Blanchardstown Centre - history of tenants

daymobrew · 22-02-2013 12:42pm

A new shop, Central T-Shirts has opened close to Boots at the Blue Entrance (BK/McD/Odeon).

I went to the Nike Factory Store yesterday - they have a lot of staff! They are very helpful and I think that there is 15% off everything until tomorrow (Saturday 23 Feb).

baalthor · 25-02-2013 11:49pm

Nolimits wrote: »

Time computers. I got my first PC there.

I forgot about them - shortly before they closed, there was a disgruntled customer protesting outside for several weeks ...

Anyone remember the cafe/sandwich bar near the main entrance where I think Subway is now ? (Or is Subway gone as well ?)

January · 25-02-2013 11:57pm

baalthor wrote: »

I forgot about them - shortly before they closed, there was a disgruntled customer protesting outside for several weeks ...

Anyone remember the cafe/sandwich bar near the main entrance where I think Subway is now ? (Or is Subway gone as well ?)

Munchies?

ciaran76 · 26-02-2013 1:28am

baalthor wrote: »

I forgot about them - shortly before they closed, there was a disgruntled customer protesting outside for several weeks ...

Anyone remember the cafe/sandwich bar near the main entrance where I think Subway is now ? (Or is Subway gone as well ?)

Aztec cafe ?

garysully1986 · 05-03-2013 1:19pm

Before the nail bar downstairs beside debenhams, there was the sony centre, before that it was a custom t shirt printing place.

Anyone remember the red enterance before it was rebuilt? It was always really dark there they had a huge newsagents before bon espresso took over.

I used to get a roll in the butchers down where starbucks is now! Bringin back old memories!!!

Marathon sports used to be up where footlocker is now before champion took it over.

I still remember walking into the shopping centre when it first opened, I think it was October 96?

Does anyone remember when you used to be able to walk from Evans through to Burtons and dorothy perkins before they put the walls up?

United colours of benetton used to be up beside debenhams (always remember it being really expensive).

Does anyone remember when HMV used to have a big wall up halfway down there store? Used to have tvs on it playing music videos, I think it was painted blue and white???

The blue enterance took years to fill, it was always empty units!

3g and virgin used to be where schuh is now, before that they had that piercing and soap place, I think they were doing tattoos for about a week before they were told to stop.

I remember working in Burtons when the euro came in and we had to be sent out to get a currency convertor because we only had the Uk prices.

Penneys used to only have one floor, anyone remember that?

Game used to have two units before they moved to just one, Salsa jeans moved in beside them? And aldo shoes?

There was a travel agents up in the yellow enterance beside where tom stanleys is now, and a photo printing shop.

Thats all I can remember off the top of my head.

triple-M · 05-03-2013 1:21pm

anyone remember what used to be in the unit where subway is now?

garysully1986 · 05-03-2013 1:24pm

triple-M wrote: »

anyone remember what used to be in the unit where subway is now?

I know it was a cafe, I used to get there for breakfast before work, I cant for the life of me remember the name, The staff were lovely, A guy with long hair and a beard worked there, He moved over to the coffee shop beside 3 and lidl in the westend I think.

JoePie · 05-03-2013 1:55pm

I think it was Munchies, wasn't it?

ciaran76 · 05-03-2013 2:15pm

triple-M wrote: »

anyone remember what used to be in the unit where subway is now?

Aztec cafe, 1 page back it was mentioned.:D

JoePie · 05-03-2013 3:17pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

Aztec cafe, 1 page back it was mentioned.:D

Damn, my poor knowledge of the area I've lived in all my life exposed again. I think I might go for a walk or something later, and like, look at names of things or something.

Idjit · 18-03-2013 11:14pm

There's a new store opening now beside Nandos, sharing the slot where Argos used to be. I can't for the life of me remember what its called, starts with an 'S' I think. The slogan on the poster said 'Baking soon' so I'd presume it's a cake/savoury food place similar to Auntie Annes. Anyone see the poster?

