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Sports Direct opening in Athy?

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  • 26-11-2013 2:52pm
    #1
    sandin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭


    or so it is being said. They have taken the old Telfords building and have quite a large team of builders working inside.

    Very strange location as your first outlet - though they are the same owner as Sportworld (heatons)

    Possibly its a returns receiving store & online warranty support, but it seems they are fully stocking the store.
    Aldi are also opening at the old Batchelors factory (after purchasing a house at the back that got them over planning issues) and a Tesco express is menat to be opening opposite the Bridge Bar.


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    #2
    Wordless
    Closed Accounts Posts: 237 ✭✭Wordless


    sandin wrote: »
    or so it is being said. They have taken the old Telfords building and have quite a large team of builders working inside.

    Very strange location as your first outlet - though they are the same owner as Sportworld (heatons)

    Possibly its a returns receiving store & online warranty support, but it seems they are fully stocking the store.
    Aldi are also opening at the old Batchelors factory (after purchasing a house at the back that got them over planning issues) and a Tesco express is menat to be opening opposite the Bridge Bar.

    Good for the town.


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    #3
    wirelessdude01
    Registered Users Posts: 8,423 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    Very strange spot to open your first Irish store.


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    #4
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,832 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    wirelessdude01 wrote: »
    Very strange spot to open your first Irish store.

    The are one and the same as Sportsworld who already have multiple stores.


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    #5
    sandin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭sandin


    MYOB wrote: »
    The are one and the same as Sportsworld who already have multiple stores.

    Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley has a 50% stake in Heatons who own Sportsworld. All sportworld stores co-exist with heatons stores and are one of the same. Obviously brands and know-how is transferred between Sports Direct and Sportsworld.

    Knowing Athy well, its a very strange location for any type of sports store let alone one of over 5,000 sq ft.


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    #6
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,832 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    If anything, Sports Direct stores in the UK are even more crowded and borderline chaotic that the Sportsworld ones here. Business model obviously works though, they're still expanding while JJB are gone.


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    #7
    wirelessdude01
    Registered Users Posts: 8,423 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    MYOB wrote: »
    The are one and the same as Sportsworld who already have multiple stores.

    As I already said it is a strange place to open the first Sports Direct branded shop in the republic.


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    #8
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 68,832 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    wirelessdude01 wrote: »
    As I already said it is a strange place to open the first Sports Direct branded shop in the republic.

    Depends on the reasoning behind it. If they intending to rebrand there's no point opening it under the old name.


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    #9
    Pablod
    Registered Users Posts: 489 ✭✭Pablod


    Great for the town - its long overdue
    Heard about Tesco there al-right, but great to hear Aldi is finally moving along
    (as long as shaws or council don't butt in and dispute something else)


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    #10
    mcgarrett
    Registered Users Posts: 376 ✭✭mcgarrett


    Heard Lidl were going into Telfords temporarily while major renovations were baing carried out on their store.


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    #11
    sandin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭sandin


    mcgarrett wrote: »
    Heard Lidl were going into Telfords temporarily while major renovations were baing carried out on their store.

    They decided against it. It is set to close mid January and be rebuilt and re-open 16 weeks later bigger and new design.


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    #12
    blackbird98
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭blackbird98


    great progress being made on Telfords building. It was an eyesore but looking good now


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    #13
    ffocused
    Registered Users Posts: 1,211 ✭✭✭ffocused


    Sports Direct confirmed. Their sign is up now over the shop.


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    #14
    Wordless
    Closed Accounts Posts: 237 ✭✭Wordless


    ffocused wrote: »
    Sports Direct confirmed. Their sign is up now over the shop.

    As someone else mentioned it is great for the town.


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    #15
    rameire
    Registered Users Posts: 4,158 ✭✭✭rameire


    kildare co co's aldi decision is due tomorrow

    🌞 3.8kwp, 🌞 Split 2.28S, 1.52E. 🌞 Clonee, Dub.🌞



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    #16
    rameire
    Registered Users Posts: 4,158 ✭✭✭rameire


    tesco planning number is 13300018

    aldi planning number is 13300025

    🌞 3.8kwp, 🌞 Split 2.28S, 1.52E. 🌞 Clonee, Dub.🌞



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    #17
    StupidLikeAFox
    Registered Users Posts: 7,709 ✭✭✭StupidLikeAFox


    I don't think its Sports Direct, afaik its the South East based Sports Savers.


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    #18
    wirelessdude01
    Registered Users Posts: 8,423 ✭✭✭wirelessdude01


    StupidLikeAFox wrote: »
    I don't think its Sports Direct, afaik its the South East based Sports Savers.

    After all that :( I came on here to ask when it was due to open as I was interested to compare UK and Irish pricing.


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    #19
    sandin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭sandin


    yep - confirmed Sports Savers. Thought it strange for sports direct!

    But still good to see a new retailer open up.


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    #20
    Cork Skate
    Registered Users Posts: 884 ✭✭✭Cork Skate


    So its this lot who are opening up? Its a pity because the Athy Sports Shop are really good and just getting established. The girl who runs it is from Wicklow and its good to see it do well. Would be good if people 'liked' the page.


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    #21
    sandin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,594 ✭✭✭sandin


    Cork Skate wrote: »
    So its this lot who are opening up? Its a pity because the Athy Sports Shop are really good and just getting established. The girl who runs it is from Wicklow and its good to see it do well. Would be good if people 'liked' the page.

    The more sports shops in an area the better - many think the opposite, but if you have a choice you are more likely to go to that area because you know if one does not have it, the other one probably will.

    That's why you will normally see 3 / 4 shoe shops close together in shopping centres or things like foodhalls.

    Athy Sports needs to make sure they specialise where sports savers cannot / do not. Then they can feed off the extra custom that sports savers will bring to the immediate area.

    If managed / promoted properly, it can mean both do well. - and the personal service of an owner operated store will always win out.


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