I miss Roches Stores

jos28

I really do miss the old Roches in Henry St. The Debenhams that is there now is like a dumping ground for the Jervis St Debenhams. Any stock they can't get rid of seems to end up in Henry St. I miss the household section downstairs. It was great for kitchen gadgets and bits and pieces. Roches had a unique atmosphere. Great memories of going there as a kid. Pity it's gone.

spurious

That's the bit I miss too - the downstairs place where you could get plug adaptors and TV cables and other stuff.

I have been in it once since it became Debenham's and that was to go to the Chocolate Fountain, which was quite disappointing considering its name.

admiralofthefleet

i used to be a manager for them, in blackrock, to say i miss the handy number is an understatement, darragh o carolain are you listening...

ixoy

It was great for its downstairs all right, for finding those oddities like particular hoover bags that were difficult to get elsewhere.

Also it provided my first full-time Summer job, back in the Summer of '97. £5.70 was good money for a future college Student and helped build up a nice fund for my first year. That's even further back as it was in an old warehouse on Abbey Street which has been a car-park (near the Jervis St. LUAS stop) since then.

McSandwich

I used to love their toy section downstairs when I was a kid..

What I really dislike about Debenhams (and many other dept. stores) is the way clothes are separated according to brand. Roches had a much more sensible layout where clothing was arranged by type (shirts, jumpers, trousers, etc.), with a mix of brands in each section. This made it much easier to find what I wanted.

ixoy

McSandwich wrote:

I used to love their toy section downstairs when I was a kid..

I worked in the toy stock room at Christmas We'd get orders from the floor and fill up big tubs with toys that would be sent down in the lift. So many toys..

jetsonx

yeah they used to sell everthing there in that basemnet - from a corkscrew to a
plug...all of it useful stuff... (now been replaced with things people want not need)

Now, to get those useful things involves a trip to a souless superstore in the middle of nowhere....

Jay D

I don't think I miss it, mainly for the reason I rarely go in.

I remember going shopping for food and that years ago with my ma and all but other than that I think I've only bought 1 pair of jeans in it over the years

jos28

McSandwich wrote:

What I really dislike about Debenhams (and many other dept. stores) is the way clothes are separated according to brand. Roches had a much more sensible layout where clothing was arranged by type (shirts, jumpers, trousers, etc.), with a mix of brands in each section. This made it much easier to find what I wanted.

Ah the days before franchising. I think that's probably why I hate shopping so much now. It's just too confusing, with all the stores within stores.

barrett1965

I shouldn't be posting here as I'm from Galway, but I wanted to say that we miss our Roches Stores too. It was a famous landmark for years here in Galway city and a place where a lot of the locals would meet for coffee after doing their shopping (sigh). And, not to mention that unique athmosphere it had.

Jay D

jos28 wrote:

Ah the days before franchising. I think that's probably why I hate shopping so much now. It's just too confusing, with all the stores within stores.

stop man. If it's one thing Ihate now it's shopping for clothes, not that I ever got overly excited by it....

seriously like, shops do my head in now and I'm not keen on this crappy River Island wear everyone seems to be into

snickerpuss

Last time I was in the one on Henry Street they had these announcements by this annoying English bloke with this awful perky accent asking us to "Go to the basement for your freeeee knife". Every. two. minutes.

I had to leave.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I miss it too.

When I was much younger and bought my first house (£12k and that was paying over the odd's at the time) we furnished it almost entirely from Roches Stores, Henry St.

It was also one of the only places a woman could by just the thong for her summer hols without having to buy an entire swimsuit and not use the bra

<my wife did that, not me>

BendiBus

I miss it too. Especially the basement for all the bits & pieces like kitchen ware, plugs & lightbulbs etc. I even miss the supermarket that they used to have. It was small but always had plenty of tills open & small queues.

Debenhams is bland and has no soul.

DublinWriter

jetsonx wrote:

yeah they used to sell everthing there in that basemnet - from a corkscrew to a
plug...all of it useful stuff... (now been replaced with things people want not need)

Sorry, but going into Roches in Henry Street, especially the basement, made me lose the will to live.