Toto Wolfcastle · 18-03-2013 11:21pm

I think Milanos is supposed to be opening next to Nandos.

ciaran76 · 18-03-2013 11:32pm

Don't mean to hijack the thread but can people explain to me why people queue for Nandos or Eddie rockets ? Am I missing something?

Toto Wolfcastle · 18-03-2013 11:34pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

Don't mean to hijack the thread but can people explain to me why people queue for Nandos or Eddie rockets ? Am I missing something?

Some people like those places.

Idjit · 18-03-2013 11:36pm

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

I think Milanos is supposed to be opening next to Nandos.

Apologies! You're correct, I don't know why 'S' was in my head haha

ciaran76 · 18-03-2013 11:38pm

Bobblehead Panda wrote: »

Some people like those places.

Good point. Just never got the queuing for food thing .

Toto Wolfcastle · 18-03-2013 11:40pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

Good point. Just never got the queuing for food thing .

I agree with you. I actually like Nandos and Eddie Rockets but I will never queue outside them. I don't mind waiting a couple of minutes if I see that there are a couple of people waiting in front of me but no more than that.

heffo500 · 19-03-2013 12:04am

There was a different butchers where Gleesons is now. I cant remember the name

Nolimits · 19-03-2013 5:12pm

Jade182 wrote: »

There's a new store opening now beside Nandos, sharing the slot where Argos used to be. I can't for the life of me remember what its called, starts with an 'S' I think. The slogan on the poster said 'Baking soon' so I'd presume it's a cake/savoury food place similar to Auntie Annes. Anyone see the poster?

As already mentioned it's called Milanos, here is their website http://www.milano.ie/

I suppose I can see the baking thing, but you're right that it makes you think of a bakery with cakes etc instead of pizzas and other Italian food.

ongarboy · 19-03-2013 7:54pm

ciaran76 wrote: »

Good point. Just never got the queuing for food thing .

I suppose if you drove 15 or 20 minutes to the centre with either of those restaurants in mind, you can see why people would be willing to wait 10 or so minutes in a queue. If I was just casually passing them and was just hungry for any type of food, I suppose I'd be less inclined to queue and simply go elsewhere.

I seem to remember Penneys was only added about 10 years ago (with second floor added more recently) yet McDonalds/River Island etc were there from the beginning so what was in the massive unit prior to Penneys or was it just a walled off area?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 19-03-2013 9:52pm

ongarboy wrote: »

I seem to remember Penneys was only added about 10 years ago (with second floor added more recently) yet McDonalds/River Island etc were there from the beginning so what was in the massive unit prior to Penneys or was it just a walled off area?

It was just walled off. I don't even know if the building itself was there? There was McDonalds when you came in the door and then nothing until Warehouse (or maybe it's Oasis?).

arigold365 · 22-03-2013 3:10pm

Miss Starvin' Marvins that used to be were Eddie Rockets is

LoonyLovegood · 28-03-2013 6:19am

I know there used to be something where Penneys was before it opened, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was, I was only a kid then.

Where the barbers is in the yellow entrance was also a sports memorabilia shop.

dickwod1 · 28-03-2013 1:49pm

Timbaland went into where D2 was or along there and lasted about 6 months I think, I remember looking at shoes in it when it opened and they were looking for €130 for a pair!!!

Also when Meteor moved across the mall to the larger shop the autographed sports memorabilia store went in the old small shop for a bit.

triple-M · 28-03-2013 1:55pm

Doesnt seem to have been mentioned yet which is a suprise to me as it was probably one of the biggest tenants to leave the centre which attracted massive media attention and made national headlines for quite some time resulting in redundancies etc and the family who used to run it still make the news regularly. remember when quinn direct became liberty insurance,

triple-M · 28-03-2013 1:56pm

also forgive me if it has been mentioned already but what was in the unit before the westend barbers opened up?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 28-03-2013 4:29pm

triple-M wrote: »

