Naas - Business as Usual?

Cicero

In Naas Saturday...very sad to see the hoarding going up at the entrance to the carpark around SuperQuinn....just thought it would be an idea to start a thread to keep track of how businesses are impacted in the town as a result..

In other towns, I have seen a lot businesses disappear as a result of the main supermarket moved to the outskirts of the town...in this case - Tesco "Extra".

Any thoughts or experiences of how SuperQuinn closing is effecting the town?

Gregsor

I past the Superquinn spot today,sad to see it all boarded up like that,i am sure alot of the older generation will be put out of place with it gone.
Do you think the worse is over for local businesses like in Naas?
Could it get harsher still since the the start of the year and now the sales have past?

sparksfly

We should learn from other countries experiences. Out of town developments have severely damaged town centres in the UK and US. Naas may follow suit.

rondeco

I really believe the only hope for naas town centre is for the shopping centre to be finished and opened. We need people back in the centre of the town.

Cicero

Gregsor wrote: »

Could it get harsher still since the the start of the year and now the sales have past?

Like the other two posters have said,my gut feeling Gregsor is yes it could...hence me opening up this thread for discussion to see how things pan out over the coming months..

.I've seen supermarkets open on the outskirts of towns in Ireland in the past that have left businesses like butchers, florists and smaller shops decimated...Tesco is just so big, with so much stock other than just groceries, that it's bound to have an effect on the town..the Butchers were only too delighted for my business on Saturday..

..I think people will either go to the town or go to Tescos but they won't want to go to both..unless they really have to...even something as simple as the coffee shop above the bookstore will suffer because people won't hope over for a browse after shopping from Superquinn

...maybe others will have a more insightful & positive response than me....is there a new shopping centre due? if so, when and what will it have?

BuffyBot

When? The 12th of Never. It's half built and looks like it will remain that way for the time being.

What will it have? Dunnes Stores was to be the anchor tennant for one.

91011

Cicero wrote: »

In Naas Saturday...very sad to see the hoarding going up at the entrance to the carpark around SuperQuinn....

That means Pennys have commenced building their store. - And they'll be very quick about it. - You may see it open by Christmas and this will bring more life into the centre and thus more stores.

I disagree with the agrument that a food store is needed in a centre. Food shopping is mainly done seperately to comparison shopping these days. - The need to get frozen & chilled food back to the house curtails time for otehr shopping.

A good Pennys followed by a revitalised independent boutique sector is what is needed in naas.

DWCommuter

91011 wrote: »

A good Pennys followed by a revitalised independent boutique sector is what is needed in naas.

A good Pennys will kill off a portion of the boutique sector in Naas town, like the out of town Tescos is hurting other retailers. A few boutiques in Naas have already gone to the wall. Both cheap and expensive. Its a difficult town to trade in because there's very poor planning. Its all too dispersed.

91011

DWCommuter wrote: »

A good Pennys will kill off a portion of the boutique sector in Naas town, like the out of town Tescos is hurting other retailers. A few boutiques in Naas have already gone to the wall. Both cheap and expensive. Its a difficult town to trade in because there's very poor planning. Its all too dispersed.

Not at all - the boutiques can't wait for Pennys to move in. - Same in Carlow where Pennys are palnning a big expansion, the Town Centre traders are the biggest supporters of the development.

Pennys will draw shoppers to the town centre - many people will buy basics in pennys and then think nothing of spending €300 on a jacket in a boutique.

DWCommuter

91011 wrote: »

Not at all - the boutiques can't wait for Pennys to move in. - Same in Carlow where Pennys are palnning a big expansion, the Town Centre traders are the biggest supporters of the development.

Pennys will draw shoppers to the town centre - many people will buy basics in pennys and then think nothing of spending €300 on a jacket in a boutique.

As I said, "a portion of the boutique sector" will be affected. Even before Superquinn closed, shop closures in Naas were evident. Certain boutiques with well established custom may weather the storm. In the current climate its about more than attracting business into the centre of the town. However I think a focused town centre (the one thats heading for dereliction)and no massive Tescos on the Monread road would have made an important difference to Naas. Any local shop I'm in are finding it tough going, from butchers to boutiques. (Boutique feedback is from my better half.) Pennys will thrive but Im not convinced Naas can sustain too many "300 quid coat boutiques".

Dempo1

Cicero wrote: »

In Naas Saturday...very sad to see the hoarding going up at the entrance to the carpark around SuperQuinn....just thought it would be an idea to start a thread to keep track of how businesses are impacted in the town as a result..

In other towns, I have seen a lot businesses disappear as a result of the main supermarket moved to the outskirts of the town...in this case - Tesco "Extra".

Any thoughts or experiences of how SuperQuinn closing is effecting the town?

