Businesses/Shops opening in Cork city/suburbs.

freshpopcorn

in Mallow as far as I know they've a mixture of USC and Sports Direct. The USC section can be rather expensive.

what the hell!

They’ve opened a Flannels recently in Belfast and are being joined by Fraser soon. There’s plenty of space in the Eason building if they did the same thing.

rob316

Didnt think of that actually, House of Fraser would be excellent. Where are Eason's going to relocate to.

Hope its not a SD shop they are **** and Brandmax is even worse.

beer enigma

opus wrote: »

Work has finally started to repair L'Atitude 51, it was Paddy's day last year it had the fire so quite a wait.

Opus, took the liberty of sending that onto Bev the owner as she's away at the moment, told her it was yours, hope you don't mind, she was delighted!

Nigel Fairservice

BullBlackNova wrote: »

Interesting line in that piece is that Clarendon are considering a boutique cinema in the Savoy.

That would be great.

I would really welcome this. I love visiting the Stella when I'm in Dublin and it's something I don't mind paying a bit more for.

An article in the Echo said the capacity at the Savoy was 2,300 in its heyday, hard to imagine a single screen cinema with that kind of capacity today.

Gamb!t

satanta99 wrote: »

Big changes announced for Patrick's street!

Eason is to relocate next year from its main store on Cork city's St Patrick's Street.

Sports Direct International/SDI (Cork) have purchased the building.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/eason-to-close-store-on-corks-patricks-street-974293.html

Hopefully, Sports Direct look at bringing their premium fascia - Flannels to this site.

Yay another sports shop ☹️

freshpopcorn

Gamb!t wrote: »

Yay another sports shop ☹️

The problem is it's a large unit and it's to large for other chains to open up.
As a guy it. It's as good as it gets.

beer enigma

freshpopcorn wrote: »

The problem is it's a large unit and it's to large for other chains to open up.
As a guy it. It's as good as it gets.

I presume it'll probably have a Brand Max within it, same as the Dublin ones and if so will do really well there.

freshpopcorn

beer enigma wrote: »

I presume it'll probably have a Brand Max within it, same as the Dublin ones and if so will do really well there.

The Mallow one has USC, Sports Direct and BrandMax.

JP Liz V1

Where is Easons relocating too?

Douglas Eegit

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Where is Easons relocating too?

The million dollar question. The article says they are on the hunt for a location in the city.

Can anyone think of suitable premises in the city? Is the Argos unit too large or even just the wrong location

freshpopcorn

Douglas Eegit wrote: »

The million dollar question. The article says they are on the hunt for a location in the city.

Can anyone think of suitable premises in the city? Is the Argos unit too large or even just the wrong location

All I can really think of in the area is Argos.
Isn't Easons a large enough unit? I haven't been there in a while.
They are placed like Mountain Werehouse but is that big enough?

Mahony0509

I love the Sports Direct store off O'Connell Street in Dublin. Would be fantastic to have one of those in the city.

beer enigma

freshpopcorn wrote: »

All I can really think of in the area is Argos.
Isn't Easons a large enough unit? I haven't been there in a while.
They are placed like Mountain Werehouse but is that big enough?

I can't see them leaving the Argos closed until 2021 unless they give a short term let, but that also puts them very close to Waterstones

Be right back

beer enigma wrote: »

I can't see them leaving the Argos closed until 2021 unless they give a short term let, but that also puts them very close to Waterstones

Liam Russell's old shop? Probably too small.

freshpopcorn

Be right back wrote: »

Liam Russell's old shop? Probably too small.

It's the size of Easons that is getting me but I could be over thinking it also.
They may also down size a little.

beer enigma

freshpopcorn wrote: »

It's the size of Easons that is getting me but I could be over thinking it also.
They may also down size a little.

I'd say vastly downsize, customer per sq ft always seems very low for the prime rental area they are in, plus they're investing a load more into their online presence.

