Insomnia (was Starbucks) opening in Sutton and now Howth!

ProudDUB

Howth is always going to be jammers at weekends, even when it's lashing rain & freezing cold. (When the sun is shining, I dont even bother, as the traffic backed up at Sutton Cross & the hunt for parking is too much of a hassle.) If a business is going to do well out there, it needs to be able to attract business Mon-Fri also imo.

eviltimeban

ProudDUB wrote: »

Growth is always going to be jammers at weekends, even when it's lashing rain & freezing cold. (When the sun is shining, I dont even bother, as the traffic backed up at Sutton Cross & the hunt for parking is too much of a hassle.) If a business is going to do well out there, it needs to be able to attract business Mon-Fri also imo.

Wait till they build that new complex where Techrete used to be. There'll be no point trying to drive to Howth at all in that case.

I go to Panorama for the coffee and the food. It's the best (or at least, my favourite) coffee in Dublin and the Geelong is a favourite sandwich of mine when I'm looking for something filling. The cosy atmosphere is nice but I never found the Howth place conducive to lingering as it's all high stools.

They probably can't put up an awning as it'd block the path.

Portmarnock I find to be better for sitting down in; OK there's no view but I'm going for the food and / or the coffee so that doesn't bother me. And the good thing is, the food and coffee is as good in both places.

Starbucks can go f**k itself basically. I wouldn't drink their coffee if you paid me (though I was more or less forced to a few months back and had an Americano - it was vile and smelled like ash. Plus I wasn't paid)

tricky D

Looked almost empty when I passed a while ago and there's a good few people out for a Monday.

eviltimeban wrote: »

Wait till they build that new complex where Techrete used to be. There'll be no point trying to drive to Howth at all in that case.

There's a thread in DCN on that cluster****: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057554701

105 minutes is my personal worst for getting to Howth from the Causeway/Watermill Road - for the time being:mad:.

ongarboy

Is the Dart not an option if driving is so manic? The few times I've ever visited Howth has always been by DART and therefore avoiding any traffic stress!

Sutton Cross was a nightmare when I lived there just over a year ago, it was usually 10-15 minutes quicker to get off the bus at the stop before the cross than to get off at the (closer) one after. At least I know my cat is definitely traffic savvy, she was three months old when she came to live there on the cross! On a fine day it was quicker to walk to Howth. Dart is definitely quicker, but parking, etc.

Hollister11

I love the Insomnia in sutton. I haven't been to the one in howth. I have had one starbucks and i was very disappointed. I would rather support Insomnia, and other independent cafes.

eviltimeban

Hollister11 wrote: »

I love the Insomnia in sutton. I haven't been to the one in howth. I have had one starbucks and i was very disappointed. I would rather support Insomnia, and other independent cafes.

You try Minetta next door then??

ProudDUB

The food in Minetta is fabulous. Really interesting and inventive. Unfortunately, all their seating is outside & their chairs outside have to be the hardest and most uncomfortable chairs I have ever sat on.

Turtle_

ProudDUB wrote: »

The food in Minetta is fabulous. Really interesting and inventive. Unfortunately, all their seating is outside & their chairs outside have to be the hardest and most uncomfortable chairs I have ever sat on.

I haven't tried them for the seating reason but would if there was just somewhere to sit. Hopefully they hang on until the supermarket renovations are done and move into a bigger premises.

Hollister11

eviltimeban wrote: »

You try Minetta next door then??

I haevn't as I didn't know they did tea/coffees just food.

eviltimeban

Hollister11 wrote: »

I haevn't as I didn't know they did tea/coffees just food.

Their coffee is nothing to write home about, and I haven't had much experience with their food (just one sandwich once, that I felt was overpriced).

ProudDUB

Hollister11 wrote: »

I haevn't as I didn't know they did tea/coffees just food.

Most places that do food, will do coffee and tea too, at the very least. It's tiny inside & their barista space is quite limited, so their selection of coffee drinks is quite small. Their hot drinks menu certainly wouldn't be as big as a Starbucks, or an Insomnia.

baldbear

eviltimeban wrote: »

You try Minetta next door then??

I love the deviled crab toastie. Savage.

neris

Nothing to do with coffee shops but Howth related, video of Howth in the 70s

https://vimeo.com/156963557

whiskeyman

baldbear wrote: »

I love the deviled crab toastie. Savage.

crab toastie?


we're back baby!

ProudDUB

Great to see a small, home grown, local business doing well. According to this, Minetta are going to open a second, bigger location in Howth.

http://totallydublin.ie/food-drink/minetta/

Things are only getting bigger and better for them, as Minetta intend to expand to add a second location next year in Howth. Though their currently tiny kitchen space doesn’t hold them back from running the café as well as their catering, they’re looking forward to getting to a bigger space for Minetta 2. The new location will host a restaurant and a shop, and the excitement – and the nerves – are palpable.

Up yours Starbucks !

tricky D

That could well be going into where Ella was.

ProudDUB

Where/what is Ella?

