I miss Zavvi....

road_high

Have to say I really miss this store..it was only open barely a year and the company collapsed. There was nothing to touch it for CDs and DVDs in Kilkenny. And now it's gone ... wish we could get a replacement

Johnnnybravo

mfitzy wrote: »

Have to say I really miss this store..it was only open barely a year and the company collapsed. There was nothing to touch it for CDs and DVDs in Kilkenny. And now it's gone ... wish we could get a replacement

Yea there is a distinct lack of a decent music store in KK. All I can say to you is sign up for a 3v card if you dont have a cc and get yourself onto play.com. Much cheaper than what you would have gotten in Zavvi anyway and usually delivered to your door for free in less than a week. Lol Im not on commission for them:D. Heartbeat city is a joke as far as music stores go!

thealltimelow

what about the 6m2 of xtravison

Raze_them_all

Zavvi was great...there dvd selection was top notch too

Sully

Was up in the awl shopping center the other day. Its so empty without it (actually, its empty with it anyway!).

thealltimelow

there is noting going in there yet now more and more units are going soon there will be noting left

Purry Cat

I miss it too!

Absolute Zero

Yes i miss it so much. I have noticed that the week after it closed SHAMEstop raised their prices by at least 10%-15% due to once again having no real competition in the entire city.

Zavvi always had some good deals on dvds and games its a big loss and takes away any incentive of even going near macdonagh.

road_high

The charging for parking again is a big turn off for me as well. Have found myself not goin there at all lately.
The management should try and get in something like HMV under very favourable terms. Would boost it no end.

And can I suggest the Food court get something low brow, fast and cheap like McDonalds or Burger King. It is badly needed. There are 4 or 5 places to eat up there and not one of them with any broad appeal.
The shop mix has been very poorly planned and that is the places biggest handicap.

Firetrap

The food court is p*ss poor and way too expensive. There's nowhere for someone to sit down and have a semi-decent meal - only things like bagels/paninis/quiches. I was in Eddie Rockett's once and still feel like I was mugged. €14 for a burger, chips and a drink

I miss Zavvi too. I know you can buy things online but I used to like browsing through the DVD box sets especially and picking up the odd bargain. Heartbeat City just doesn't do it for me.

ztoical

Firetrap wrote: »

The food court is p*ss poor and way too expensive. There's nowhere for someone to sit down and have a semi-decent meal - only things like bagels/paninis/quiches. I was in Eddie Rockett's once and still feel like I was mugged. €14 for a burger, chips and a drink

I miss Zavvi too. I know you can buy things online but I used to like browsing through the DVD box sets especially and picking up the odd bargain. Heartbeat City just doesn't do it for me.

+ 1 the food court def needs a better selection. You can have coffee with a crap sandwhich, coffee with a crap bagel or coffee with a stale bit of cake. Would love Sub Way to open there, save me heading all the way into town. With Zavvi gone and the parking fee back I've all but stopped going there. Went in today for the first time in nearly two months and was shocked at how empty it was for the middle of a saturday. It had started to pick up with the free 2 hour parking, the kiddies climbing thing, and a selection of music/art stuff on in the food court area but they've undone all that charging for parking again. Bag shop is closed, whose next?

Anyone know if tom tailor is closed? It wasn't open today but there was no signs and everything was still in the store.

Sully

Tom Tailor was open, IIRC. The only store that I thought was closed was Zavvi.. but the place was so empty I just strolled through and headed out onto the streets. That development must be a big enough flop, I think the design could have been better to fit more units. I liked the Parking offer (limit of €5, we get charged that much nearly for an hour in Waterford) and with a euro off if you do a decent shop in Dunnes Stores also.

Where is the food court again? The place outside with all the cobbles? Saw it open for the first day when I was up a few days back, but never went for anything.

xOxSinéadxOx

I barely even go up to macdonagh, it's ****e. go river island now and again other than that I'd never be up there. and completely agree with the food court, there's nothing there!

Firetrap

It's like whoever designed it didn't know a lot about shopping centres. We've discussed the poor shop mix before and I think the chickens are coming home to roost on that one. The corridor is way too wide and gives an illusion of emptiness even if there are people in it. The location of the ATM is another niggle. It should be up on the top floor, not almost hidden at the bottom of one of the escalators.

