Flavin's butchers

RhubarbCrumble

Not sure if this thread is allowed or not, so feel free to delete if it's inappropriate.

Basically I'm just wondering if anyone has shopped in Flavin's butchers in Ballinacurra, and how do you find it? I've been there a few times lately and while the meat has been fine (though a bit more expensive than my usual butcher) I really don't like the staff. I'm finding them quite rude to be hoenst, not too pushed about helping you and I feel as though I'm bothering them.

Today for example, I wanted a piece of steak, just enough for one, so obviously a small piece. All the pieces were pretty big, so I asked if they'd cut a piece for me, but the guy I dealt with pretty much said no, and gave me a smaller piece from underneath. It was only when I got home that I discovered it was more fat than anything else.
Have bought other bits and pieces in there before, but have always felt as though I was a bother. Had my parents to dinner a couple of weeks ago and bought pork steak. When I asked how long to cook it for I was told "Ah, until you think it's done".

I normally go to Liam Wallace in the Crescent, and while the choice there is basic enough, I have to say that all the staff in there are really lovely. Very friendly, a good laugh and a bit of craic, and always go out of their way to help, even if it's just something small I'm buying.

Think I'll be sticking to Liam Wallace in future, and staying away from Flavins.

Berty

I buy my meat in Flavins in Castletroy and I think the "large guy" is the friendliest and more helpful guy.

The prices are ok but the range is always the same. I like pushing the girlfriend in the direction of the fish when we walk in the door. She hates that.

Mc Love

Hi Mr/Mrs Wallace!

Flavins in Catletroy are very friendly and always helpful with any answers to questions you may have.

In saying that - they aint a patch on Garretts!

jonski

RhubarbCrumble wrote: »

I normally go to Liam Wallace in the Crescent, and while the choice there is basic enough, I have to say that all the staff in there are really lovely. Very friendly, a good laugh and a bit of craic, and always go out of their way to help, even if it's just something small I'm buying.

I have to agree with you on the Liam Wallace thing , always found them very good and helpful .

But ,

I live nearer to Flavin's and pick up bits and pieces in the spar and chemist as well so I get most of our meat there . It is all fairly basic stuff , chicken boobies , pork chops etc but I always find the quality of the meat good and the staff friendly and usually have a bit of craic with them as well . Having said that I have never thrown questions at them but I will be shortly and if I get the same answer that you got then I will be telling them to hold onto the meat .

RhubarbCrumble

Mc Love wrote: »

Hi Mr/Mrs Wallace!

No connection whatsoever McLove. I just find them very helpful when compared to Flavins.

I agree with you on Garretts too.

ink

I am buying meats in both Castletroy and Balinacurra Falvin's butchers for few years now and personally think that the quality of meat is just great. I do not want to use words "the best" as it is all quite subjective but i'd rather drive to one of their butchers then buy meat anywhere else.

No complains to the friendliness of the staff in either shop either.

phog

Garretts (Castletroy anyway) for quality, price and staff, they are extreamly helpful.

Kess73

RhubarbCrumble wrote: »

Not sure if this thread is allowed or not, so feel free to delete if it's inappropriate.

Basically I'm just wondering if anyone has shopped in Flavin's butchers in Ballinacurra, and how do you find it? I've been there a few times lately and while the meat has been fine (though a bit more expensive than my usual butcher) I really don't like the staff. I'm finding them quite rude to be hoenst, not too pushed about helping you and I feel as though I'm bothering them.

Today for example, I wanted a piece of steak, just enough for one, so obviously a small piece. All the pieces were pretty big, so I asked if they'd cut a piece for me, but the guy I dealt with pretty much said no, and gave me a smaller piece from underneath. It was only when I got home that I discovered it was more fat than anything else.
Have bought other bits and pieces in there before, but have always felt as though I was a bother. Had my parents to dinner a couple of weeks ago and bought pork steak. When I asked how long to cook it for I was told "Ah, until you think it's done".

I normally go to Liam Wallace in the Crescent, and while the choice there is basic enough, I have to say that all the staff in there are really lovely. Very friendly, a good laugh and a bit of craic, and always go out of their way to help, even if it's just something small I'm buying.

Think I'll be sticking to Liam Wallace in future, and staying away from Flavins.

Have used the Ballinacurra store a few times, and two of the counter staff are quite rude imho, one female and one male. Very short with customers when asked a question and borderline ignorant in terms of how they serve people. If I see either of them there I just walk back out the door tbh. I am in the area a bit as my mother lives on the Ballinacurra road so I often nip into the Greenpark centre for bits and bobs for her.

Wallace butchers in the crescent SC are much better in terms of dealing with people, and are great if a person has a question about meat, but I find their range to be very basic.

Garretts on Fr Russell Road would be the best in town for me, and I tend to go there whenever I can.

RhubarbCrumble

Kess73 wrote: »

Have used the Ballinacurra store a few times, and two of the counter staff are quite rude imho, one female and one male.

Tallish thin female with glasses by any chance?

Kess73

RhubarbCrumble wrote: »

Tallish thin female with glasses by any chance?

If you have met the female member of staff that comes across as quite rude, then you don't need me to confirm what she looks like.


If you get served by her once, you sure as hell won't forget her manner. I thought it might be a once off thing, but anytime I have been in there and seen her, she has the same lack of basic manners with everyone she serves and is very short in the way she replies to people.

kendragon

Was in that butchers last week and the woman was giving an older male staff member (I got the impression he was in training or something) a right ear-bashing about using the cash register correctly. Right in front of all us customers. Very unprofessional IMO.

h3000

phog wrote: »

Garretts (Castletroy anyway) for quality, price and staff, they are extreamly helpful.

+1

shoppergal

Where are Garretts in Castletroy?

h3000

shoppergal wrote: »

Where are Garretts in Castletroy?

The new shop units next to the Castletroy Park Hotel (Carlton)

jonski

jonski wrote: »

Having said that I have never thrown questions at them but I will be shortly and if I get the same answer that you got then I will be telling them to hold onto the meat .

I thought it was only fair that I come back to this .

In I went the week before Christmas to ask about my turkey and ham and the woman ( long red hair tied back ) helped me decide what I would need and then told me there was no hurry or need to order that I could come back the Wednesday before christmas and pick out what I needed that there would be loads there . Went back in that Wednesday evening and the tall black haired girl served me and got me exactly what I needed . Both the turkey and ham were perfect on Christmas day ( big thanks to Mrs Jonski ) . Went in the following Friday to get some beef for New Years , didn't really know what I was looking for , red haired man helped me this time , told me what would best suit and then cut me the right weight .

So all in all a very positive experience and will continue with my daily picking up of bits and pieces .

bullets

I'm crap at cooking after spending a few years
living off the canteen food in work and microwavable food and stir fries when I get home, would love to start to learn to cook more things, on the few occasions I've tried I was really impressed with the service and advice for a newbie I got in Garretts and also the presentation of the food and the ability to be able to buy vegetables/herbs and accessories within the place if that would be the correct word to use for making a meal.
Its a bit more expensive than other places though at the weekends (in the one on Fr. Russell Rd) there is actually queue's out the door! which is unusual for a butchers.

~B