Limerick Businesses Opening

phog · 20-10-2014 9:25pm

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

They were also on Cruises Street for a little while.
I hope they do well in their new spot. They've shown confidence in the city by opening up again and I hope people realise that.

True, I was never a huge shopper there but I did like their shaving cream. It would hardly keep s business open.

Iranoutofideas · 20-10-2014 9:26pm

Have O'Connors Cafe on Thomas Street reduced their opening hours? Anytime I've passed recently after 4 or so they seem to be closed? I noticed they had a sign up the last time blaming their credit card machine for being closed early. Surely they could stay open and just accept cash? It doesn't look good seeing them closed when other units beside them are open for business.

zulutango · 20-10-2014 9:35pm

Iranoutofideas wrote: »

Have O'Connors Cafe on Thomas Street reduced their opening hours? Anytime I've passed recently after 4 or so they seem to be closed? I noticed they had a sign up the last time blaming their credit card machine for being closed early. Surely they could stay open and just accept cash? It doesn't look good seeing them closed when other units beside them are open for business.

Most of the cafés seem to start winding down around then. It's a real indictment of the city that it just empties out in the evening time as everybody flees to the suburbs and the countryside.

Vanquished · 20-10-2014 11:43pm

O'Connor's are especially guilty of that. Certainly the first cafe in town to close up every afternoon/evening. They've got a great spot right in the centre of the street and you'd think they would be eager to maximise their trade. But obviously they don't see a need to. It's even worse of a Sunday. They start packing up around half two!

Hook & Ladder and the Cellar Door seem to be the only late-ish opening cafes in town at the moment. Although I believe the new place opening on the quays "crust cafe" plans to open until 9pm.

wingnut · 22-10-2014 1:12am

God be with the days you could be eating a death by chocolate at 2 a.m. in Java's

moby2101 · 22-10-2014 8:13am

wingnut wrote: »

God be with the days you could be eating a death by chocolate at 2 a.m. in Java's

Jaysus that takes me back!

It had to be the hot chicken sambo for me at that time in the morning after clubbing!

vkid · 22-10-2014 10:18am

moby2101 wrote: »

Jaysus that takes me back!

It had to be the hot chicken sambo for me at that time in the morning after clubbing!

used to love that hot chicken sambo.. its a pity there is nowhere like Javas today. the upstairs was a lovely space.

zulutango · 22-10-2014 10:38am

vkid wrote: »

used to love that hot chicken sambo.. its a pity there is nowhere like Javas today. the upstairs was a lovely space.

The staff were fairly lovely too

source · 22-10-2014 11:09am

zulutango wrote: »

The staff were fairly lovely too

Java club sandwich after Termights! Best way to end the night.

mossym · 22-10-2014 11:12am

a reminiscing thread is needed..:)

Iranoutofideas · 22-10-2014 8:17pm

Java's and Quins. Those were the days!

zulutango · 22-10-2014 8:22pm

It would be great if Quin's could be resurrected when the get round to renovating that block!

Parchment · 22-10-2014 8:47pm

I remember Tea & Toast for £1 in Javas......*creaks*

source · 22-10-2014 8:58pm

Parchment wrote: »

I remember Tea & Toast for £1 in Javas......*creaks*

Nothing better on a cold day than tea and toast in the arm chairs by the fire. Damn I miss that place sometimes.

Vanquished · 22-10-2014 9:10pm

There were some expressions of interest in Quin's but they've come to nothing so far.

It's such an attractive building too. Limerick could do with another quirky, eccentric pub like that.

bigpink · 22-10-2014 10:38pm

Is there a demand tho after 6pm

Cookiemunster · 22-10-2014 11:40pm

Interesting tease from Alan English

Alan English ‏@AlanEnglish9 2h2 hours ago

Also tomorrow, giant UK retailer buying vacant Limerick building for €1.3m. Already has branches in Dublin and Cork.