Used to love visiting superquinn in Naas as it was the nearest to me but i noticed an odd site passing through the outskirts of the town, I saw for the first time this infamous new Tesco, what surprised me was a very empty car park and this was around 11.30.

stackerman

It's only going to get worse I'm affraid.
The BIG problem is rates :mad:

A fuging discrace !!

(although I have been told that a good few traders have told the Co Co to P**s off, and have refused to pay)

DWCommuter

Dempo1 wrote: »

Used to love visiting superquinn in Naas as it was the nearest to me but i noticed an odd site passing through the outskirts of the town, I saw for the first time this infamous new Tesco, what surprised me was a very empty car park and this was around 11.30.

That car park is so big, it never looks full.:D

Cicero

91011 wrote: »

TYou may see it open by Christmas and this will bring more life into the centre and thus more stores.

I disagree with the agrument that a food store is needed in a centre. Food shopping is mainly done seperately to comparison shopping these days. - The need to get frozen & chilled food back to the house curtails time for otehr shopping.

A good Pennys followed by a revitalised independent boutique sector is what is needed in naas.

I'm not convinced but open to be proved wrong....passing trade and footfall is a very important part of staying in business..I don't want to make 2 trips..one to supermarket/one to shops...I'll complete both in the one journey...yes I'm probably a lazy git ...but I do think there's others like me...

DWCommuter wrote: »

Its a difficult town to trade in because there's very poor planning. Its all too dispersed.

Parking is v. difficult, to the degree that I've just "not bothered"...that means business has been lost in itself...traffic/road layout etc are to blame...not an easy one to fix in fairness

91011 wrote: »

Not at all - the boutiques can't wait for Pennys to move in. - Same in Carlow where Pennys are palnning a big expansion, the Town Centre traders are the biggest supporters of the development.

Pennys will draw shoppers to the town centre - many people will buy basics in pennys and then think nothing of spending €300 on a jacket in a boutique.

Does Penny's have that big a draw????

keving wrote: »

It's only going to get worse I'm affraid.
The BIG problem is rates :mad:

A fuging discrace !!

..while I agree to a certain extent, I'd also say some retailers (especially the mens clothing stores) really need to get their act together...went into the more "upmarket" (but usually hugely over priced) mans shop on the main st...last days of their sale...
..haven't seen reductions like that in there...EVER!...so things are obviously bad...
...but the staff were never particularly helpful or "warm/welcoming" in that store...or at least, I've never found them that helpful..

..hop across the road to the more "reasonably" priced, less "branded" store, and they're so out of touch with what customers want and haven't made an effort to modernise their store in the last 10 years...

Change is a difficult thing to come to terms with but I do think there is a modicum of effort that both these stores could do to help their situation...

91011

DWCommuter wrote: »

Pennys will thrive but Im not convinced Naas can sustain too many "300 quid coat boutiques".

It can if they can attract business from outside the immediate area like they used to. (memories of 30 years ago mum going to naas to treat herself to that special winter coat)
With so many multiples taking up space in shopping centres providing the boring sameness everwhere, there's a huge market for a town such as naas to offer a totally different form of boutique offering - It would take a leap of faith from landlords (very low rent for 2 years), council (lower rates for 2 years) and the boutique owners to do it - but if there were 30 or so independent boutiques in the town and it was marketed properly, it would be a winner.

Cicero wrote: »

Does Penny's have that big a draw????

Yes - for the throwaway market, cheap clothes that are up with fashions, very good kids ranges and for the likes of me (wouldn't be seen dead in a chainstore outfit:D:D,) brilliant for t-shirts, socks, gloves etc

Dempo1

I wondered WTF penny's are thinking developing a store in NAAS, Jesus they have a massive store in newbridge, a stones throw away. Further down the M7 they have another store in Portlaoise. I wondered is there really enough punters to utilize all these stores, particularly newbridge and NAAS?

Cicero

91011 wrote: »

Yes - for the throwaway market, cheap clothes that are up with fashions, very good kids ranges and for the likes of me (wouldn't be seen dead in a chainstore outfit:D:D,) brilliant for t-shirts, socks, gloves etc

I live and learn on boards.ie....:p

If Pennys attracts attracts a market of young people with a lot of disposable income then it certainly might help the town...something better go in soon though....that carpark housed an awful lot of punters...convenience of parking is key to passing trade...

Dempo1

Cicero wrote: »

I live and learn on boards.ie....:p

If Penny's attracts attracts a market of young people with a lot of disposable income then it certainly might help the town...something better go in soon though....that carpark housed an awful lot of punters...convenience of parking is key to passing trade...

I doubt Penny's ever attracted young trend orientated clientèle but more importantly i think the young generation with "Disposable Income" has sadly become a myth. I do like Penny's, they do a great range across the board but i just can't see NAAS & NEWBRIDGE surviving in an ever decreasing market.

I fear the only thing an additional store in NAAS will attract is over a thousand Job applications.