New Shops/Businesses in Bray

George White

Toyshop opening in the former Valueking.

g0g

George White wrote: »

Toyshop opening in the former Valueking.

Where's that?

Thargor

Here:

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/35+Florence+road+Bray+Co.+Wicklow/@53.2034828,-6.1086139,3a,75y,196.42h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m4!1se5a7d8Vv1KWKNd51XrXTiw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xd520877c713b42e4!6m1!1e1

George White

Beside the antiques shop on Flo Road.

g0g

Cool thanks, are we talking normal toy shop does anyone know or cheap junk like the Knick Back shop used to be around there or like a euro shop? It'd be great for something to fill the void left by Smyth's and Harris's before them

George White

The ads showed all top toys, but it looks distinctly "manky toy".

Calibos

Florence Road Toy Shop closes down to be replaced by a €2 shop which drives other Florence Road €2 Shop out of business which closes down to be replaced by Toy Shop.

Theres an ironic symmetry to that Balance is restored

Thargor

If they're only selling pound shop toys they're doomed, and if they dont match the prices in Smyths and the rest they're probably doomed aswell, you dont see many independent toy shops these days.

Annasopra

g0g wrote: »

Cool thanks, are we talking normal toy shop does anyone know or cheap junk like the Knick Back shop used to be around there or like a euro shop? It'd be great for something to fill the void left by Smyth's and Harris's before them

Looks like cheap tack but I could be wrong

WeleaseWoderick

George White wrote: »

The ads showed all top toys, but it looks distinctly "manky toy".

Where did you see the ad?

George White

on the side of the shop...

Creamy Goodness

Holland's and the furniture barn are closing down I wonder what's going to go inside? It's a pity because Holland's was the best off-licence in Wicklow. The furniture barn must be owned by the same people as holland's.

fjon

That's a shame about Hollands - I used that place a lot and it was a great place for weird beers. Guess the food and drink didn't work out for them.
I presume the pub is staying?

tea and coffee

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Holland's and the furniture barn are closing down I wonder what's going to go inside? It's a pity because Holland's was the best off-licence in Wicklow. The furniture barn must be owned by the same people as holland's.

It's not owned by the same people at all.
The Furniture Barn is a recent addition to the town and is an offshoot of an auction house in Mullingar: http://mullingarsalesroom.com/

Hollands has been in Bray 30+ years. I wouldn 't say that the pub is closing, and I am surprised that the offy is closing but then I suppose most people just go to the supermarkets with their weekly shop.

The oddest bit by far was the burger place moving in there- eating in a shop, presumably sharing Hollands Pub kitchen- not sure why they moved out of The Harbour Bar to begin with - but there's probably a story behind that

keano_afc

Hollands is the best offy in Bray. Its gonna be missed.

I won't miss that offy at all. I quite like craft beer, but
A: bottles of beer at 3.50 a pop for 33cl is a rip off. There should have been a wider selection of 500cl beers available.
B: There should have been room for the mainstream beers. Nowhere in the centre of town to grab a quick six pack
C: an offy that doesn't sell cigs. I don't get it.
No deals, offers etc. no 4 for 10 or some such.

It was a pretentious shop that Bray just doesn't have the market for. Might have done better in somewhere like Greystones. Or adapt to meet your market.

Creamy Goodness

Deleted User wrote: »

I won't miss that offy at all. I quite like craft beer, but
A: bottles of beer at 3.50 a pop for 33cl is a rip off. There should have been a wider selection of 500cl beers available.
B: There should have been room for the mainstream beers. Nowhere in the centre of town to grab a quick six pack
C: an offy that doesn't sell cigs. I don't get it.
No deals, offers etc. no 4 for 10 or some such.

It was a pretentious shop that Bray just doesn't have the market for. Might have done better in somewhere like Greystones. Or adapt to meet your market.

Prefacing the rest of my post that I'm just a customer, no way related to Holland's and or the off-licence.

