Shops / Restaurants / businesses in Dublin that survive the test of time

gabria · 19-01-2017 12:35AM #1

Following on from the thread on long-missed shops, restaurants and businesses, which ones have survived and will continue to survive the test of time, whether or not we love or hate them ?

On a review of my Dublin life that started in 1998.....

Anns bakery
Savoy
Beshoffs fish and chips
Reads photocopy centre
Waltons music
Easons flagship store
Dr. Quirkeys
Zaytoon Persian restaurant

Gavin "shels" · 19-01-2017 12:55AM

Having been in Anns Bakery on both Mary St and North Earl St on Saturdays in the past few weeks - it's going no where. Mary St was rammed to the rafters while North Earl St was steadily busy!

Bray Header · 19-01-2017 02:38AM

Ricks Burger
Decwells hardware
Fogarty's Locksmiths
Eddie Rockets Dame St
Nico's Italian Restaurant
Woolshed

Ciaran_B · 19-01-2017 10:29AM

Bray Header wrote: »

Woolshed

If we're listing pubs we could be here for a while!

Shops like the Pen Corner that are staffed by people who know their stuff and serve a small market always seem to do well.

Catach (sp?) books off Grafton St. has been there for ever.

alastair · 19-01-2017 10:30AM

The Irish Yeast Company.

Though that's not allowing for shop cat mortality.

ProudDUB · 19-01-2017 12:18PM

Captain Americas, Grafton St. (Pre -dates the 90's by a good bit.)

Had my first "proper" burger there, donkeys years ago. And by proper, I mean something that hadn't been recently cremated by my mother, that was served on an actual bun & came with such exotic items as lettuce, cheese, bacon, tomato ketchup, mustard & garlic mayo.

The mother generally served up a circular piece of shoe leather on its Sweeney Todd, with boiled spuds and peas. You were told to sit back down and stop being 'difficult', if you queried the absence of any of the above mentioned exotica. Captain Americas seemed incredibly glamourous, in comparison, at the time. (Late 70's/early 80's)

BeerNut · 19-01-2017 12:21PM

ProudDUB wrote: »

Captain Americas, Grafton St.

My abiding memory, circa 1996, is of a friend who had never seen sugar in one of those big tabletop shakers pouring it onto her chips fries.

Dr Crayfish · 19-01-2017 02:57PM

The Long Hall is 250 this year. The Trocadero has been there since the 50s too, great restaurant.

gabria · 20-01-2017 12:44AM

If we're doing pubs we can do clubs too:

Lillies :cool: and Coppers

:D

Ciaran_B · 20-01-2017 08:40AM

The comics shops in town have all lasted. Forbidden Planet must be around 25 years first Dawson St and now on the Quays. And Sub City must be there 20. Oh God, I'm so old.

whiskeyman · 20-01-2017 10:39AM

Marks Models on Hawkins St.
It's expanded now as far as I know.
I used to get my bus home nearby, so if I'd miss it I'd wander in and have a look at all the model cars / trains etc... to treat the kid in me

L1011 · 20-01-2017 11:35AM

Pubs last much longer than almost any other business so I'd say they're not really suitable content for the thread. Its also why a more traditional pub closing is more of a "loss" of sorts and would end up on the opposite thread.

Restaurants average 8-10 years so anything much older than that is a stand-out; but the big franchise chains are always the exception there.

BeerNut · 20-01-2017 11:44AM

L1011 wrote: »

Restaurants average 8-10 years so anything much older than that is a stand-out

Blimey. I watched Luigi Malone's being built when I lived in the building across the street. I still think of it as a new place even though that was over 20 years ago now.

pinkypinky · 20-01-2017 11:51AM

Barnardos - the fur shop.

CPSW · 20-01-2017 11:52AM

Christy's walk-around shop at the top of Mary Street. Must be there nearly 40 years at this stage? In the days of Dealz having a good few branches open in the City, good to see its surviving.

harry Bailey esq · 20-01-2017 11:59AM

Im mid 30s and a dub and the kylemore cafe on the corner of o connell st and North earl st has been there as long as i can remember. Nearby you also have the happy ring house.

