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Byrne's World of Wonder in receivership?

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13

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    #62
    Zhane
    Registered Users Posts: 1,156 ✭✭✭Zhane


    And it was pretty obvious for ages. It was a never a case of 'if' it went under. It was 'when'.


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    #63
    sundula
    Registered Users Posts: 867 ✭✭✭sundula


    UBd wrote: »
    Ack! Sure I didn't brand them a "bunch of idiots who ran the business into the ground"............. but i would not completely disagree with the phrase. :P

    I have spoken with some of the family and some of their employees and know a lot of what went on. Not everything, but enough to make an informed opinion. That you reap what you sow, what goes around comes around and Karma truly exists!

    There is now a fantastic opportunity for whoever takes over to run a very profitable business with careful buying and qualified / experienced management. If only I had the cash myself!

    I concede that you would have greater knowledge than me on the operation if you have contact with the family. To shift the discussion to something different - do you thing anyone would be interested in taking over the balance of the business as it is?
    Surely if you were in the market - like Easons - you would avoid this business and look for higher profile vacant properties in these locations ? Who could you see buying out Byrnes or will it end up closed?


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    #64
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Just back from Byrne's (Enniscorthy) and in my opinion, despite the report in this week's Guardian, I think closure is imminent here too. Even the new stock in the book section has now been marked down by 20% and there's preciously little stock of any sort left in the shop. The office/stationery section and the toddler's toy section are empty and closed off. Anybody hear anything reliable?


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    #65
    McLoughlin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,909 ✭✭✭McLoughlin


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    Just back from Byrne's (Enniscorthy) and in my opinion, despite the report in this week's Guardian, I think closure is imminent here too. Even the new stock in the book section has now been marked down by 20% and there's preciously little stock of any sort left in the shop. The office/stationery section and the toddler's toy section are empty and closed off. Anybody hear anything reliable?

    People are saying there doing the best to stay open for the christmas market but November has been mentioned in unconfirmed conversations


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    #66
    maxer68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭maxer68


    didn't the new discount chain Dealz say they were opening in Wexford, enniscorthy, gorey & carlow.

    I have no knowledge of their exact locations, but these are all towns that Byrnes have shops in. Possibly they have taken new leases on the stores?


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    #67
    trevr
    Registered Users Posts: 29 ✭trevr


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    Just back from Byrne's (Enniscorthy) and in my opinion, despite the report in this week's Guardian, I think closure is imminent here too. Even the new stock in the book section has now been marked down by 20% and there's preciously little stock of any sort left in the shop. The office/stationery section and the toddler's toy section are empty and closed off. Anybody hear anything reliable?

    Going to be under new ownership in 4 weeks so it wouldn't be very prudent for the receiver to buy in new stock.......


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    #68
    Zhane
    Registered Users Posts: 1,156 ✭✭✭Zhane


    Gorey closed down today, not sure about KK, Carlow but Wexford staying open for the time being. For Sale signs on all buildings (including clonard)


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    #69
    sundula
    Registered Users Posts: 867 ✭✭✭sundula


    Cant them selling as a going concern, buildings will be sold individual with other assets I would think. Nothing special about the 'brand' for some one to keep in alive -


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    #70
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    According to today's Guardian the Enniscorthy and Wexford shops are to remain open having been sold to Jim Byrne's brother. Don't know what the Friday 'clearance sale' referred to is about, as when I passed this morning the same tired, old rubbish was still marked down inside the door. Someone needs to pull their finger out big time to rebrand Byrnes or it is only shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic stuff.

    Byrnes%2B001.JPG


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    #71
    maxer68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭maxer68


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    According to today's Guardian the Enniscorthy and Wexford shops are to remain open having been sold to Jim Byrne's brother. Don't know what the Friday 'clearance sale' referred to is about, as when I passed this morning the same tired, old rubbish was still marked down inside the door. Someone needs to pull their finger out big time to rebrand Byrnes or it is only shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic stuff.