Not many vacant buildings that a "giant" retailer could move into. He's shot down guesses of down M&S and Dunnes Sarfield St.

zulutango · 22-10-2014 11:46pm

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Interesting tease from Alan English

Alan English ‏@AlanEnglish9 2h2 hours ago

Also tomorrow, giant UK retailer buying vacant Limerick building for €1.3m. Already has branches in Dublin and Cork.

Not many vacant buildings that a "giant" retailer could move into. He's shot down guesses of down M&S and Dunnes Sarfield St.

Thomas Street Centre? It was reportedly acquired recently.

Poxyshamrock · 22-10-2014 11:48pm

€1.3m isn't a lot. Maybe it's one of the smaller vacant units around town?

zulutango · 22-10-2014 11:59pm

well ... apparently the Thomas Street Centre was sold for €3 million recently, so I guess it's not that.

There seems to be a flaw in the article though because it was reportedly sold by the O'Malley's two years ago, yet they seem to have sold it again recently. Never knew you could do that.

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/business/business-news/thomas-street-centre-in-limerick-is-sold-for-3m-1-6336227

Vanquished · 22-10-2014 11:59pm

The Bank by Wetherspoons?

zulutango · 23-10-2014 12:04am

Vanquished wrote: »

The Bank by Wetherspoons?

That was going for about €300k recently. Would be surprised if its market price increased four fold in the last year!

Vanquished · 23-10-2014 12:09am

Wow that's a staggeringly low price for a high quality building. It sold for a couple of million a decade or so ago!

bazz26 · 23-10-2014 12:12am

Wasn't that the building that Tesco wanted to open a Tesco Express in not so long ago?

Iranoutofideas · 23-10-2014 12:24am

Vanquished wrote: »

Wow that's a staggeringly low price for a high quality building. It sold for a couple of million a decade or so ago!

It is low but a couple of million is also ridiculous. Check out the price of commercial units on any of the property sites you'll probably get a shock.

jmch81 · 23-10-2014 1:02am

Vanquished wrote: »

Wow that's a staggeringly low price for a high quality building. It sold for a couple of million a decade or so ago!

I think the commercial rates are something like €40,000 - €50,000 a year on the property! you only need to sell 10,000 drinks, paying nothing else, to break even on rates :rolleyes:

Berty · 23-10-2014 7:24am

The savoy building was up for €1.7m recently. Maybe they got a better deal?

fryup · 23-10-2014 9:54am

Vanquished wrote: »

The Bank by Wetherspoons?

they're coming to limerick ??

Jofspring · 23-10-2014 9:58am

DFS going into O Mara motors on the Bally Simon road.

Have heard in the last few weeks a consortium bought the Bank bar and wetherspoons to go in there. It was spouted a while back but seems to be doing the rounds again recently.

bazz26 · 23-10-2014 10:08am

Jofspring wrote: »

DFS going into O Mara motors on the Bally Simon road.

As in the furniture crowd? If so that will not be good news for EZ Living next door.

Berty · 23-10-2014 10:12am

bazz26 wrote: »

As in the furniture crowd? If so that will not be good news for EZ Living next door.

Or me as I just bought a couch from ez living because I didn't fancy the drive to cork or dublin.

Also it's locals going into the bank. As much as I'm saying on it and really as much as I know.

black & white · 23-10-2014 10:17am

Are DFS and EZ Living not at different ends of the market quality wise though ? I might be wrong but I thought DFS sold product at the cheaper range of products and EZ the better quality.

Poxyshamrock · 23-10-2014 10:49am

DFS are in Cork and Dublin so that matches Alan English/Limerick Leader's tweet from last night.

Vanquished · 23-10-2014 11:02am

Jofspring wrote: »

DFS going into O Mara motors on the Bally Simon road.

Pretty underwhelming! I was hoping it might have been a prominent retailer for the city centre.

Berty · 23-10-2014 11:09am

Vanquished wrote: »

Pretty underwhelming! I was hoping it might have been a prominent retailer for the city centre.