L1011 · 20-01-2017 02:30PM

BeerNut wrote: »

Blimey. I watched Luigi Malone's being built when I lived in the building across the street. I still think of it as a new place even though that was over 20 years ago now.

It could easily be one of maybe the 20-25 longest lasting table service restaurants in the city. List gets a bit longer with multiple chippers that have been there since the 30s and 1970s McDonalds/Burger King outlets!

comeheretome's attempts to figure out a list had 15 decent guesses the newest of which was from 1989. 4 have since closed.
https://comeheretome.com/2010/01/09/dublin-citys-oldest-restaurant/

blue_blue · 20-01-2017 07:13PM

The Pen Corner - College Green
Eager Beaver - Templebar
Simon's Cafe - George's St Arcade.

quadrifoglio verde · 20-01-2017 07:19PM

Tracys pharmacy on Eden quay has been there for years as well
There's quite a few 3rd and 4th generation pharmacies around the city though

tracey turnblad · 20-01-2017 07:24PM

Ciaran_B wrote: »

Bray Header wrote: »

Woolshed

If we're listing pubs we could be here for a while!

Shops like the Pen Corner that are staffed by people who know their stuff and serve a small market always seem to do well.

Catach (sp?) books off Grafton St. has been there for ever.

I brought my son aged 10 at the time to the pen corner for a five euro fountain pen. The man in there treated him like he was buying a 500 euro pen calling him sir and letting him try it out by signing his name on the little pad and asking him was that to his liking. My son felt like a king that day. That's why the pen corner is still there...

quadrifoglio verde · 20-01-2017 07:27PM

tracey turnblad wrote: »

I brought my son aged 10 at the time to the pen corner for a five euro fountain pen. The man in there treated him like he was buying a 500 euro pen calling him sir and letting him try it out by signing his name on the little pad and asking him was that to his liking. My son felt like a king that day. That's why the pen corner is still there...

I always assumed they just sold 500 Euro pens

mfceiling · 20-01-2017 07:29PM

Gerrys cafe on Montague St. Great little cafe that's there for years.

tracey turnblad · 20-01-2017 07:30PM

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

tracey turnblad wrote: »

I brought my son aged 10 at the time to the pen corner for a five euro fountain pen. The man in there treated him like he was buying a 500 euro pen calling him sir and letting him try it out by signing his name on the little pad and asking him was that to his liking. My son felt like a king that day. That's why the pen corner is still there...

I always assumed they just sold 500 Euro pens

No, he was going mad for a fountain pen and we were in reasons and they had none, another customer told me to go there and get the €5 ones...

Stheno · 20-01-2017 07:30PM

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

I always assumed they just sold 500 Euro pens

God no theyve a great range from a tenner up

beechwood55 · 20-01-2017 07:58PM

Stheno wrote: »

God no theyve a great range from a tenner up

Fantastic shop. Got my kids their first proper ink pens there.

BeerNut · 21-01-2017 03:42PM

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Tracys pharmacy on Eden quay has been there for years as well
There's quite a few 3rd and 4th generation pharmacies around the city though

"Chemists rarely move" -- Ulysses, 1922.

Academic · 21-01-2017 04:09PM

Sheridans Cheesemongers (founded 1995)

SteoL · 21-01-2017 05:30PM

Flanagan's O'connell Street. Used to take the mother there on Mother's Day and she loved it. Think that's there since I was a kid in the 80's.

HeidiHeidi · 21-01-2017 05:32PM

gabria wrote: »

Following on from the thread on long-missed shops, restaurants and businesses, which ones have survived and will continue to survive the test of time, whether or not we love or hate them ?

On a review of my Dublin life that started in 1998.....