Thinking about it, the old argos unit is due for refurbishment which includes the upstairs so maybe not such a bad option as that could take a time to complete. I've a vague memory that the Argos unit also falls under the company behind a lot of North Main street so maybe the rents are lower as well.

bingo9999

satanta99 wrote: »

Sports Direct was recently renamed Frasers Group and have a variety of other brands including Flannels (recently opened on one of the floors of the House of Fraser unit in Belfast), Cruise, Game, USC, House of Fraser, and their new premium chain Frasers which will replace some House of Fraser outlets.

They also own Heatons which is slowly being converted to BrandMax and Sports Direct units across Ireland.

I think it's a positive move for the street. It shows that retailers are still willing to invest in town centre retailing. Mike Ashley is one of the few retailers expanding at the moment and in a variety of brands and formats beyond just Sports Direct.

I didnt know all of that, thanks for the info. It would be interesting to something new in there, or a mix of brands. My concern is only partly the homogenisation of the city centre as a tracksuit outlet, but moreso the battles they had with Dublin CC over their signage, and how ****e the result of that ended up. Hopefully CCC keep an eye on all of that and dont get bowled over

igCorcaigh

Awful news that another "sports" gear shop is moving in to Easons. Our main street (sorry, "retail boulevard") is being taken over by tack.

But at least no bars or restaurants, eh?

bingo9999

Its such a weird move by CCC - The chateau is one of the better things about the street, and on a sunny day with a crowd out front does more for a sense of place than almost anything else. We need more of that, not less. I get Starbucks were pricks about forcing things through with no planning and refusing for change, I dont mourne a chain like that on the street, but centra doesnt do much different in terms of offering

opus

beer enigma wrote: »

Opus, took the liberty of sending that onto Bev the owner as she's away at the moment, told her it was yours, hope you don't mind, she was delighted!

No worries, in fact I took the pic to send to the other person who was originally part owner.

who_me

igCorcaigh wrote: »

Awful news that another "sports" gear shop is moving in to Easons. Our main street (sorry, "retail boulevard") is being taken over by tack.

But at least no bars or restaurants, eh?

Yeah, I really don't get the objections to bars/restaurants on the street. Sure, not all bars & restaurants are alike, but a few wine-bars / restaurant bars could really add to the street.

leahyl

who_me wrote: »

Yeah, I really don't get the objections to bars/restaurants on the street. Sure, not all bars & restaurants are alike, but a few wine-bars / restaurant bars could really add to the street.

Meanwhile, Le Chateau have no competition which is annoying.

AwaitYourReply

It was a pity Eason's had gobbled up it's former budget economy competitor, "Read's" which was only located a few doors away on Patrick Street some years ago - I think the old Read's store stretched over to Lavitt's Quay if I'm not mistaken but I'm open to correction on this. I can still recall hearing ads on radio for Read's of Nassau Street which would have been their flagship branch in Dublin. Also a number of the former Porter's newsagent outlets in Wilton and Douglas Court Shopping Centres were taken over by Eason's and prices of many goods lines tended to retail at a more expensive price.

I still like Eason's so; I would not like to see it's demise in future years however; they need to realise that customers cannot afford to pay much more for similar quality goods on sale in other retail units/online. If customers stop buying as a regular habit at your store, you have to ask the question why?

Nigel Fairservice

Porters seems to have faded a lot over the years.

AwaitYourReply

leahyl wrote: »

Meanwhile, Le Chateau have no competition which is annoying.

Cork City Centre is unusual in that it does not have any leading hotel situated on it's main thoroughfare. For many years it originally had the Royal Victoria Hotel at 35/36 Patrick Street which is said to be the oldest hotel in Cork dating back to 1810. Later known as the Victoria Hotel (probably renamed after Irish independence) it's main entrance was re-located to Cook Street off Patrick Street in subsequent years and with that it never really had the same stature or presence on Patrick Street as the ground floor has long been converted to outside retail interests like Burgerland and Pizzaland for many years.

Dublin city has The Gresham Hotel on O'Connell Street, Galway city has the Skeffington Arms Hotel, the Imperial Hotel and The Hardiman (formerly Hotel Meyrick/Great Southern Hotel) all located on Eyre Square.