A: The prices I've found were quite comparable to most other independently owned craft beer off-licences (like Blackrock Cellar) most are controlled by their wholesalers etc. They might have been 10/20cent more expensive on some beers but considering you'd have to drive 15-20 minutes to the nearest comparable off-licence the savings are moot.
B: They've always had six packs of Bud/Heineken/Guinness/Dutch Gold/Kerpachie, they were just in a fridge hidden from view (right behind the counter). They also had room for mainstream Polish beers and you'd always seen Polish people in there buying them.
C: They used to sell them, but after the Gala opened up across the road it wasn't worth their while I'd say.
I've always seen deals/4 for 10's etc. They had a 6 for 5 on Irish beers (500ml bottles) or 4 for €10 on Brewdog Punk IPA/Dead Pony cans.

Pretenious, hardly. Same could be said for the art shop beside mizzoni's, sure half of that stuff you could find in the numerous amount of €2 shops, but they seem to be doing the business. Holland's off-licence lasted more than 10 years on the main street and lasted a recession so they must have been doing something right.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to the two new 2 euro shops or coffee shops we'll no doubt get in these lots.

I've already heard Penney's is taking the furniture barn lot :pac:

murpho999

I heard that Holland's off licence would be a prime location for Wetherspoon's to open their first off licence. You heard it here first.

Annasopra

murpho999 wrote: »

I heard that Holland's off licence would be a prime location for Wetherspoon's to open their first off licence. You heard it here first.

I think those jokes are a bit cliched now

George White

Thargor wrote: »

If they're only selling pound shop toys they're doomed, and if they dont match the prices in Smyths and the rest they're probably doomed aswell, you dont see many independent toy shops these days.

It's doomed.
It's all counterfeit copyright-skirting goods, not a decent known brand in the shop, all Chinese imports, run by a Chinese couple from what I saw.

steelyblaze

Hi first time poster and long time reader:)

Wondering if I could pick peoples collective minds about the idea of artists studios or a design shop in Bray?

Having recently moved into the area I am considering the idea of a design shop/ artists studio with a gallery in the area. Just not sure if Bray is the right location.

Suggestions, thoughts and advice greatly appreciated.

zoobizoo

HAve you visited Signal Arts Steelyblaze?

Maybe contact the Bray Arts Journal and put a note in it.

steelyblaze

Signal Arts is great and I haven't been in recently.

The concept I have is more of a commercial gallery space with lots of different artists and loads of different arts and crafts for sale.

Good idea about the Bray Arts Journal thanks zoobizoo

George White

Kintai Chinese on Quinsborough Rd is becoming a "street food" place, dunno if it is the same one in Shankill.

Creamy Goodness

street food = tex-mex right? Pity as Kintai was a nice enough Vhinese. wish the new place well but considering the last burrito place lasted about a week, it'll be a chocolate pizza place before the christmas lights are up :pac:

WeleaseWoderick

I've heard good things about the one in Shankill so would be happy with that in going in there.

Bray definitely could do with a good Thai restaurant though.

Alun

WeleaseWoderick wrote: »

Bray definitely could do with a good Thai restaurant though.

There was one for a while in the place at the car park end of the Village Arcade called Weeping Thaiger. It wasn't up there with the best, but wasn't at all bad when it first opened. When desperation set in as business wasn't doing as well as they expected, which was par for the course for that location unfortunately, it went rapidly downhill and closed soon after which was a shame.

zoobizoo

I think Thai might be too narrow a brief.

I do think that a Mao would do well.

I think the issue for any restaurant opening is location.

There are very limited locations that a restaurant would do well in. The space in the Arcade has seen many restaurants come and go. I never went to any of the ones that opened there.

WeleaseWoderick

zoobizoo wrote: »

I think Thai might be too narrow a brief.

I do think that a Mao would do well.

I think the issue for any restaurant opening is location.

There are very limited locations that a restaurant would do well in. The space in the Arcade has seen many restaurants come and go. I never went to any of the ones that opened there.

I'm surprised that the building previously occupied by Campo's restaurant hasn't been bought/rented yet as it's one of the better locations available.

Also, agreed that Mao would do well in Bray

Thargor

That new toy shop is a bit grim looking inside, prices are very high aswell, more than a tenner for most stuff even though its barely a step above pound shop stock. I bet you could get anything in there for a third of that on Alliexpress anyway, very low quality stuff.