For ages it used to be the only place that had a working passport photo machine.

If you're really nostalgic to fight with hoards of auld wans smelling of turnips over rubbish, then go visit Guineys on Talbot Street for than authentic Dublin shopping experience.

BendiBus

DublinWriter wrote:

For ages it used to be the only place that had a working passport photo machine.

Yeah, I'd forgotten about that. Used it many times. I miss that photo machine

Flukey

One of the best things about the old Roches Stores was that it had the best Pick 'n Mix in the city. No more though.

MaxFlower

Herself was just saying that yesterday - 'I really miss Roches' - Galway. Forgot to ask why but its probably because that tool announcing the 'freeee knife' drove her batty.

I miss it because I was also one of the Summer workers in the electrical dept. Oh the memories:rolleyes: . The crappy staff canteen that has a special place in my heart and Turlough, where are you now?

M&S is not too bad but Debenhams pretty much sucks and is definitely soulless as someone else said above. What really takes the biscuit though is the sign we saw last Christmas for the opening hours.....

Christmas Eve - 9-9pm
Christmas Day - Closed
Boxing Day - 9-6pm

Boxing Day!!!! WTF When did we move to Blighty:mad: :mad:

arybvtcw0eolkf

keithers911 wrote:

Christmas Eve - 9-9pm
Christmas Day - Closed
Boxing Day - 9-6pm

Boxing Day!!!! WTF When did we move to Blighty:mad: :mad:

Feck that sh*t, the war is back on...

Up the 'RA!.

Slunk

I miss it too. As a kid i used to go in every thursday during the summer with my mam and meet my nan, they would do their shopping then go upstairs to the cafe, which obviously was the best bit. They used to have the nicest cakes ever in there. Remember buying various different things as I got older too. If I was looking for something my mam would just say go to Roches and direct me to where it was in the shop. Havent been in it much since its now debenhams. Dont really like it.

John Mason

i was just thinking the same thing. i was in there on saturday and its crap. stupid Debenhams:(

copacetic

am i the only one that misses the sweets? afair they had pick and mix style sweets near the door long before those stupid pick and mix franchises started up everywhere..

Poxyshamrock

Ah Roches Stores...Everyone misses it...not just Dublin. Limerick will not be the same without "Roches". Debenhams is not necessarily bland...but it does lack what Roches Stores had...character. People are raw towards Debenhams though because it's replaced an institution.

Debenhams in Jervis is sooooooooo different to Henry it's unbelievable.

And as for the knives...in Limerick they were giving them to everyone and I MEAN everyone...biggest scumbags in limerick were walking out the door with knives. The staff were to blame entirely. no wonder we have our name "young man could i tempt you with a free knive?".



RIP Roches...gone but never forgotten.

Jay D

Poxyshamrock wrote:

Ah Roches Stores...Everyone misses it...not just Dublin. Limerick will not be the same without "Roches". Debenhams is not necessarily bland...but it does lack what Roches Stores had...character. People are raw towards Debenhams though because it's replaced an institution.

Debenhams in Jervis is sooooooooo different to Henry it's unbelievable.

And as for the knives...in Limerick they were giving them to everyone and I MEAN everyone...biggest scumbags in limerick were walking out the door with knives. The staff were to blame entirely. no wonder we have our name "young man could i tempt you with a free knive?".



RIP Roches...gone but never forgotten.

lmao Stab City's source is discovered!!!

but was in Henry St the other day and got clothes I don't normally go for....

certainly Roches is missed but I am now discovering (correct me if I am wrong) that Roches accross Ireland is no more??

Jip

Even the one in Blacnahrdstown is crap, that used to have a god homewares section which is practically gone now. Asked one of the staff is this all these if and she said yes and agreed that it's a pretty poor section nowadays.

luckat

I don't go to Debenhams - no reason to go in there; they don't have anything I want.

DublinWriter, perhaps you might ease down on the ageism and sexism. And not hoards, by the way, hordes, in the context of crowds.

My memory of a typical day in Roches: I went in to buy a Moulinex juicer. Went down to the electrical section and asked for the specific juicer, and the woman serving said she had one identical to the Moulinex for a better price. I was doubtful, and she said "I've been in the factory, seen them made. Identical."

