2 Big Name Retailers Looking At Limerick City (Again)

Mollywolly

meoklmrk91 wrote: »

M&S feck that I want an Ikea now that would actually be a retailer that would breath life into limerick.

Where I used to live in the UK, there was a huge M&S with an Ikea next door. The traffic was diabolical at weekends but it was a grand day out!

Now, if we could get BOTH of them to come to Limerick, that would create a good few jobs in retail and give a bit of a boost to our local economy.....:)

Kess73

Beer Baron wrote: »

the building is not suitable unless you drastically change it. In my opinion unless you add a 2nd floor its not big enough.

Totally agree. There would probably be at least as much cost in refitting that particular building for retail use, as there would be in building from scratch.

Car parking could also be an issue going by the volume of traffic other Ikea stores get, and the catchment area that a Limerick based Ikea store would have.

In the right location though it would be a massive draw, but in the wrong location it would cause traffic chaos.

fl4pj4ck

Beer Baron wrote: »

the building is not suitable unless you drastically change it. In my opinion unless you add a 2nd floor its not big enough.

I'm pretty sure all IKEA shops are built the same way, they just don't utilize existing buildings, they build from scratch exactly how they want it.

meoklmrk91

Just found this
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ikea-looks-to-future-with-plan-for-third-irish-store-1613320.html

The timing is right with regards to what was said in the article, I know it's wishful thinking but I would love to hear something cool come to limerick that would get people some big exited and I'm sorry but I honestly don't think another feckin supermarket can do that.

pigtown

I'd imagine that the ideal site would be at the junction of M7, M20, and N18. There is plenty of undeveloped land there. It would be great if they could organise an upgrade of the junction if they build here and finally allow access to the city from this junction. But does anyone else think this would be bad news for the city? Limerick has lots of furniture shops around and I'm sure an Ikea wouldn't be great for business.

Kess73

pigtown wrote: »

I'd imagine that the ideal site would be at the junction of M7, M20, and N18. There is plenty of undeveloped land there. It would be great if they could organise an upgrade of the junction if they build here and finally allow access to the city from this junction. But does anyone else think this would be bad news for the city? Limerick has lots of furniture shops around and I'm sure an Ikea wouldn't be great for business.

In terms of direct jobs Ikea stores create hundreds upon opening, then there is the knock on effect that creates indirect jobs.


The Dublin Ikea create 500 direct jobs when it opened and a similar number of indirect jobs. It was also the cause of literally thousands and thousands of shoppers from outside of Dublin making the trip to get to that store and as a result extra money was spent in that side of Dublin and in the surrounding areas be it at other retailers, eateries, service stations etc.


A full sized Ikea in Limerick would have the same impact and would draw in custom from Galway, Clare, Limerick, Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Tipperary and other counties for who Limerick was closer than Dublin.

An Ikea store opening in an area is nothing like a new Marks and Spencers store or a new Brown Thomas or what not. It really does draw in thousands and thousands of people and they bring in huge numbers all year round and it is not just the furniture that brings in people, their restaurants are a big draw as well.

Ikea stores tend to draw so many people that things like bus routes, road lanes etc get changed to accommodate the increase in people using the route.


One in Limerick would bring far more positives than negatives, and whilst it's opening would damage some existing stores it would still create far far more jobs that it would cause to go.

I would go as far as to argue that if a full sized Ikea store opened in Cork that it could have nearly as big an impact on the Limerick stores selling similar product ranges as it would have it it was in Limerick. A Cork Ikea store would see the Limerick tunnel do great business alright as shoppers from Galway and Clare headed for Ikea.


An Ikea store would draw the masses to Limerick all year round, it would then be up to the city planners, retailers and service providers to figure out ways to make money out of the extra tens of thousands of people coming to Limerick instead of sitting back and expecting others to make it happen

pigtown

You may be right. I was just thinking that Ikea does furniture, fitted kitchens and wardrobes, bathrooms, rugs, curtains, etc. and I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say that almost 100 businesses in the city alone sell these products. An Ikea has the potential to put a dent in an awful lot of people's profits.

TheEntertainer

City Council DO NOT own Arthurs Quay Shopping Centre. They own the park yes but not the shopping centre. They have never owned it. It is privately owned and operated by Tiernan Properties.

Berty

TheEntertainer wrote: »

City Council DO NOT own Arthurs Quay Shopping Centre. They own the park yes but not the shopping centre. They have never owned it. It is privately owned and operated by Tiernan Properties.

Doncove Ltd is the Shopping Centre owner and Berryvale Ltd are the head landlord and TCE Management LTD are the tenants.

Limerick Cit Council operates the Car Park on a lease arrangement and in March 2013 they will be presented with the option to purchase the car park but NOT the shopping centre.

You can find more information in the Local Government Audits. The most recent one I can find is December 2010

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/AuditService/2010AuditorsReports/FileDownLoad,29773,en.pdf

See Page 22 Section 7.7

pigtown

As far as I can see, a new big retailer could/would open in the following spots; old Dunnes Stores on Sarsfield St., old Instore on Ellen St., big new building on Thomas St. or a site on Patrick St.

In my opinion the site that would bring most benefit to the city is the old Dunnes. A major draw down there would draw footfall down Sarsfield St. from Debenhams and Brown Thomas, and along Henry St from Bedford Row and Dunnes Stores. A regular footfall would encourage more businesses to set up along here, revitalising the area.

The Thomas St. building would be great but I don't think the area is as much in need of a boost. I don't think the Market Quarter is a suitable area for big retailers, and I think the site on Patrick St. should be used for offices, education and apartments. It's fairly far from the retail core and I don't think Limerick will ever have enough shoppers to make an extension of the core of that size viable.