Doesnt seem to have been mentioned yet which is a suprise to me as it was probably one of the biggest tenants to leave the centre which attracted massive media attention and made national headlines for quite some time resulting in redundancies etc and the family who used to run it still make the news regularly. remember when quinn direct became liberty insurance,

I'd imagine it's not been mentioned because it's irrelevant to this thread. We're talking about tenants of the Blanchardstown Centre, Quinn owned that building, which is not part of the centre, therefore they weren't tenants.

triple-M · 28-03-2013 8:48pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I'd imagine it's not been mentioned because it's irrelevant to this thread. We're talking about tenants of the Blanchardstown Centre, Quinn owned that building, which is not part of the centre, therefore they weren't tenants.

Sure its more or less part of the centre you can go inside and make purchases just like any of the retailers,I wasnt aware QD owned that building I always assumed it belonged to green property

dickwod1 · 28-03-2013 10:24pm

triple-M wrote: »

Sure its more or less part of the centre you can go inside and make purchases just like any of the retailers,I wasnt aware QD owned that building I always assumed it belonged to green property

It was actually built for/by Dunnes Stores to be their headquarters but upon completion decided not to move in and sold it to Quinn

triple-M · 05-04-2013 2:46pm

I wonder what will go into the unit where Light night club is,been told its closing down this weekend

ronan45 · 05-04-2013 3:23pm

triple-M wrote: »

I wonder what will go into the unit where Light night club is,been told its closing down this weekend

Probably a new Sign saying

"RISQUE" New bar opening soon

(lick of paint.....)

dickwod1 · 05-04-2013 4:19pm

Dont know if this was mentioned before - All Rooms selling kitchen nic nac's and stuff used to be beside Champion sports downstairs

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 05-04-2013 5:07pm

HMV might be reopening. They've been bought out and a lot of the UK stores are reopening. They're in negotiations with landlords about the Irish stores. Will be interesting to see if the Blanch guys will give them the new deals they're giving stores or try to keep them to their old deal.

ongarboy · 08-04-2013 8:01pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

HMV might be reopening. They've been bought out and a lot of the UK stores are reopening. They're in negotiations with landlords about the Irish stores. Will be interesting to see if the Blanch guys will give them the new deals they're giving stores or try to keep them to their old deal.

Hopefully, they will reopen in the centre. I miss having no place to loiter when I need to kill time in the SC....saying that, that's no good to HMV if I'm not buying which I usually don't as I purchase everything online.

Honestly, I can't see a place for physical music or film product in 2013 when you can easily download everything these days (the market that still buys physical is shrinking every year). I would still lament it's absence for nostalgic reasons.

holly_johnson · 17-09-2014 2:46pm

The other half went to Evans in the Westend centre today to buy something for me only to find they've gone, and Dorothy Perkins too. Anyone know why? Such a pain in the backside, the only two left in Dublin now are Liffey Valley and Henry St.

jeffk · 17-09-2014 2:48pm

holly_johnson wrote: »

The other half went to Evans in the Westend centre today to buy something for me only to find they've gone, and Dorothy Perkins too. Anyone know why? Such a pain in the backside, the only two left in Dublin now are Liffey Valley and Henry St.

The rent is too high is the usual excuse,happened with the last evans.

ongarboy · 17-09-2014 3:33pm

holly_johnson wrote: »

The other half went to Evans in the Westend centre today to buy something for me only to find they've gone, and Dorothy Perkins too. Anyone know why? Such a pain in the backside, the only two left in Dublin now are Liffey Valley and Henry St.

Is the entire unit shut down (ie including Burtons?). I used to find that Burtons handier and less cramped than the one inside the SC. Although saying that, it seemed to be deserted anytime I went there.

Newbridge Silverware is moving to a larger unit to the left. I think in the unit that was briefly Timberland or Tom Tailor or both - can't keep up with the high turnover!

holly_johnson · 17-09-2014 3:46pm

ongarboy wrote: »

Is the entire unit shut down (ie including Burtons?). I used to find that Burtons handier and less cramped than the one inside the SC. Although saying that, it seemed to be deserted anytime I went there.

