Duberry books closing down

flower tattoo

16th June - that side of market cross will be looking very sad 😒

Joe Daly

A pity to see Duberry books closing ,you wonder how some shops keep going I was in a village up the north of the county last week I called into a friend of mine he said I was the first person to call into his shop in two days I felt guilty then so I had to buy something. When market cross was built it brought new shopping to kilkenny . The centre of town seems to be getting a fierce hammering can somebody think of new ideas. Like all shops Duberry staff were very helpful the best of luck to ye in the future.

holyhead

Sorry to read this. Have bought books in there down the years. Hope the staff get employment elsewhere. Is it possible they are relocating?
I'm surprised as they have plans to expand their bricks and mortar offering according to a report in the Irish examiner from March.
Just saw on their website they are closing down. Sad news.

road_high

Shame to see that go as it’s a very good shop. I’d say a number of reasons all common to other closures-high rates, rents, online competitors via Amazon, decline in book sales as people move to various devices.
Whoever’s managing the Market Cross sc seem determined to manage it into the ground- they’ve really take it down market in a big way. It used be quite smart back in the day. Now it’s tired, run down and badly needs a major rejuvenation

road_high

One of the candidates in the part of the local election debate I heard did raise the point he’s always meeting people that had been shopping in either Kildare or Dublin etc - the offering in Kilkenny is boring and has hardly changed in over a decade bar musical chairs of shop units

PooPooPooPoo

Such a shame - brilliant selection of books in Dubray. I believe they are in the Market Cross 25 years having opened there in 1994.

Bought dozens of books from the place over the years and the staff were always beyond helpful. It is a reflection on the changing times unfortunately. When you see Marks and Spencer closing 100 stores by 2020, Debenhams have cut hundreds of jobs, Sears in America the same.

One of the main reasons for shops closing is that younger customers are valuing the "shopping experience" and they are not interested in simply having access to product. That, coupled with a shift to online, soaring operational costs and footfall not being what it once was means that this trend is likely to continue unless addressed.

But it's a sad day for Kilkenny book lovers and best of luck to the staff.

Cabaal

Last bought a book in there maybe last year, lovely copy of Grimm Fairytales (very fair from the Disney stories you know),

Very hard for them to compete with Khans Books I'd imagine, never mind online.

Even the book centre I'd say find it hard to complete with Khans Books, remember years ago looking for a copy of 1984 and it was almost 10e in Book Centre but 2e in Khans

road_high

Must be one of the few original stores in there at this stage.

EKRIUQ

I don't think its surprising as the unit has been for rent for months on daft, and Bookstores I think won't be able to compete with the likes of amazon and the electronic versions in the future.

road_high

EKRIUQ wrote: »

I don't think its surprising as the unit has been for rent for months on daft, and Bookstores I think won't be able to compete with the likes of amazon and the electronic versions in the future.

Must be at least half a dozen units for rent there! Probably would be a 25 year lease that’s up now?

Bowlardo

Joe Daly wrote: »

A pity to see Duberry books closing ,you wonder how some shops keep going I was in a village up the north of the county last week I called into a friend of mine he said I was the first person to call into his shop in two days I felt guilty then so I had to buy something. When market cross was built it brought new shopping to kilkenny . The centre of town seems to be getting a fierce hammering can somebody think of new ideas. Like all shops Duberry staff were very helpful the best of luck to ye in the future.

The council are a disgrace with their rates. They are ruining the town centre

road_high

Bowlardo wrote: »

The council are a disgrace with their rates. They are ruining the town centre

Same allover the country- local authorities are an inefficient nightmare which replicate the same functions over very small geographic areas at huge cost. Rates are their opium

inthepocket

That's a bit of a tragedy. A really quality shop to lose.

road_high

Willoughbys Cafe another one for the casualty list- Kilkenny is about to collapse if you were to read the Facebook comments!

Nokia6230i

road_high wrote: »

Willoughbys Cafe another one for the casualty list- Kilkenny is about to collapse if you were to read the Facebook comments!