Anns bakery
Savoy
Beshoffs fish and chips
Reads photocopy centre
Waltons music
Easons flagship store
Dr. Quirkeys
Zaytoon Persian restaurant

Christ, now I feel REALLY old - I still think of Zaytoon as a "new" thing :eek:

HeidiHeidi · 21-01-2017 05:33PM

Academic wrote: »

Sheridans Cheesemongers (founded 1995)

And Sheridan's, for that matter

The Pen Corner is hands down one of my favourite shops in the whole of Dublin!

andekwarhola · 21-01-2017 05:45PM

Maurice Abrahams tailors/suits, South Anne Street.

Regent Barbers, Fownes Street.

Eager Beaver, Crown Alley Street (although I don't think it's a second hand shop these days).

Kavanaghs newsagent on Aungier Street.

boobycharlton · 21-01-2017 05:46PM

Peterson tobacco/pipe/cigar shop on Grafton Street/College Green.
Burdocks on Werburgh Street
Ben in Reptile Haven on Fishamble Street must be there nearly 15/20 years at this stage too

HeidiHeidi · 21-01-2017 05:50PM

boobycharlton wrote: »

Peterson tobacco/pipe/cigar shop on Grafton Street/College Green.
Burdocks on Werburgh Street
Ben in Reptile Haven on Fishamble Street must be there nearly 15/20 years at this stage too

They've moved in the last few years. Now on Nassau St.

I wonder if, like Kitchen Complements, the move will be their undoing eventually?

griffin100 · 21-01-2017 05:53PM

Rory's fishing tackle shop in the middle of Temple Bar. I used to spent hours there when I was a kid in the late 1980's.

Lots of the musical instrument shops I spent time in around the same time are still there - Goodwins on Capel Street, Music Maker off Grafton Street, Waltons.

If you move out of the city ctr to Meath Street / Thomas Street area there are a few businesses / shops that I remember from my early childhood. My younger sisters and my oldest daughter all got their communion dresses from The Little Folk shop, over 30 years apart.

HeidiHeidi · 21-01-2017 06:01PM

Speaking of music shops, I don't actually remember it from my earlier days, but Charlie Byrne's Musik Instrumente shop on Stephen St certainly looks like it's been there for generations.

And sticking with the musical theme - the Royal Irish Academy of Music on Westland Row is an institution that evokes all sorts of memories from my childhood. I recently was in it again after years and year, and couldn't get over how small it actually was!

Earthhorse · 21-01-2017 06:25PM

alastair wrote: »

The Irish Yeast Company.

Though that's not allowing for shop cat mortality.

Is that still going? Last few times my Mom went in she said it wasn't.

alastair · 21-01-2017 06:57PM

Earthhorse wrote: »

Is that still going? Last few times my Mom went in she said it wasn't.

He only opens limited hours - alternate mornings and afternoons. Understandable when you're in your 90's.

Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
Monday 2–5p.m.
Tuesday 10:30a.m.–1:30p.m.
Wednesday 2–5p.m.
Thursday 10:30a.m.–1:30p.m.
Friday 2–5p.m.

quadrifoglio verde · 21-01-2017 07:01PM

BeerNut wrote: »

"Chemists rarely move" -- Ulysses, 1922.

Except swenys which is no longer a chemist

Earthhorse · 21-01-2017 07:02PM

alastair wrote: »

He only opens limited hours - alternate mornings and afternoons. Understandable when you're in your 90's.

Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
Monday 2–5p.m.
Tuesday 10:30a.m.–1:30p.m.
Wednesday 2–5p.m.
Thursday 10:30a.m.–1:30p.m.
Friday 2–5p.m.

Pretty sure she's aware of that but I'll bring it up again just in case.

Academic · 21-01-2017 07:36PM

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

And Sheridan's, for that matter

The Pen Corner is hands down one of my favourite shops in the whole of Dublin!