Home improvement is where the money is. As I was shopping very recently for a couch the options in limerick were very limited. Smaller places could show you brochures of ones they didn't have but that's no good. DFS will do well I'd say. I bought mine in ez living because I could see the couch in front of me in a nice showroom with helpful staff.

vkid · 23-10-2014 11:25am

black & white wrote: »

Are DFS and EZ Living not at different ends of the market quality wise though ? I might be wrong but I thought DFS sold product at the cheaper range of products and EZ the better quality.

Wouldn't think there would be much of a difference. Direct competition imo.
I wouldnt consider EZ living in the higher end of the furniture market at all.

Pretty boring stuff, was hoping for something interesting..but new business is good news all the same.

Iranoutofideas · 23-10-2014 3:13pm

A furniture shop? Jaysus....zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Thought the market for furniture was oversaturated here as it was.

More jobs are good though.

jonski · 23-10-2014 4:15pm

Isn't Brodricks across the road from there as well ?

squonk · 23-10-2014 4:47pm

So is The Bank getting brought by Weatherspoons still a rumour or is there any substance at all? Can't take another Galway Bay Brewery type non starter!

vkid · 23-10-2014 4:59pm

squonk wrote: »

So is The Bank getting brought by Weatherspoons still a rumour or is there any substance at all? Can't take another Galway Bay Brewery type non starter!

You are probably better off the Galway Brewery didn't open

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2014/10/22/heineken-sales-down-as-dickheads-migrate-to-craft-beers/

Vanquished · 23-10-2014 6:27pm

Haven't EZ living got two stores in close proximity on the Ballysimon Road? One right next door to the proposed DFS outlet.

Iranoutofideas · 23-10-2014 6:48pm

Vanquished wrote: »

Haven't EZ living got two stores in close proximity on the Ballysimon Road? One right next door to the proposed DFS outlet.

Sure it is standard business these days in Limerick to open a copycat next door or across the street.

L-M · 23-10-2014 11:25pm

Probably why Audi didn't go in there so.

Vanquished · 23-10-2014 11:30pm

Plans have been posted to renovate and re-open the abandoned former TOP service station on the Dock Road. It's the latest in a number of planning applications to re-establish mothballed service stations in the city this year.

Like the former Esso out in Castletroy there were much grander plans for this site back during the boom. A new hotel was in the pipeline initially but the plans were then changed to an 8 storey office block as shown below.

An in-fill building like that proposed would probably be a more appropriate solution for that site but at least it'll be cleaned up and brought back to life. It has become a terrible eyesore and a haven for junkies etc!

zulutango · 23-10-2014 11:44pm

That whole area was very, very, very poorly developed and it's become a ghetto. I'm not sure what the solution is to be honest.

Vanquished · 23-10-2014 11:56pm

Appallingly so! Rebuilt on the cheap with no coherent planning strategy it would seem. I park in the car parks down there regularly enough and to say I've seen some unsavoury carry on would be a major understatement!

The Richmond Court apartments in particular are an absolute abomination! They need to be pulled down. They certainly don't represent the type of urban living we want to promote!

Iranoutofideas · 24-10-2014 6:37pm

It has become a ghetto because of the kind of unsavoury characters living in the apartments all around there.

Steamboat Quay, Mount Kenneth etc - absolute hole of a place.

zulutango · 28-10-2014 9:43am

Iranoutofideas wrote: »

It has become a ghetto because of the kind of unsavoury characters living in the apartments all around there.

Steamboat Quay, Mount Kenneth etc - absolute hole of a place.

Those people live there because the apartments were poorly designed and built, and therefore they command low rents.

highlydebased · 30-10-2014 1:40am

Apparently Del Arte restaurant that is in the Crescent is opening a branch where Ivans used to be! They advertised for a number of staff roles in the paper recently so that explains it.

vkid · 30-10-2014 9:44am

highlydebased wrote: »

Apparently Del Arte restaurant that is in the Crescent is opening a branch where Ivans used to be! They advertised for a number of staff roles in the paper recently so that explains it.

Interesting. A real lack of bars and resturaunts out the Ennis Road direction. I had heard Zest were going in there though.

Limerick Businesses Opening

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