.

road_high

Could be this crowd- have a store down in Limerick;
https://www.therange.co.uk/stores/limerick/

iano.p

road_high wrote:

Could be this crowd- have a store down in Limerick;

That sounds about right I was packing up and leaving when he said the name so wasn't fully tuned in.

Bog Man 1

road_high wrote: »

Could be this crowd- have a store down in Limerick;
https://www.therange.co.uk/stores/limerick/

Looks like more shody garden furniture and household items that will end up in landfill after a few years . The only way Tullow St will ever prosper again is if they introduce a dress code at both ends of it .It is fair bad when I am not the worst dressed person on the street with people attempting to give me money and Romanians telling me to get off their patch .
Seriously I would dress up to go to Kildare Village or even Kilkenny but there is no incentive to do so for Tullow St .
I would get my hair cut with Tara and Annmarie get gadgets fixed in the Gadget repair shop and I would get a few bits and pieces in DEALZ .