So I bought it, and it was great. Still have it.

It was a good shop in a lot of ways - great plants. The garden centre would get you things you couldn't find elsewhere, and the plants were always really healthy and bug-free.

Mind you, one or two of the security staff didn't always have a good reputation; I heard one horrible story. But there's always bad apples.

Miguel_Sanchez

Yeah damn it - where the hell am I supposed to buy Hoover Bags in Dublin city now?

My carpet's a right mess and I need to get my clean on.

jos28

Hoover bags, pick and mix sweets, garden stuff, character, trips to the coffee shop with the Mammy.....No wonder I miss it. I also miss their policy on exchanges. They would change anything with or without receipt, no hassle at all. Try that in Debenhams !

spurious

They also has that cool public address thing for staff. As a child I thought that would be the height of cool - to have your name called out on that.
'Telephone call for Miss Spurious, Miss Spurious, telephone call'.

There was also the whoosh of warm air as you went in the door.

cailinoBAC

Also it provided my first full-time Summer job, back in the Summer of '97. £5.70 was good money for a future college Student and helped build up a nice fund for my first year.

£5.70 an hour? That was a fortune! I only got £3.80 an hour when I was in second year - Christmas 98.

Haven't really been in much since it changed. Sure all department stores are the same now.

cunnins4

I have the misfortune of working there at the moment. (henry street)

What a god awful place it is to work. A fair few hot birds on the second floor it has to be said though.

In '99 when i worked in Spar i was on £2.20/hour!!!!!!! I thought i was worth a fortune the week i bust my asse working every hour god sent when i got £106 in one week.

wmpdd3

If you hate shopping in Debenhams, try working there.

Oh and the knife guy is on every 13mins on a busy day.

Debenhams is just another Dunnes with a few concessions to bring in the high street shoppers.

Designers at debenhams makes me laugh, I wonder what they'd pay me to use my name on their own brand clothes.

Also its really sad that they think they can open St. Stephen's day but stores only open those hours it they have customers, so forget the war but stay away!!

parsi

DublinWriter wrote:

Sorry, but going into Roches in Henry Street, especially the basement, made me lose the will to live.

For ages it used to be the only place that had a working passport photo machine.

If you're really nostalgic to fight with hoards of auld wans smelling of turnips over rubbish, then go visit Guineys on Talbot Street for than authentic Dublin shopping experience.

In the Provinces (i.e. outside the Pale) Roches was a place that stocked everything and had a great returns policy - even if the item wasn't bought there.

Debenhams will never be the same - especially while it quotes UK legislation as the reason it can't sell a knife..

cruibin

My sis worked in Roches for years, she loved it, different approach to customers and a great athmosphere. I have not so fond memories of having to go there very thursday to buy Ox tongue - yuck - in the supermarket for my granddad (god rest him) but in saying that the butchers knew me by name and if they saw me coming the order was being prepared before I got to the counter... and feck the queue!!

As for basements... I got many an appliance in Roches... dont think I'll be buying any of the crap they have in Debenhams basement!

Gaspode

jos28 wrote:

I really do miss the old Roches in Henry St. The Debenhams that is there now is like a dumping ground for the Jervis St Debenhams. Any stock they can't get rid of seems to end up in Henry St. I miss the household section downstairs. It was great for kitchen gadgets and bits and pieces. Roches had a unique atmosphere. Great memories of going there as a kid. Pity it's gone.

Agreed, roches is sorely missed. I cant abide Debenhams, there is nothing in it for me. roches was always good for gents clothing and shoes.
Unless you're a designer label sucker, there's sod all in Debenhams.

katieo

keithers911 wrote:

probably because that tool announcing the 'freeee knife' drove her batty.

:eek:OMG he wrecked my head and i had to listen to it a million times a day cause i worked in the one in galway up to a few months ago.
i worked in roches/debs during the whole change it was the worse thing ever!! even their way of managing the staff totally changed it just went down hill! the place is always empty these days and i've heard that they're not making much of a profit, apparently they are now trying to get some european company to sell half of the irish business to...bring back roches!!