Mac Donagh Station Shopping Centre

JohnMc1 · 12-09-2008 8:40pm

KatCookie wrote: »

wheres Good Sheds Sq??

and Eddie Rockets is open!

didnt have any money to go in there myself today but i had a nice walk around Mac Donagh at about 4:30 ish and Edide Rockets was fairly busy!
Should be an excellent boost for the place!

The Good Shed is right in front of the stair case. Its where Londis, The Peter Marks hairdressers are and Cafe Q when they get around to working on it. I think St. Canice Credit Union is supposed to open a branch in the Good Shed in Nov IIRC.

Firetrap · 13-09-2008 1:29am

It might add some life to the place. What idiot decided to stick the ATM in the basement beside the jacks? Were they expecting the clientele in the shopping centre to be so well-heeled that they'd be flashing gold credit cards in Field's and...er...Barretts?

the GALL · 13-09-2008 1:40am

I worked on the construction of the complex and was just wondering is there any memorial to those's buried in the foundation and im not talking about the recent there is a buriel ground to the famine Victims there which was dug..... if you entered from the station/dublin road entrance and headed diagonal right all the way to thew corner where the bridge is heading to the gaa ground you would be in the grave yard Just a thought why it might not be doing too good.

Firetrap · 13-09-2008 2:17am

Nah, I think it's because they've got a dire mixture of shops in there. The anchor store is wrong (Dunnes) and then you've got expensive shops like that jewellers and Mexx alongside bargain basement shops like Barratt's and No Name. They should've put in Marks & Spencers as the anchor (I'd have preferred Tesco but they don't really go into shopping centres these days), added a decent shoe shop, a jewellers that doesn't sell watches that start at €200, a Boots type pharmacy, a couple more clothes shops, somewhere decent to have a bite to eat (NOT all that overpriced coffee/panini nonsense) and maybe a shop selling digital cameras/televisions.

Possibly too, they opened at the wrong time - just as the economy was starting to turn down.

KatCookie · 13-09-2008 10:26am

Marks and Spencers werent that interested because Kilkenny has a small population, even though its classified as a city and all that..
Tescos also werent too interested because they wouldnt own the property (which is why they build on the outskirts of towns)

and when you look at the layout of the place, you realise that theres many empty retial outlets (eg opposite zumos and to the left of Next) you dont really notice them becasue they have giant signs or maps on the wall where the entrance would be.. theres still MANY empty shops..

Firetrap · 13-09-2008 12:38pm

Marks & Spencer went into the new shopping centre in Athlone. Don't know how the population there compares to Kilkenny. They're also in Mullingar, though I've a feeling there's a big commuter population there. It's a pity nonetheless. One big Dunnes in Kilkenny is enough.

You're right about the empty shops. There's a coming sign for Tom Tailor that's been there since the shopping centre opened. It'll be there for quite a while yet I'll bet.

fricatus · 13-09-2008 2:21pm

Apparently Dunnes have decided to postpone opening their new store in Ferrybank because they fear that in the current climate it would draw custom away from McDonagh. Anyone hear any more about that?

KatCookie · 13-09-2008 2:40pm

Well i dont think anyone would say to themselves, "lets go to the far side of kilkenny to do shopping" when they could just hope over the bridge to Waterford..

JohnC. · 13-09-2008 5:25pm

fricatus wrote: »

Apparently Dunnes have decided to postpone opening their new store in Ferrybank because they fear that in the current climate it would draw custom away from McDonagh. Anyone hear any more about that?

It's certainly delayed (was supposed to open last month and no sign of anything in the future) but I don't know the reason why, or if they will even bother at all now.

Cabaal · 13-09-2008 8:09pm

KatCookie wrote: »

Well i dont think anyone would say to themselves, "lets go to the far side of kilkenny to do shopping" when they could just hope over the bridge to Waterford..

haha, have to agree, any problems I could see with a Dunnes in ferrybank is drawing business away from one in waterford

JohnMc1 · 13-09-2008 8:41pm

Kahless wrote: »

It's certainly delayed (was supposed to open last month and no sign of anything in the future) but I don't know the reason why,

Supposedly they are losing atleast €50,000 a week on the Junction shop. I doubt there will be any expansion to the Dunnes Empire any time soon.

