Really? Another Coffee shop?

Riskymove

How do they all stay in operation?

I work around the Baggot Street/Green area and I noticed that a recently closed Book Shop had a planning application to become a Cafe.

In our immediate area there are:

3 Insomnias
Munchies
2 Bon Espresso Newsagents selling coffee
O'Briens
KC Peaches
Cafe Hub
Lolly and Cooks
Chopped (sell coffee in a.m.)
Cafe Sol
Rhubarb Cafe
Cafe Italia

That's 14 outlets...soon to be 15!!

bumper234

Riskymove wrote: »

How do they all stay in operation?

I work around the Baggot Street/Green area and I noticed that a recently closed Book Shop had a planning application to become a Cafe.

In our immediate area there are:

3 Insomnias
Munchies
2 Bon Espresso Newsagents selling coffee
O'Briens
KC Peaches
Cafe Hub
Lolly and Cooks
Chopped (sell coffee in a.m.)
Cafe Sol
Rhubarb Cafe
Cafe Italia

That's 14 outlets...soon to be 15!!

No Starbucks??? :eek:

Riskymove

bumper234 wrote: »

No Starbucks??? :eek:

nope

it seems even they are scared off by such saturation levels

sinead81

Try working on South William Street, overpriced coffee shop mania down here!!!!

cson

Riskymove wrote: »

How do they all stay in operation?

I work around the Baggot Street/Green area and I noticed that a recently closed Book Shop had a planning application to become a Cafe.

In our immediate area there are:

3 Insomnias
Munchies - Gourmet Sandwiches
2 Bon Espresso Newsagents selling coffee - Newsagents
O'Briens - Overpriced Sandwiches
KC Peaches - Sandwiches/Salads
Cafe Hub - Not Sure
Lolly and Cooks - Deli
Chopped (sell coffee in a.m.) - Salads
Cafe Sol - Sandwiches
Rhubarb Cafe - Cafe Food
Cafe Italia - Not Sure

That's 14 outlets...soon to be 15!!

Not sure about Cafe Hub and Cafe Italia but the only one you've listed there whose primary business is Coffee is Insomnia. With all the others coffee is ancillary to the main business.

Personally its great to see so many options opening Dublin, Starbucks or not. It creates jobs and a place to go that isn't the pub for Irish people.

Riskymove

cson wrote: »

Personally its great to see so many options opening Dublin, Starbucks or not. It creates jobs and a place to go that isn't the pub for Irish people.

I didn't say anything against this, simply bemused by the number of outlets for coffee - you can extend this to sandwiches if you like

I actually overlooked two others - Voila and Cafe Boulevard

Cathmandooo

There's Coffee Angel across from Rhubarb on Pembroke Street just off Baggot Street too.

tmc86

hurray for coffee!!

cson

Riskymove wrote: »

I didn't say anything against this, simply bemused by the number of outlets for coffee - you can extend this to sandwiches if you like

I actually overlooked two others - Voila and Cafe Boulevard

Didn't say you did

Just that for me; I think its great.

Cathmandooo

One coffee shop in as one tries to leave, unless Cafe Sol are taking the bookshop unit on Merrion Row?

http://www.quinnagnew.ie/cafe-unit-134-135-lower-baggot-street-dublin-2.aspx

Aard

One word (hyphenated): lunch-hour.


Wherever there are offices, there are hundreds of people who all demand food/drink during a very short window. I'd love to know what the average price for coffee is in those places mentioned. €3 maybe? The trend lately has been an increase in demand for well-located offices; expect the coffee indundation to continue!

ScottSF

Those coffee shops need to move onto Upper Baggot Street where there are few high quality choices - IMHO of course. Do that many more people really work on Lower Baggot versus Upper?

tomboylady

Riskymove wrote: »

How do they all stay in operation?

I work around the Baggot Street/Green area and I noticed that a recently closed Book Shop had a planning application to become a Cafe.

In our immediate area there are:

3 Insomnias
Munchies
2 Bon Espresso Newsagents selling coffee
O'Briens
KC Peaches
Cafe Hub
Lolly and Cooks
Chopped (sell coffee in a.m.)
Cafe Sol
Rhubarb Cafe
Cafe Italia

That's 14 outlets...soon to be 15!!

Chez Max as well, by Cafe Boulevard.

I work around the Green area too and we were just talking about this a few weeks ago. The bookshop is becoming a Caffe Nero. I don't know that there's a need for yet another coffee & muffin/sandwich shop in the area.

And the old Anglo building is becoming a Starbucks at some point in the near future.

quaalude

ScottSF wrote: »

Those coffee shops need to move onto Upper Baggot Street where there are few high quality choices - IMHO of course. Do that many more people really work on Lower Baggot versus Upper?

Too right - there is not one good cup of coffee on Upper Baggot Street.
It's all scaldy brown water, hotter than the sun and tastes like burnt tyres. Every single place!!

Coffee Kiosk at the intersection of Pembroke Road and Merrion Road has great coffee, but it's not that near, unfortunately.

I have an Aeropress in work and make my own - but I'd love the choice of grabbing a nice coffee made by someone else, once in a while.

ScottSF

Hopefully this will result in a coffee price war. Going out for coffee is becoming an expensive habit. €2.50 is the ideal price for a medium/double-shot coffee drink in my opinion. I don't know how Insomnia has such high prices where the consistency is about average.