Newbridge Silverware is moving to a larger unit to the left. I think in the unit that was briefly Timberland or Tom Tailor or both - can't keep up with the high turnover!

He said the whole place was in darkness, so I presume that's Burton's gone too. I know they're all the same group.

Interesting about Newbridge, don't they already have a unit in the main centre upstairs?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 17-09-2014 3:51pm

Are Burton's, Evans and DP not still in the main centre? I can't keep up.

holly_johnson · 17-09-2014 3:57pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Are Burton's, Evans and DP not still in the main centre? I can't keep up.

No, they left the main centre (upstairs beside Dunnes) a couple of years ago & moved to a big unit in the Westend park. Can't believe they're gone, such a pain.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 17-09-2014 3:58pm

holly_johnson wrote: »

No, they left the main centre (upstairs beside Dunnes) a couple of years ago & moved to a big unit in the Westend park. Can't believe they're gone, such a pain.

They didn't move, they had stores in both. I'm 99% sure I was looking at DP this morning and Burton's was open not that long ago. Not sure about Evans.

holly_johnson · 17-09-2014 4:00pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

They didn't move, they had stores in both. I'm 99% sure I was looking at DP this morning and Burton's was open not that long ago. Not sure about Evans.

Oh! Apologies if so. Evans definitely moved a few years ago. The only one was in the Westend.

January · 17-09-2014 4:35pm

I think DP and Burtons in the centre are still open.

Newbridge are moving to a bigger unit, not sure what it used to be. Can't keep up any longer.

uli84 · 17-09-2014 4:40pm

ah no, that Dorothy Perkins store was fabulous, superb bargains there every time I went, the one in the centre is soooo tiny

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 17-09-2014 5:13pm

They were threatening to pull out of the centre a while back if they didn't get lower rents. I guess they must have got what they were after because they're still there. Perhaps they played the centre management off against the West End management and the centre gave them the better deal?

ongarboy · 17-09-2014 6:15pm

holly_johnson wrote: »

Interesting about Newbridge, don't they already have a unit in the main centre upstairs?

Sorry, I meant Newbridge relocating to a bigger unit to the left of their existing unit in the main SC.

Nolimits · 17-09-2014 6:32pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

They were threatening to pull out of the centre a while back if they didn't get lower rents. I guess they must have got what they were after because they're still there. Perhaps they played the centre management off against the West End management and the centre gave them the better deal?

It's my understanding that due to the law being ****ed up over here it's not legal to lower rents. I remember Declan on the currys board talking about it.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 17-09-2014 7:21pm

Nolimits wrote: »

It's my understanding that due to the law being ****ed up over here it's not legal to lower rents. I remember Declan on the currys board talking about it.

I'm pretty sure you can renegotiate your rents when your contracts are up for renewal, which I think was the case with these stores. Could be wrong, I won't fight you on it.

Turbulent Bill · 20-09-2014 8:52pm

I've noticed some of the long-term tenants (who presumably had their leases expire at the same time) have swapped premises. At a guess it's because a 'new' lease is much cheaper than a renewal.

Can't think of a concrete example off hand, but definitely noticed it over the last year or so.

Shane O' Malley · 20-09-2014 10:44pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I'm pretty sure you can renegotiate your rents when your contracts are up for renewal, which I think was the case with these stores. Could be wrong, I won't fight you on it.

Most leases will be for an extended period of time with rent reviews every 5 years. Most of the leases in Blanchardstown will be 25 years.

The rent reviews will be (With the exception of very new leases) be upward only and it will be up to the landlord to grant any reduction. It is not possible to just leave a lease as you will be responsible for the term remaining on it.

All that said, Blanchardstown is still a successful centre which has weathered the recession pretty well especially compared to many other centres.

Blanchardstown Centre - history of tenants

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