Firetrap · 14-09-2008 11:19am

I find it hard to have any sympathy for them. It doesn't surprise me though - any shop where they have to fill the fridges with boxes of Capri Sun and sell out of date food is clearly in trouble.

Nightwish · 14-09-2008 11:38am

One always has to be careful with regards to perishable food in Dunnes in McDonagh. I was over there 2 weeks ago and the bread was out of date that particular day. I think they must be sending some of the "due to go out of date" stock down to Kieran st for quick selling because I saw a huge amount of bagels, rolls etc in that store that were almost past their sell by date.

On a positive note...Eddie Rockets is finally open! I was over there last night and it was nice.

fricatus · 14-09-2008 12:04pm

Nightwish wrote: »

One always has to be careful with regards to perishable food in Dunnes in McDonagh. I was over there 2 weeks ago and the bread was out of date that particular day. I think they must be sending some of the "due to go out of date" stock down to Kieran st for quick selling because I saw a huge amount of bagels, rolls etc in that store that were almost past their sell by date.

I went in there to buy, among other things, batteries. They had Duracell with "2002 FIFA World Cup - Korea/Japan" written on them.

Needless to say, I took my custom elsewhere.

EKRIUQ · 14-09-2008 3:50pm

KatCookie wrote: »

Marks and Spencers werent that interested because Kilkenny has a small population, even though its classified as a city

't

Clonmel isn't that much bigger and Marks and Spencers are opening there soon

Firetrap · 14-09-2008 3:55pm

Not fair :mad:

Kilkenny being classified as a city wouldn't have anything to do with it really. I've a feeling that only people who are from Kilkenny make a big deal out of its city status. To everyone else, it's just a big county town like any other.

brettmirl · 14-09-2008 4:49pm

Namesco wrote: »

't

Clonmel isn't that much bigger and Marks and Spencers are opening there soon

Where are they opening in Clonmel?

EKRIUQ · 15-09-2008 3:12pm

mick_irl wrote: »

Where are they opening in Clonmel?

The Show Grounds, on your lefthand side when coming into the town on the waterford road.

The first Marks & Spencer store to open in the southeast will be located in the new Showgrounds Shopping Centre in Clonmel. The 11,150sqm shopping centre is being developed by Greenband Investments, whose directors are Limerick-based Paul O'Brien and Mary Moran.

It's expected to create 250 jobs during construction, plus a further 100 new positions when the scheme is completed in May 2009.

The 2,100sqm M&S anchor store will offer a wide range of womenswear, menswear and childrenswear, as well as a food hall and an M&S cafe.

The deal was negotiated by Marks & Spencer agent Caren Leon, of CBRE, in London.

Jonathan Smith, M&S head of Ireland, said: "We're delighted to be anchoring the Showgrounds Shopping Centre with a brand new M&S store, bringing 100 new jobs to the area."

I wonder did they even consider Kilkenny, but then with the planning headaches they would of gotten I don't blame them. The South Tipp county council actively expressed interest to M&S about being the anchor tennant

Firetrap · 15-09-2008 7:13pm

Yes, they should've thought outside the box rather than going for safe old Dunnes who were presumably more than happy to block rivals from coming into Kilkenny.

trishw78 · 17-09-2008 9:47am

fricatus wrote: »

Apparently Dunnes have decided to postpone opening their new store in Ferrybank because they fear that in the current climate it would draw custom away from McDonagh. Anyone hear any more about that?

Kahless wrote: »

It's certainly delayed (was supposed to open last month and no sign of anything in the future) but I don't know the reason why, or if they will even bother at all now.

Cabaal wrote: »

haha, have to agree, any problems I could see with a Dunnes in ferrybank is drawing business away from one in waterford

The reason I heard that they've postponed opening is because not all the units are filled and they're not interested in going into it till they are all filled because they don't want people turning up there and thinking that it's not open similar to what happened in McDonagh Junction.

JohnMc1 · 17-09-2008 12:32pm

Nightwish wrote: »

One always has to be careful with regards to perishable food in Dunnes in McDonagh. I was over there 2 weeks ago and the bread was out of date that particular day.