I've found that some coffee shops take it seriously and only allow trained baristas at the controls, especially ones who know the difference between a cappuccino and a latte. While many others seem to have a lack of quality control so the quality varies based on who is behind the counter that day. I think we are less likely to send back a poor-tasting coffee than a burger that isn't cooked right (maybe because the former won't kill you).

ScottSF

quaalude wrote: »

Too right - there is not one good cup of coffee on Upper Baggot Street.
It's all scaldy brown water, hotter than the sun and tastes like burnt tyres. Every single place!!

I couldn't have said it better myself! I'm always hoping for better and can't fathom why the choices are often very disappointing.

quaalude wrote: »

Coffee Kiosk at the intersection of Pembroke Road and Merrion Road has great coffee, but it's not that near, unfortunately.

Yes the Kiosk (micro-roastery) is indeed a great place for consistently top-grade coffee - well worth the time to walk over there before work or during a break (especially when the sun is shining).

Also I noticed a new place is opening off Upper Baggot near Smyths pub on Haddington Road (where the tired "Bean Scene" used to be). Not sure if it is open yet.

apieceofcake

Hi,

Just a quick question (and probably irrelevant to the thread!) - what bookshop is closing to make way for the coffee shop?

As an avid reader, I hate to see the demise of independent bookshops, but I suppose it's inevitable in some cases.

strandroad

apieceofcake wrote: »

Hi,

Just a quick question (and probably irrelevant to the thread!) - what bookshop is closing to make way for the coffee shop?

As an avid reader, I hate to see the demise of independent bookshops, but I suppose it's inevitable in some cases.

I think it's the discount books place next to Hugo's bistro?

apieceofcake

thanks for reply!

Aard

It will be interesting to see what happens when the Merrion Row area gets saturated with cafes and restaurants. Maybe some upscale clothes shops will start moving in instead. The rent will have gotten so high that who else could afford to move in?

athtrasna

Problem is there is still a shortage of sit in and chat lunch venues in the area, particularly those you can book in advance. It's a nightmare trying to make lunch plans to meet someone if your lunchtime is restricted to peak 1-2pm

quaalude

ScottSF wrote: »

I couldn't have said it better myself! I'm always hoping for better and can't fathom why the choices are often very disappointing.

Yes the Kiosk (micro-roastery) is indeed a great place for consistently top-grade coffee - well worth the time to walk over there before work or during a break (especially when the sun is shining).

Also I noticed a new place is opening off Upper Baggot near Smyths pub on Haddington Road (where the tired "Bean Scene" used to be). Not sure if it is open yet.

I do sometimes take a walk to Kiosk alright - followed by a stroll round Herbert Park. Breaks up the day

I passed by the old Bean Scene place today - the new café is open (but I've forgotten what it's called). Will get coffee there this week and report back to thread!

Easy Rod

ScottSF wrote: »

I couldn't have said it better myself! I'm always hoping for better and can't fathom why the choices are often very disappointing.



Yes the Kiosk (micro-roastery) is indeed a great place for consistently top-grade coffee - well worth the time to walk over there before work or during a break (especially when the sun is shining).

Also I noticed a new place is opening off Upper Baggot near Smyths pub on Haddington Road (where the tired "Bean Scene" used to be). Not sure if it is open yet.

High Nelly's is now open, same owner as before but looks much improved.

Speedsie

ScottSF wrote: »

Also I noticed a new place is opening off Upper Baggot near Smyths pub on Haddington Road (where the tired "Bean Scene" used to be). Not sure if it is open yet.

It will still be owned/operated by Kevin - he acknowledges that the 'Bean Scene' was well past it's sell-by date.
For the life of me, I can't remember what he's calling it but he had a sort of competition for regulars to name it.

Speedsie

High Nelly's!!! That's what he's calling it. Much better layout, far less cramped than the old Bean Scene.

www.highnellyscoffeehouse.com

maryishere

I wonder how they can all stay in business myself, after they pay rent, rates, electricity, wages, overheads, insurance etc. One or two in particular seem empty most of the time, or at least whenever I pass their window. Crazy.

miamee

I took a walk across the city on Wednesday night and came across not one but two new Starbucks :eek: A new one on the corner of Bachelor's Walk and O'Connell Street and another in Temple Bar just up from Leo Burdock's, Eamonn Doran's (I forget what it is actually called these days, showing my age!)

They are everywhere! Two on O'Connell Street now and two on Westmoreland Street all within a two or three minute walk of each other.

KTRIC

miamee wrote: »

I took a walk across the city on Wednesday night and came across not one but two new Starbucks :eek: A new one on the corner of Bachelor's Walk and O'Connell Street and another in Temple Bar just up from Leo Burdock's, Eamonn Doran's (I forget what it is actually called these days, showing my age!)

They are everywhere! Two on O'Connell Street now and two on Westmoreland Street all within a two or three minute walk of each other.

Two in Templebar, one on Grafton Street, one on Dawson Street. It's getting a bit silly now. I'm going to plot them on a map later and see if they make some sort of Starbucks sign !! :rolleyes:

miamee

Don't forget the one on Chatham street as well!

KTRIC

miamee wrote: »

Don't forget the one on Chatham street as well!

Oh sweet jebus, its a f*cking invasion !!! :eek:

Davarus Walrus

It's a real weekday market as well. Baggot Street is deserted during the day at the weekends. The closure of the BoI headquarters doesn't appear to have caused a drop in demand for places to get a coffee.