    The clear off would have been done by the receiver who would then pass over an empty / near empty unit to the new owners.

    Byrnes problem would have been that they were stuck for cash / investment over the past 3/4 years and riddled with debt - so no hope in that period of moving with the times. Now with new owners and still part fo the byrne family, we will hopefully see a resurgent company and the jobs that go with it.


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    #72
    Zhane
    Registered Users Posts: 1,156 ✭✭✭Zhane


    I give it 2 months. Same people in charge...not gonna work.


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    #73
    McLoughlin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,909 ✭✭✭McLoughlin


    Zhane wrote: »
    I give it 2 months. Same people in charge...not gonna work.

    Agree he will more than likely put the same people back in charge.


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    #74
    Zhane
    Registered Users Posts: 1,156 ✭✭✭Zhane


    McLoughlin wrote: »
    Agree he will more than likely put the same people back in charge.

    They already are McLoughlin.


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    #75
    maxer68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭maxer68


    Zhane wrote: »
    I give it 2 months. Same people in charge...not gonna work.
    McLoughlin wrote: »
    Agree he will more than likely put the same people back in charge.

    The wonderful Irish negativity :rolleyes: - or is it begrudgery.

    If this was the USA, everyone would be cheering for them and wishing them the very very besta nd giving them as much support as possible.

    But this is Ireland - the land of effin begrudgers.


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    #76
    McLoughlin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,909 ✭✭✭McLoughlin


    maxer68 wrote: »
    The wonderful Irish negativity :rolleyes: - or is it begrudgery.

    If this was the USA, everyone would be cheering for them and wishing them the very very besta nd giving them as much support as possible.

    But this is Ireland - the land of effin begrudgers.

    Do you think its a good idea to put/keep the same people in charge that caused this business to go downhill so much over the past several years the same people that cost allot of jobs and sent people to the dole queue ?


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    #77
    maxer68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭maxer68


    McLoughlin wrote: »
    Do you think its a good idea to put/keep the same people in charge that caused this business to go downhill so much over the past several years the same people that cost allot of jobs and sent people to the dole queue ?

    I didn't know Byrnes were responsibl;e for both the irish and international recession. They made one error - they expanded too quickly and when the recession came, they got hit hard.

    IMO - when that happens, you learn an awful lot and rarel;y make the same errors again.

    As I said, in the USA they would be treated as heros, but in Begrudgery World Capital here in Ireland, people can only find fault.


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    #78
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    maxer68 wrote: »
    I didn't know Byrnes were responsibl;e for both the irish and international recession. They made one error - they expanded too quickly and when the recession came, they got hit hard.

    IMO - when that happens, you learn an awful lot and rarel;y make the same errors again.

    As I said, in the USA they would be treated as heros, but in Begrudgery World Capital here in Ireland, people can only find fault.

    They lost the run of themselves and instead of running a small number of shops properly they ran a large number of shops badly. Incidentally, the sale continues in Enniscorthy with lots of children's books reduced to €1 - I bought 'Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend' marked down from €14.99 - my first book purchase in an Irish bookshop in years. :D


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    #79
    maxer68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭maxer68


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    They lost the run of themselves and instead of running a small number of shops properly they ran a large number of shops badly. Incidentally, the sale continues in Enniscorthy with lots of children's books reduced to €1 - I bought 'Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend' marked down from €14.99 - my first book purchase in an Irish bookshop in years. :D


    absolutely and there was one particular person who pushed it to the limit and I doubt if that person will be involved in the new set-up.

    also, they would have had supply issues for the past couple of years which meant poor stocks.

    a new small neat set-up will see them go back to their roots of being good decent book/toy/gift retailers for a local market, just like they used to be.


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    #80
    LLU
    Closed Accounts Posts: 407 ✭✭LLU


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    They lost the run of themselves and instead of running a small number of shops properly they ran a large number of shops badly. Incidentally, the sale continues in Enniscorthy with lots of children's books reduced to €1 - I bought 'Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend' marked down from €14.99 - my first book purchase in an Irish bookshop in years. :D

    glad to see you making such a contribution to the local economy in between sneering at the people trying to make it work.