Another thing that's poor is the location of the shop fronts across from Dunne's entrance. I'm not surprised 3 have stuck a gondola down near the kiddie's climbing frame. The shop is up in a sort of cul-de-sac beyond Dunne's entrance. It and the now closed Chinese herbal place.

ztoical

Sully wrote: »

I liked the Parking offer (limit of €5, we get charged that much nearly for an hour in Waterford) and with a euro off if you do a decent shop in Dunnes Stores also.

That might be good in Waterford but not in KK when you can go park elsewhere for the same price or cheaper. They changed it to the first two hours where free and you saw a jump in people going and when they changed it back you saw a massive drop. It's still pretty new for most people in the town and you've got to force them to give it a try and when they've got to pay so much for parking they're not going to bother.

Stephen

I think the layout of the place was hamstrung by the way that they had to build it around the old station/workhouse walls. It still strikes me as pure greed the way they reintroduced the parking fee as soon as the council annihilated pretty much every nearby free parking space.

fabbydabby

While archetecturially, MacDonagh Junction is pleasant to behold, it is a horrible soulless, lifeless place to be IN.

They were severely restricted in what they could do design-wise as a shopping centre by the legacy of existing listed railway buildings, and while they artfully incorporated the old structures with the new, the actual layout of the place is utterly impractical, it is such that all of the shops are detached from one another, strung out and connected only by an airy, empty, cavernous hall, all but devoid of life, with ambiguous entrances and exits.

It's like some sort of retail limbo that you float around in, without any concept of time, space, location, day or night.

And for this reason I do not like it.

xOxSinéadxOx

Firetrap wrote: »

It's like whoever designed it didn't know a lot about shopping centres. We've discussed the poor shop mix before and I think the chickens are coming home to roost on that one. The corridor is way too wide and gives an illusion of emptiness even if there are people in it. The location of the ATM is another niggle. It should be up on the top floor, not almost hidden at the bottom of one of the escalators.

Another thing that's poor is the location of the shop fronts across from Dunne's entrance. I'm not surprised 3 have stuck a gondola down near the kiddie's climbing frame. The shop is up in a sort of cul-de-sac beyond Dunne's entrance. It and the now closed Chinese herbal place.

that pisses me off so much

Stephen

Was in there today (and I parked for free in John's Green :pac:). Tom Tailor was closed, bag shop is gone, but there was actually a good few people there.

Firetrap

Tom Tailor was closed? :eek: I wonder will that be another empty unit going a begging?

Stephen

There was also a sign saying "esprit opening June 2009"... they have 2 more days then!

Sully

This article may be of interest. There was another about how much money retailers owe them, but I cant seem to find it.

THE development firm behind Kilkenny's flagship MacDonagh Junction shopping centre is facing a winding-up petition from its engineering contractor.

Winthrop, whose website still boasts of the firm's €7m contract for the engineering work on the centre, will formally bring the petition before the High Court on June 15.

The engineering company is run by Barry English, one of the infamous group that famously gave former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern a "dig out" back in 1994.

The move to wind-up MacDonagh Junction Developments (MDJD) comes less than two years after the 30,000 square metre shopping centre opened for business in November 2007.

The development firm's chief backers are auctioneer Paul Newman and solicitor Paul Hanby. In a brief statement issued by a Dublin public relations company, MDJD last night admitted it was in "financial difficulties" and was "working closely with banks to come to a satisfactory solution".

The company, which is being advised by BDO Simpson Xavier, has offered its creditors 62c in the euro. A spokesman said he could not give details on the amounts out-standing to these creditors. Company records show AIB already has three charges secured against the development company.

The amount outstanding to Dublin-based Winthrop from the original €7m is unclear, and the company failed to return calls last night.

The spokesman for MDJD stressed that the MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre itself was "not affected" by the financial difficulties at the development company.

"The Retail Centre which is owned by a separate investor consortium continues to perform strongly," he said. "The Centre has 35 stores trading and its 300 jobs are secured."

Private clients of Davy stockbrokers are among the major investors in the shopping centre, having paid almost €69m for their share of the action in a combination of debt and equity.

Arrears

Shopping centres nationally have been plagued by recession-linked rent arrears, and recent reports put the rent owing to the MacDonagh Junction centre at more than €620,000.

The woes of development firm MDJD have been well-flagged. Another related company, MacDonagh Junction Holdings, last year took a €6.5m impairment charge on its 33pc share in the ordinary capital of the development vehicle.

"It is evident that the property development being undertaken by MacDonagh Junction Developments Limited was not likely to be as profitable as initially planned," notes to the holding company accounts said.