Agreed. I got molded bread quite a few times.

JohnMc1 · 19-09-2008 3:20pm

I went to Eddie Rockets last night with my sister. The place is great. We definitely got our moneys worth. We had fun with the table top juke boxes.

KatCookie · 19-09-2008 8:11pm

Bah! they didnt work both times ive gone there!!

they were late giving me my Sundae today and all my friends had got their food, so i just said that i still hadnt got it so i was given a free strawberry milkshake! didnt have time or the space in my tummy to finish it though..

Deliverance XXV · 19-09-2008 8:42pm

I was in Eddie Rockets a couple hours ago and I do like it. Managed to spend €58 euro between three of us in a glorified chipper. :pac:

bennyob · 22-09-2008 9:57am

i have to agree that the food is terribly overpriced for what you get and i didn't think it was that nice.

Raze_them_all · 22-09-2008 1:09pm

+1 on the over priced food, but dear christ there double burgers and milkshakes are the sex

highgiant1985 · 23-09-2008 9:50am

Raze_them_all wrote: »

+1 on the over priced food, but dear christ there double burgers and milkshakes are the sex

was passing by at the weekend big que there alright! I've never like their food
for some reason though so would be making a visit.

Will be interesting to see how the bowling alley does when it opens alright though, anyone up for a game when it opens :P

Raze_them_all · 23-09-2008 11:18am

highgiant1985 wrote: »

was passing by at the weekend big que there alright! I've never like their food
for some reason though so would be making a visit.

Will be interesting to see how the bowling alley does when it opens alright though, anyone up for a game when it opens :P

Kilkenny drunken boardsies bowling....I approve!!

Only one Keano · 31-10-2008 5:49pm

I was in MacDonagh today and couldn't get ovr how busy it was. The place was jammers and a lot different from when I was there last during the summer. Eddie Rockets is pretty cool and the Bowling Alley looked like it was nearly ready to open

- really looking forward to that and there seemed to be more units then I remebered and also had guys working on the Tom Tailor shop which must be openign soon. They also had a sign up saying car parkign was free for frst two hours from thuis Saturday. Think I will be shopping up ther more often!

Stephen · 31-10-2008 6:26pm

Parking is free after 6 every day also now. The way it should have been from the beginning.

Firetrap · 01-11-2008 1:30am

It's definitely busier than it was. I still think Dunnes was the wrong anchor but I like being near Zavvi

scatty · 03-11-2008 5:00pm

Only one Keano wrote: »

I was in MacDonagh today and couldn't get ovr how busy it was. The place was jammers and a lot different from when I was there last during the summer. Eddie Rockets is pretty cool and the Bowling Alley looked like it was nearly ready to open - really looking forward to that and there seemed to be more units then I remebered and also had guys working on the Tom Tailor shop which must be openign soon. They also had a sign up saying car parkign was free for frst two hours from thuis Saturday. Think I will be shopping up ther more often!

when you visited macDonagh They were having a Halloween party lots of publicity but very little action one face painter and approx 75 children ,as you can imagine by the time we got to the front of queue we were all throughly peed off ,another face painter did eventually appear and by this time there were approx 100 children in queue ,whoever dreamt up this event didn,t expect such large numbers .
on an ordinary day it is still very quiet which is a real pity as i find it great for my needs (three young children ,one just toddling )

KatCookie · 03-11-2008 6:27pm

But its nice to walk into River Island and when its half empty.. especially cos theres a sale on!
Cant afford it but i can still dream!!
wheres the bowling alley going?

Only one Keano · 05-11-2008 3:56pm

I don't remeber any kids so musy have been in at a different time - still very busy though and big improvement on before

carlowguy32 · 05-11-2008 4:14pm

why does kilkenny keep on copying carlow, we have a bowling alley and now ye have to get one

Raze_them_all · 05-11-2008 4:24pm

carlowguy32 wrote: »

why does kilkenny keep on copying carlow, we have a bowling alley and now ye have to get one

wow ur right i noticed how carlow had buildings then kilkenny got some...then how carlow got people for the buildings...then kilkenny did...crazy i tell you.
Seriously what a pointless post

Mackman · 05-11-2008 5:36pm

carlowguy32 wrote: »

why does kilkenny keep on copying carlow, we have a bowling alley and now ye have to get one

What about waterford? they have a bowling alley AND a Domino's Pizza. Carlow wannabies if i ever saw one!!:rolleyes:

bennyob · 05-11-2008 5:42pm

c'mon people give this guy a break. we have to remember that the bowling alley was invented in carlow.