Actually, if you visit their website (don't do this if you don't have quick and easy access to food) you'll see that they themselves don't use the apostrophe. It's an Irish thing

Elemonator · 21-01-2017 07:37PM

gabria wrote: »

Following on from the thread on long-missed shops, restaurants and businesses, which ones have survived and will continue to survive the test of time, whether or not we love or hate them ?

On a review of my Dublin life that started in 1998.....

Anns bakery
Savoy
Beshoffs fish and chips
Reads photocopy centre
Waltons music
Easons flagship store
Dr. Quirkeys
Zaytoon Persian restaurant

Can't understand how Waltons is still going.

McCullough Pigott and Leo Burdock's.

HeidiHeidi · 21-01-2017 07:39PM

Elemonator wrote: »

Can't understand how Waltons is still going.

McCullough Pigott and Leo Burdock's.

McP are long gone, are they not?

Weren't they were Avoca is now?

alastair · 21-01-2017 07:55PM

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

McP are long gone, are they not? Weren't they were Avoca is now?

And Makulla's in the intervening years.

gabria · 21-01-2017 08:40PM

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Christ, now I feel REALLY old - I still think of Zaytoon as a "new" thing :eek:

The first phase of my Dublin life was my college years 1998-2002, during which it opened, and I thought that period was retro enough for me to merit its inclusion.

Consider this thread RIP in case any of our mentioned businesses unthinkably become no more.

Moving on.....

Woodstock Café, Phibsborough

ixoy · 21-01-2017 10:50PM

Waldorf Barbers - nearly 90 years old and my barber of choice.

L1011 · 22-01-2017 12:03AM

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

McP are long gone, are they not? Weren't they were Avoca is now?

website claims they're on South William Street.

Sexual Chocolate · 24-01-2017 01:14AM

Celtic shop in the Jervis. How its still opened amazes me.

loyatemu · 24-01-2017 09:26AM

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Speaking of music shops, I don't actually remember it from my earlier days, but Charlie Byrne's Musik Instrumente shop on Stephen St certainly looks like it's been there for generations.

Is that still open? I have one of his guitars I got for Xmas nearly 30 years ago, and I think the shop had been there for some time even then, but I thought he'd retired since.

loyatemu · 24-01-2017 09:33AM

L1011 wrote: »

website claims they're on South William Street.

they had a huge store where Avoca is now ("4 floors of music") - they then downsized and the old shop became Makulla's clothes shop before Avoca took the space. I don't know whether the small MCP shop is still open though.

Waltons had a big shop on Parnell Square, I've only just found out it's gone. Musical instruments are something you would imagine people would want to hold and try before buying, but Thomann seem to be doing alright selling them online.

In fairness to Waltons I was looking at guitars recently and they were matching Thomann's price on every one I looked at.

miamee · 24-01-2017 11:32AM

loyatemu wrote: »

Is that still open? I have one of his guitars I got for Xmas nearly 30 years ago, and I think the shop had been there for some time even then, but I thought he'd retired since.

It is still open, at least it was the last time I looked when passing a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately the Mad Hatter shop next to it is gone and quickly turned into a Vape Shop

There is a large Waltons out in Blanchardstown so perhaps they have just relocated.

HeidiHeidi · 24-01-2017 11:43AM

loyatemu wrote: »

they had a huge store where Avoca is now ("4 floors of music") - they then downsized and the old shop became Makulla's clothes shop before Avoca took the space. I don't know whether the small MCP shop is still open though.

Waltons had a big shop on Parnell Square, I've only just found out it's gone. Musical instruments are something you would imagine people would want to hold and try before buying, but Thomann seem to be doing alright selling them online.

In fairness to Waltons I was looking at guitars recently and they were matching Thomann's price on every one I looked at.

Did Waltons not start out on Sth Great Georges St? That's certainly where I most associate them with.

I think McCP moved across the road for a while to a small shop beside the church/tourist office, but if I'm correct the PortWest shop (if that's even still going?) is where they used to be.

Shops / Restaurants / businesses in Dublin that survive the test of time

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