"The directors are of the opinion that the investment in this company may not be recovered."

Source: http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/contractor-wants-mdjd-developer-to-be-woundup-1763731.html

Where are the 35 stores?

Raze_them_all

there can't be can there??? I presume there considering the shops outside it aswell like peter marks, bowling ally and so on

ztoical

Raze_them_all wrote: »

there can't be can there??? I presume there considering the shops outside it aswell like peter marks, bowling ally and so on

yeah they're counting all the shops outside plus the floating island type stalls whatever they are called [ie Sky]

Firetrap

Sully wrote: »

This article may be of interest. There was another about how much money retailers owe them, but I cant seem to find it.

Might it be this one?

(Edited) The rental downturn means some tenants are not paying rent and, in one case in Kilkenny, the landlord is now owed more than €600,000.

The Sunday Tribune has obtained documents showing the rent arrears at MacDonagh Junction, a shopping centre in Kilkenny which opened in November 2007.

"Tenant arrears are a significant issue for all retail centres at the moment, including MacDonagh Junction," according to documents recently circulated by stockbroking firm Davy, whose private clients invested in the centre.

The total quarterly rent from the centre is €1.17m, including the Zavvi unit which surrendered its lease after going into liquidation. Davy's investors' share of the quarterly rent is 45.5%. The documents, seen by this newspaper, show that tenant rent arrears of more than 90 days stood at €284,000 in April, suggesting total rent arrears of more than €620,000. Five tenants account for more than 50% of the arrears, the documents state.

When the centre was bought, just under three-quarters of the units by area were let. That figure now stands at 80%, according to the documents.

Three tenants at the shopping centre had entered examinership or administration or went into liquidation "and a number of other tenants are experiencing difficulty".

They have drawn up a plan to recover the arrears, secure existing tenants and let vacant space, including the units where tenants may not survive.

"The objective of the plan is to get the centre fully let, even if this means taking a temporary hit on rent," it states, adding that "tenants are being allowed pay rent quarterly on condition they're made on time".

Davy told the investors that they expect to recover all of the arrears and also stated that Penneys is in advanced discussions to take the unit at the back of the centre, which would form its second phase.

Stephen

Great, so Zavvi gets replaced by another Penneys :rolleyes:

Johnnnybravo

I reckon Penneys would definately draw people into Mcdonagh. People seem to go mad for the place. That Sisley and Benetton are so overpriced, Id much rather see a shop that people can afford to shop in going in there now.

mcaul

The company behind Tom Tailor has gone into liquidation. The same company or a connected company (same owner) was opening the Esprit store, so I'd guess it won't be opening.

The centre is a difficult one to fathom, I've looked at it before for a retail store and it just didn;t have appeal. Charging for parking is a problem as is the very poor layout of the car park. (They don't seem to open basement carpark until upper level is totally full) Then in addition you have very poor acoustics and whenever I've dropped in the most god awful musice is being blasted into your ears from the second you walk in.

Choice of stores is poor - I can see the original concept of middle to high level retailers (but joined by Dunnes & TK Maxx??) was a good idea, but poor location.

Unfortunately, with the rents still dreadfully high in the centre and very few if any big names looking at opening stores, it is set to stay stagnant for a while yet.

fabbydabby

I dropped in yesterday evening and the place was utterly devoid of human life. I even took some pics with my phone... so eerie.

Unfortuately the camera couldn't capture the feelings of dispair brought about by the aural buggery I recieved compliments of Generic Lounge Grooves Volume 1 at a volume the speakers were incapable of generating with clarity.

It was as if they were trying to fill the void left by their would-be patrons with awful, sterile, reptitive four to the floor beats and laid-back mellow rhythms.

WHERE do people find that music? And, more importantly, WHY?

Firetrap

They're probably selling the CDs in the bargain stalls in Dunnes

road_high

They really need to sit down and ask what we, the customers, want. The list of grabbles with the place is quite long but some of the mistakes made such as the ATM location are quite basic really. And I don't imagine it would be too difficult to get in some where cheap like Burger King to liven up the so-called Food Court.

xOxSinéadxOx

a KFC in the food court would make me extremely happy

Firetrap

They need to get more shops in there fast. Even if they're only pound shops or a Heatons type set-up. How about a DVD rental place? Argos? A decent shoe shop. Something like Khan's Books.