KatCookie · 05-11-2008 8:05pm

Until i was like 13.. I thought Carlow had the only Bowling Alley outside Dublin! :rolleyes:

road_high · 06-11-2008 7:33pm

carlowguy32 wrote: »

why does kilkenny keep on copying carlow, we have a bowling alley and now ye have to get one

Do you stand up as well lol

mumsy · 06-11-2008 11:13pm

scatty wrote: »

when you visited macDonagh They were having a Halloween party lots of publicity but very little action one face painter and approx 75 children ,as you can imagine by the time we got to the front of queue we were all throughly peed off ,another face painter did eventually appear and by this time there were approx 100 children in queue ,whoever dreamt up this event didn,t expect such large numbers .
on an ordinary day it is still very quiet which is a real pity as i find it great for my needs (three young children ,one just toddling )

I brought my kids in for Halloween and they got really decent free sweets, faces painted and while we were queing there was a big figure entertaining us. we really are hard to please in Kilkenny in fairness it is hard to get every detail right all the time. Sure its better than traipsing around in the freezing cold getting wet and stinking dirty, I find their facilities lovely, clean and warm esp when shopping with kids. the fashion show was great too - i am a big fan now and with two hours free shopping and a huge santa grotto planned i will be supporting them this christmas - we all need to support local business during the hard times i think

Firetrap · 07-11-2008 9:12am

At this time of the year when the weather's especially rubbish, it's nice to be able to shop in a shopping centre that has a roof on it. Did they run out of roof tiles when they were building the Market Cross?

Cabaal · 07-11-2008 9:29am

carlowguy32 wrote: »

why does kilkenny keep on copying carlow, we have a bowling alley and now ye have to get one

crap does that mean Kilkenny now has to turn into a ghost town during the summer months just like Carlow? :rolleyes:

For the record the bowling alley in Waterford is ****e and breaks down far too often

Angus MacGyver · 07-11-2008 4:24pm

Carlow gets everything before kilkenny, they will prob get a needle exchange before us too.

scatty · 07-11-2008 5:03pm

mumsy wrote: »

. we really are hard to please in Kilkenny in fairness it is hard to get every detail right all the time.
for your information i do not consider myself hard to please ,i was just giving my experience and as i have always used this shopping centre since the first day it opened i feel i am quite within my rights to express my opinion

mumsy · 07-11-2008 9:41pm

Sorry scatty did not mean to imply you are hard to please!! I just get fed up of the begrudgers in kilkenny. we get something really nice and then we all talk about how it is doomed to fail...town doesnt support it's own businesses. especially at this time when all I can see are local business having to cut staff and that impacts on most of us in a bad way. i think we should all try to keep all our christmas spend in local business this year and support local jobs - ok lecture over ha ha

Firetrap · 07-11-2008 10:09pm

I suppose for many of us, we're frustrated at the poorer choice of shops in Kilkenny when compared with Carlow and other towns. It's hard to get excited at another Dunnes opening :rolleyes: But yeah, it's nice that there are some new places to spend money in.

mumsy · 07-11-2008 10:12pm

true enough, did anybody hear what is going on with Dunnes this week?? Big announcement due rumoured to either be a buyout by Asda or a restructure of staffing???

Plug · 08-11-2008 2:19pm

mumsy wrote: »

true enough, did anybody hear what is going on with Dunnes this week?? Big announcement due rumoured to either be a buyout by Asda or a restructure of staffing???

no more 24 and some company might be buying them out!

brettmirl · 08-11-2008 8:32pm

The no more open 24 hours also happened to a lot of Tescos, so I wouldn't read too much into that.

A lot of the staff were told that their hours were being cut back and they are not bringing in extra check-out staff for the Christmas rush, so the existing staff are being told to work harder.

Mac Donagh Station Shopping Centre

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