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    #81
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    I'm not sneering at anybody but I think that Byrne's was badly run long before the recession and I doubt whether things are going to change. As for my contribution to the local economy, I try to buy locally when affordable, or possible, but realistically I'm not going to pay over the odds for books, or shoddy Chinese toys, in Byrne's or similar establishments.


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    #82
    arseagon
    Registered Users Posts: 598 ✭✭✭arseagon


    Judgement Day wrote: »
    I'm not sneering at anybody but I think that Byrne's was badly run long before the recession and I doubt whether things are going to change. As for my contribution to the local economy, I try to buy locally when affordable, or possible, but realistically I'm not going to pay over the odds for books, or shoddy Chinese toys, in Byrne's or similar establishments.

    But you sell over the odds for "irish" tat? isn't that what shops do? earn a margin for their products?


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    #83
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    arseagon wrote: »
    But you sell over the odds for "irish" tat? isn't that what shops do? earn a margin for their products?

    :confused:


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    #84
    TheChevron
    Registered Users Posts: 1,065 ✭✭✭TheChevron


    arseagon wrote: »
    But you shell out over the odds for "Irish" tat? Isn't that what shops do; earn a margin for their products?
    I have attempted to fix his comment, I could be wrong though.


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    #85
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Thanks but still makes little sense. :D


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    #86
    sundula
    Registered Users Posts: 867 ✭✭✭sundula


    Ken Blacks opens in Byrnes old unit in Clonard today. Thats the type of setup Byrnes should have had and the type of store the county has been crying out for. The new KB store will do the toy business in the county and the remaining shops bought by Tom Byrne will be glorified newsagents with a small range of expensive books as before. Best of luck to both business's at least there wont be more closed units/shops.


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    #87
    Mocrie14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 341 ✭✭Mocrie14


    sundula wrote: »
    Ken Blacks opens in Byrnes old unit in Clonard today. Thats the type of setup Byrnes should have had and the type of store the county has been crying out for. The new KB store will do the toy business in the county and the remaining shops bought by Tom Byrne will be glorified newsagents with a small range of expensive books as before. Best of luck to both business's at least there wont be more closed units/shops.

    Are Ken Blacks owned by Smyths? Was in there this morning and their brouchure is identical to Smyths apart from the name


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    #88
    sundula
    Registered Users Posts: 867 ✭✭✭sundula


    There is some form of connection. Ken Blacks probably part of some form of toy buying group under the Smyths umbrella or prehaps Smyths own Ken Blacks and keep the name as its established in Carlow and Portlaoise.


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    #89
    maxer68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭maxer68


    Bazbu wrote: »
    Are Ken Blacks owned by Smyths? Was in there this morning and their brouchure is identical to Smyths apart from the name

    Its a friendship that goes back years and they did some joint buying directly from factories. Even though Smyths have got extremely big (70+ shops incl over 35 in UK), the deal between them & ken blacks still remain.

    So despite Ken Blacks only having 3 or 4 stores, the customer gets the benifit of huge buying power.


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    #90
    Mocrie14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 341 ✭✭Mocrie14


    maxer68 wrote: »
    Its a friendship that goes back years and they did some joint buying directly from factories. Even though Smyths have got extremely big (70+ shops incl over 35 in UK), the deal between them & ken blacks still remain.

    So despite Ken Blacks only having 3 or 4 stores, the customer gets the benifit of huge buying power.

    Strange arrangement....I presume they're getting a slice of the profits too


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    #91
    maxer68
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,076 ✭✭✭maxer68


    Bazbu wrote: »
    Strange arrangement....I presume they're getting a slice of the profits too

    I doubt it. They're very good friends and the Smyths guys and very very decent people and extremely well regarded in the Toy industry (I used to be in it, but long gone from it). - Brilliant business people and real decent types at the same time. Its not that long ago that they had just one store themselves in Mayo.


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