Podge2k7

I'd love it if HMV opened in there, love it!

fabbydabby

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

a KFC in the food court would make me extremely happy

Really? There's a Kilkenny Fried Chicken on the ringpiece road though. Do we need another one?

What they don't need in the 'food court' is yet another insomnia or mocha beans or [insert generic overpriced café that only serves prepacked sandwiches and paninis]. Ever been to the Epicurean Food Hall on Abbey street?? Watch and learn, kids. That place rocks. Mexican, Italian, Asian, Turkish grub etc etc... all under a roof about one third the size of the one in Mac Donagh J.

But I'll bet they'll fill it up with Starbucks's and O Briends sandwich bar. And no one will eat there. Except people who want overpriced pre-packed sandwiches, Pat the dickhole baker bread and food that ends in 'nini'.

MFitzy, I don't think they CARE what we want. THEY want money for rent to cover their (I'm sure) unhealthy financial situation. They won't get this cause decent outlets won't touch it cause they heard it's a disaster of a place (and the rent is too high anyway)... so what happens? More outlets close... place becomes even more of a disaster, outlets steer clear... the cycle continues....

They need to let all the shops in there for half nothing to stimulate the place. heh heh...stimulate.

Johnnnybravo

A greasy food joint would be great. Im really not digging the whole over priced coffeys vibe going on over there. And Eddie Rockets does not count, 12e for a burger, coke and fries is beyond a joke.

xOxSinéadxOx

fabbydabby wrote: »

Really? There's a Kilkenny Fried Chicken on the ringpiece road though. Do we need another one?

there can never be too many KFCs.

Firetrap

They wouldn't want to have KFC drive-through in McDoughnut Junction. Any car that stops in the place has to pay for parking :P

gunner11

who said burger king is cheap?? its the king of burger joints! i personally would keep the shopping centre goin if they opened up there!

TheGodson

First post, so bear with me.. . I agree to a certain extent with everything said here, but I also remember when Market Cross opened up first, there was a lot of criticism about it as well, why did they do this, why did they do that etc etc..

I think MacDonagh Junction opened up at a bad time, but at least it opened up - it could potentially be a great asset for Kilkenny in the future, when the economic situation evens out a bit. In fairness, they seem to try different things to try and get people in, and I'd say it will only be a matter of time before rents will have to come down, if that's part of the problem. I've rarely been in there when it's 'empty', but that god damn awful music should be turned down - it sounds like an old transistor radio gone mental! Zavvi was unfortunate, Dunnes a disaster, but I would have preferred an M&S over Tesco any day (I'm not a Tesco fan though..)

Next seems to be doing ok, as does TK Maxx, Tom Tailor going into liquidation doesn't surprise me - they really didn't have a lot in there.. or any of their shops. I was surprised they opened, but I'd say they might be 'taken over'.

I think it's important to try and be positive in the situation we find ourselves in economically. MacDonagh Junction and Market Cross will continue to suffer for the moment, but could be an important source of employment in the future, when some element of confidence returns. We should try and support them both (remember they're local!!) in every little way that we can, rather than supporting the economies of other surrounding towns.

Thanks for bearing with me - hope to continue with a few more posts that interest me in the future

(Note: I'm not affiliated with either, and I don't work in either of the centres - just personal opinion)

Raze_them_all

I heard champion sports is closing down now

JohnMc1

TheGodson wrote:

In fairness, they seem to try different things

How is having clothing stores selling virtually the same thing [overpriced club wear] tons of coffee shops topped with Dunnes that is every inferior to the Kieran's St one trying different things? There's no variety in there and they wonder why nobody goes in there.

JohnnnyBravo wrote:

And Eddie Rockets does not count, 12e for a burger, coke and fries is beyond a joke.

Eddie Rocket's is a nice place though. I ate in there twice. I definitely agree you wouldn't go in there on a spur of the moment though. Their opening did seem to increase the number of people going into the Junction though.

Raze_them_all wrote:

I heard champion sports is closing down now

Honestly I wouldn't be surprised. Their selection is poor compared to Elvery's. I know one of the girls that works there that used to work at Porters. If I see her I'll ask if she knows anything.

TheGodson

Agree with your point about variety needed, I think we will see some initiatives in the future - it will be essential for success let alone survival!

When I referred to 'different things' being tried, I didn't mean the shops, I means the different events that they organise which some people do actually attend and enjoy.