And yet Willoughbys'd a post seeking staff (Chef, Sous Chef, KP & Waiter/Waitress) on Thursday the 23rd of May and another one on 3rd of March for a P/T Waiter/Waitress.....

road_high

Nokia6230i wrote: »

And yet Willoughbys'd a post seeking staff (Chef, Sous Chef, KP & Waiter/Waitress) on Thursday the 23rd of May and another one on 3rd of March for a P/T Waiter/Waitress.....

Really? Sounds like one of those sudden things- according to themselves it was all the states fault for raising VAT back up- you know, the cut they never passed on in the first place!

JJs Left Hand

Jesus Willoughbys is always busy, very surprising. Then again there's no shortage of cafés around the place.

road_high

JJs Left Hand wrote: »

Jesus Willoughbys is always busy, very surprising. Then again there's no shortage of cafaround the place.

Rent and rates likely massive there. That’s Kilkenny's biggest problem- the rents are totally out of kilter and landlords sooner leave places empty than lower rents

1984baby

road_high wrote: »

Rent and rates likely massive there. That’s Kilkenny's biggest problem- the rents are totally out of kilter and landlords sooner leave places empty than lower rents

Willoughbys actually own the building. They either got an offer of rent from another business to take it from them or I reckon they will open a different venture there.
With regards to rates, Kilkenny has one of the lowest rate levels in Ireland.

Cabaal

1984baby wrote: »

Willoughbys actually own the building. They either got an offer of rent from another business to take it from them or I reckon they will open a different venture there.
With regards to rates, Kilkenny has one of the lowest rate levels in Ireland.

Heard yesterday Starbucks are due to open in the premises,

Awful shame, it'll be a very very generic street

bertie4evr

road_high wrote: »

Rent and rates likely massive there. That’s Kilkenny's biggest problem- the rents are totally out of kilter and landlords sooner leave places empty than lower rents

The owners couldn't run a pissup in a brewery. Nothing to do with rates this time.

longshotvalue

bertie4evr wrote: »

The owners couldn't run a pissup in a brewery. Nothing to do with rates this time.

True , they had nice coffee, cakes etc, but never really got the hang of running it..

1984baby

Wongs on John St looks like it is closed aswell.

road_high

bertie4evr wrote: »

The owners couldn't run a pissup in a brewery. Nothing to do with rates this time.

I think you’re right- I was in it a few times and wasn’t overly impressed by the food or service. Very expensive as well. I went a few times but not been in a few years I’d say

road_high

1984baby wrote: »

Willoughbys actually own the building. They either got an offer of rent from another business to take it from them or I reckon they will open a different venture there.
With regards to rates, Kilkenny has one of the lowest rate levels in Ireland.

That was a family jewelers for years wasn’t it. Willoughby's clock in Kilkenny was like Kilkennys own Clerys clock!
I think you’re right, more to this story than they are letting on

road_high

Cabaal wrote: »

Heard yesterday Starbucks are due to open in the premises,

Awful shame, it'll be a very very generic street

I don’t think it’s generic- majority of High st is still either independent or Irish chains. Better than leaving it idle in any case

hi5

road_high wrote: »

That was a family jewelers for years wasn’t it. Willoughby's clock in Kilkenny was like Kilkennys own Clerys clock!
I think you’re right, more to this story than they are letting on

The clock was in the window facing up Patrick Street, when they closed in the 80's it was moved to the wall facing down Rose Inn Street.
I can just about remember it, they should have left it there IMO:)

barneygumble99

Seem to be doing renovations in willoughbys at the moment. There’s also a sign in the widow looking for chefs and bar staff.

1984baby

barneygumble99 wrote: »

Seem to be doing renovations in willoughbys at the moment. There’s also a sign in the widow looking for chefs and bar staff.

I heard it is going to be a Tapas Bar

JohnMc1

road_high wrote: »

Rent and rates likely massive there. That’s Kilkenny's biggest problem- the rents are totally out of kilter and landlords sooner leave places empty than lower rents

I think its a safe bet that the majority of those property owners are Council Members.

up for anything

I wonder are the owners running down Market Cross like happened with the Kilkenny Arcade in order to flog it off without sitting tenants?