When I'm out in Howth, I either park up at the West Pier and hit up Howth Market (at weekends) or Wrights, Beshoffs, The Oar House, Octopussy etc etc. Or I park up at the East Pier and hit up Il Panorama or O'Connells. Everything in between tends to get over looked, especially at this time of year, when it's lashing rain and freezing cold and a leisurely stroll between the two piers isn't all that pleasurable. I wonder if most locals do the same?

tricky D

Ella was a former restaurant in the village beside Centra.

Turtle_

ProudDUB wrote: »

Where/what is Ella?

When I'm out in Howth, I either park up at the West Pier and hit up Howth Market (at weekends) or Wrights, Beshoffs, The Oar House, Octopussy etc etc. Or I park up at the East Pier and hit up Il Panorama or O'Connells. Everything in between tends to get over looked, especially at this time of year, when it's lashing rain and freezing cold and a leisurely stroll between the two piers isn't all that pleasurable. I wonder if most locals do the same?

Only really one pub in-between... And that new insomnia. Most locals have their preferred haunts, ime..

eviltimeban

Grassroots had promise but I feel they've priced themselves out of the market. €6.50 for a falafel wrap? It'll be €7 soon, if it's not already.

Mrs Shuttleworth

Went out to Howth yesterday to visit Il Panorama and lo and behold one of the ugliest and largest Starbucks I've ever seen is right next door.

It looks so out of place and uncomfortable next to surrounding buildings and shopfronts.

Who gave planning permission for this?

Horrible.

:mad:

eviltimeban

See this: http://www.thejournal.ie/starbucks-new-dublin-complaint-2649000-Mar2016/

Also happened in Cork, where a Starbucks opened without planning permission.

whiskeyman

tricky D wrote: »

That could well be going into where Ella was.

Would be great for them.
It's mad how in Sutton Cross just over a year or so ago, there was nowhere except for Coffays... and now there's 3 places on the main road alone selling coffee! Great seeing everyone outside when the weather is nice.
I was able to pop into Minetta on Sunday and thought it was fantastic! Amazing coffee and proper gourmet sandwiches. Good to see a very personal touch and real entrepreneur spirit with the owners.

tricky D

eviltimeban wrote: »

See this: http://www.thejournal.ie/starbucks-new-dublin-complaint-2649000-Mar2016/

Also happened in Cork, where a Starbucks opened without planning permission.

There's a few doing this kind of thing. Open up, apply for PP, sometimes seriously but also sometimes to get a few years of biz while the PP is processed or not, and then scoot. Often well-known brands.

OleRodrigo

The thing is, there is a demand for Starbucks among the local youth and visiting tourists. I think a mix of independents and brand chains is ideal. Too many independents and prices go up, too many brand chains and a place loses its character.

That said, Costa would have been preferable to Starbucks.

ProudDUB

OleRodrigo wrote: »

The thing is, there is a demand for Starbucks among the local youth and visiting tourists. I think a mix of independents and brand chains is ideal. Too many independents and prices go up, too many brand chains and a place loses its character.

That said, Costa would have been preferable to Starbucks.

Big problem is the rates and the rents. Not many small, independent coffee shops and cafes can afford the premises in places like Dury St, where you are a mere stones throw from Grafton St. The big multinationals (like Starbucks) and the more successful Irish chains (like Insomnia) can.

If Dublin City Council cared a whit about preserving local character, or giving locals entrepeneurs a dig out, they could step in and help out. I don't see that happening any time soon. The likes of Mannix Flynn may care, but he has no real authority on his own. It has to be a concerted effort from the top down.

OleRodrigo

ProudDUB wrote: »

Big problem is the rates and the rents. Not many small, independent coffee shops and cafes can afford the premises in places like Dury St, where you are a mere stones throw from Grafton St. The big multinationals (like Starbucks) and the more successful Irish chains (like Insomnia) can.

If Dublin City Council cared a whit about preserving local character, or giving locals entrepeneurs a dig out, they could step in and help out. I don't see that happening any time soon. The likes of Mannix Flynn may care, but he has no real authority on his own. It has to be a concerted effort from the top down.

Definite agree. In fact, I think there's a case to be made for a grant system, linked to the protection of local culture and heritage, for independents so that they can meet the rents and make a living.

As it is its only corporate organisations with their purchasing leverage, that can afford them ( and have been instrumental is raising them, it has to be said ).

Muahahaha

Starbucks locations in Dublin CC, you can see they have used their saturation strategy that they've used in other cities



Article here
http://www.thejournal.ie/starbucks-new-dublin-complaint-2649000-Mar2016/

ProudDUB

Wow. Had no idea they had so many in the city centre.

One thing I'd be curious about, what was there before all these Starbucks moved in?

Was it a 2 euro shop, a vaping shop, a tatty takeaway, yet another dodgy phone repair shop? Sometimes, a coffee shop moving into a street & giving people somewhere to meet and socialise isn't always a bad thing, even if its a big, bad American multinational.

Probably not a big deal in the Drury St area, but it is in the O'Connell St area and its environs.