An upmarket hotel on Patrick Street and/or Grand Parade in Cork would add to the city centre experience. The hotels on South Mall are probably mainly focused on business which is fine but there should be more thinking outside the box as Patrick Street needs to be more than just a retail offering. A few different types of bars & restaurants, at least one prominent hotel(s), retail stores big, medium and small and even certain other service-related should be considered within reason. As more and more people go online to purchase items it will require city centre trading to rethink it's strategy to increase and nurture footfall. We have these very wide footpaths and at times they feel so empty and impersonal unlike the hustle & bustle of city life up until the late '90's. Cork lost a lot of it's charm and character and it needs to do something to try and restore some of it in an age of online retail offerings.

http://corkbusiness.ie/great-redevelopment-news-cork-city-centre/

AwaitYourReply

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

Porters seems to have faded a lot over the years.

Yes this is true - I'd say discounters like Dealz & Eurogiant and Online have caused some damage and commercial rates & shop unit rents & public liability insurance have probably not given them a break either during challenging trading conditions. Porters in Wilton was great in it's heyday and they often had great discounts on some stock which Eason's would not match. I gather Porter's is still trading on Patrick Street and Paul Street Shopping Centre.

AwaitYourReply

bingo9999 wrote: »

Its such a weird move by CCC - The chateau is one of the better things about the street, and on a sunny day with a crowd out front does more for a sense of place than almost anything else. We need more of that, not less. I get Starbucks were pricks about forcing things through with no planning and refusing for change, I dont mourne a chain like that on the street, but centra doesnt do much different in terms of offering

I miss the colourful window of the former Cudmore's (later became a Vodafone retail store) at the corner of Winthrop Street & Patrick Street - I can nearly still smell the fruit upon entering the Cudmore's store all those years ago and they had a chain of small shops around the city at one time. I am trying to recall if they also sold Pick 'N' Mix sweets like Woolworths (now Permanent TSB Bank branch on Patrick Street) did on a large scale and Roches Stores (now Debenhams) also did at one time.

Back to present day - difference in terms of providing unique quality goods in addition to excellent after-sales service for customers both local and otherwise is still relevant today despite busier and changing lifestyles. I heard someone saying the other day that many of the big supermarkets in some parts of the UK no longer offer fresh over the counter Deli, Butcher etc; in their supermarkets nowadays so much so that when their teenagers from London were on holidays in Cork over Christmas they were fascinated at the range of fresh food options at a local SuperValu supermarket! They were amazed that we had these options in Cork and Ireland!

Nigel Fairservice

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Yes this is true - I'd say discounters like Dealz & Eurogiant and Online have caused some damage and commercial rates & shop unit rents & public liability insurance have probably not given them a break either during challenging trading conditions. Porters in Wilton was great in it's heyday and they often had great discounts on some stock which Eason's would not match. I gather Porter's is still trading on Patrick Street and Paul Street Shopping Centre.

My mother would bring us into Porters in town very often when I was a child. The shop looks like it has seen better days these days. I think Easons in Douglas Court was a Porters when it first opened in 1990? Could be imagining it now. There is one in Kilkenny as well. Didn't know there were branches outside Cork.

leahyl

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

I miss the colourful window of the former Cudmore's (later became a Vodafone retail store) at the corner of Winthrop Street & Patrick Street - I can nearly still smell the fruit upon entering the Cudmore's store all those years ago and they had a chain of small shops around the city at one time. I am trying to recall if they also sold Pick 'N' Mix sweets like Woolworths (now Permanent TSB Bank branch on Patrick Street) did on a large scale and Roches Stores (now Debenhams) also did at one time.

Back to present day - difference in terms of providing unique quality goods in addition to excellent after-sales service for customers both local and otherwise is still relevant today despite busier and changing lifestyles. I heard someone saying the other day that many of the big supermarkets in some parts of the UK no longer offer fresh over the counter Deli, Butcher etc; in their supermarkets nowadays so much so that when their teenagers from London were on holidays in Cork over Christmas they were fascinated at the range of fresh food options at a local SuperValu supermarket! They were amazed that we had these options in Cork and Ireland!

It would be so nice to have these kinds of shops on the main street in town - a nice bakery and a shop with fresh fruit and veg....have a variety of stores, there's plenty of retail as it is