I don't agree with your point about 'overpriced clubwear'. That hasn't been my experience, and as I'm in my 30's and married, I don't go looking for Clubwear anyway..:D

One small other point though - if "nobody" went or is going in there, the centre would have closed long ago. People are going in, they may have curtailed their spending, but factors external to the numbers of people going in to the centre have been responsible for the closing of shops. These same shops have closed in other centres nationwide too - it not just a local issue.

As I said an earlier post, I agree with a lot of what was said, and macDonagh Junction should read what's in this thread and another, but I also feel that it should be supported, and not bashed at every opportunity for their actions and choices which are largely comercially driven - everything is these days.

If anyone knows people working in the centre, maybe a good idea would be to pass on the word that the centre needs to listen to what local people want, and have a "big" comments box where people can tell them. At the moment, they're a bit out of touch with the real people of the area.

Sully

TheGodson wrote: »

First post, so bear with me.. . I agree to a certain extent with everything said here, but I also remember when Market Cross opened up first, there was a lot of criticism about it as well, why did they do this, why did they do that etc etc..

Market Cross is hardly much better. Though its design is better as it fits more shops but strange having an outdoor style shopping center in Ireland! Mind I dont recall when it opened first time but looking at it now its a strange development and offers very little. Though I have a different view on what a shopping center should be like - we have a Market Cross type area here in Waterford.

I think MacDonagh Junction opened up at a bad time, but at least it opened up - it could potentially be a great asset for Kilkenny in the future, when the economic situation evens out a bit. In fairness, they seem to try different things to try and get people in, and I'd say it will only be a matter of time before rents will have to come down, if that's part of the problem. I've rarely been in there when it's 'empty', but that god damn awful music should be turned down - it sounds like an old transistor radio gone mental! Zavvi was unfortunate, Dunnes a disaster, but I would have preferred an M&S over Tesco any day (I'm not a Tesco fan though..)

The problem with MacDonagh is that, while it has(d) potential, its a huge open space with unusual large stores. It offered, from the start, very little in terms of retail units anyway. Some stores will close because lack of passing trade and others because the company itself will go down the swanny. Everytime I go in its very quiet. There is always going to be people there but this place is more quiet then normal for a shopping center. In addition, sure things should improve in the future but it doesnt offer much units to compare with the likes of Mahon Point SC.

Next seems to be doing ok, as does TK Maxx, Tom Tailor going into liquidation doesn't surprise me - they really didn't have a lot in there.. or any of their shops. I was surprised they opened, but I'd say they might be 'taken over'.

TK Maxx is a recession store - of course it will do well. Next is a very popular store in general so it should survive. Tom Tailor was only open before it went, but thats not really the fault of MacDonagh.

I think it's important to try and be positive in the situation we find ourselves in economically. MacDonagh Junction and Market Cross will continue to suffer for the moment, but could be an important source of employment in the future, when some element of confidence returns. We should try and support them both (remember they're local!!) in every little way that we can, rather than supporting the economies of other surrounding towns.

Technically, there not local! MacDonagh offers very little for people to go there - Market Cross needs a revamp and could be an excellent source for shopping in Kilkenny. Both will suffer but Market Cross should come out the winner (though its being held back because its not looking great).

TheGodson

In terms of 'local', I should have been more specific - I meant that they provide local empoyment, pay wages to local people which is spent on some other local goods and services - the usual economic cycle. I suppose putting else everything aside, such as shop types, popularity, design etc, I would still like to see it supported. The Centre is still only a 'baby' when compared to other SC's, it still has to find its feet in what is at the moment "very muddy waters" - and lets face it - in Kilkenny, we're not going to get much else in the near future.

xOxSinéadxOx

I just want a KFC and I will grace that shopping centre with my presence every day for the rest of my life.

They think they're fairly elite though don't they? with all their stupid posh food places

Podge2k7

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

I just want a KFC and I will grace that shopping centre with my presence every day for the rest of my life.

They think they're fairly elite though don't they? with all their stupid posh food places

You must really love KFC?:D

xOxSinéadxOx

Podge2k7 wrote: »

You must really love KFC?:D

you have no idea...

Podge2k7

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

you have no idea...

Whats wrong with the one in KK at the moment?

highgiant1985

Raze_them_all wrote: »

I heard champion sports is closing down now

has this been confirmed?

highgiant1985

xOxSinéadxOx wrote: »

you have no idea...

haha so would you be impressed if a guy bought you to KFC on a date?