New Business openings and closures around you?

ted1

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I don't know how many floors are in the new McDonalds. It's ground floor & tills are a lot more cramped than usual. There is only one till there when you come in the entrance for customers to make their orders compared to about 10 or 11 of them in their old place. The amount of space seen inside it is miles apart from it's old restaurant.

I think Aldi is nearly finished. All of the shelving units are all installed with a decent amount of customer trolleys inside. Just the food items left now that has to be put up on the shelves among with maybe a few other things like cash tills & new company signage left.

I also forgot to mention that the old Debenhams Cafe upstairs above the old McDonalds is getting all of it's previous fittings removed. There were a good amount of builders boarding up the place & probably refitting it for another cafe inside when I was in Frascati on Thursday afternoon.

Does the McDonalds not have self service tills? So it doesn’t need the tills

coylemj

ted1 wrote: »

Does the McDonalds not have self service tills? So it doesn’t need the tills

It has a two-sided vertical self-service screen similar to the one in Carrickmines. After you pay, the machine spits out a long receipt and the screen shows you the order number which you need to note and remember because it's printed in tiny text along with lot of other useless data on the receipt and very hard to find. You'd expect it to be visible at the top in big bold text, it is not.

I was there at lunchtime the other day, most people had used the self-service screen, there was one staffie taking walk-up orders and there was no queue for that position so it was all very efficient. When you order using the screen, you can elect for table delivery so someone will bring the tray to you, a couple sitting near me had their food delivered.

I was surprised at the small floor space, I expected it to be much bigger. It could be even smaller than the old place and to answer an earlier post, it looks like it's ground floor only.

Grassey

coylemj wrote:

I was there at lunchtime the other day, most people had used the self-service screen, there was one staffie taking walk-up orders and there was no queue for that position so it was all very efficient. When you order using the screen, you can elect for table delivery so someone will bring the tray to you, a couple sitting near me had their food delivered.

The first thing you are told to do is enter the table countertop number onscreen. The self serve is table drop only afaik. Much easier and faster all around (unless you are stuck behind soklmeone who can't figure out what huey want to order...)

Talking to one of the staff the floor space is about half of previous store.

coylemj

Grassey wrote: »

The first thing you are told to do is enter the table countertop number onscreen.

Well I managed to place an order without even being made aware of the delivery facility. As you say, it may be an early option on the self-service screens but based on my experience, they allow you to ignore it and it defaults to collect.

Grassey wrote: »

The self serve is table drop only afaik.

It isn't, collect at the counter was the option being used by the majority of customers when I was there. I only saw one delivery.

caviardreams

Skulpt on the top floor of Blackrock SC have moved to Powerscourt Centre in town. The top floor there is really empty now apart from SV - Clarks, Active sportswear, the gallery, Next, Skulpt and another empty unit I think.

Stephen15

caviardreams wrote: »

Skulpt on the top floor of Blackrock SC have moved to Powerscourt Centre in town. The top floor there is really empty now apart from SV - Clarks, Active sportswear, the gallery, Next, Skulpt and another empty unit I think.

Starting to resemble DLSC. Dun Laoghaire actually seems to be doing well at the moment it's no longer the ghost town it was a couple of years ago anytime I've been in it recently it seems to be doing well.

JayRoc

Grassey wrote: »

Talking to one of the staff the floor space is about half of previous store.

I went in for a quick nosey and it seems really tiny compared to the other unit.

A fraction of the seats, as far as I could see, which to be honest I do not understand.

caviardreams

I popped in as well today and it is smaller from what I remember - madness for the centre to be advertising that:
"McDonald’s, have taken new additional space in the New redeveloped Frascati centre in anticipation of a substantial increase in footfall"

https://frascaticentre.ie/mcdonalds-moving-to-new-in-centre-unit/

coylemj

JayRoc wrote: »

I went in for a quick nosey and it seems really tiny compared to the other unit.

A fraction of the seats, as far as I could see, which to be honest I do not understand.

Bear in mind that Five Guys is opening in Frascati in early November so I guess they had to cap the burger element of the revamped centre. Maybe McDonalds just decided that they didn't need any more space.

Stillorgan McDonalds has a cinema across the road and the Tesco off-licence is open until late whereas I doubt if Frascati McDonalds is very busy in the evening when the stores are closed.

L1011

bedlam wrote: »

Active Sportswear closed down a couple of months ago.

They were listing closed units!

Stephen15

New chipper going in Monkstown Farm where Mario's used to be beside Spar and the post office. I just noticed the Liberos website has a store in Monkstown listed it appears they are expanding to have a second shop.

The Mig

Yep it’s Liberos!

Gareth Keenan

In Sandycove, the Wine Buff and Buckleys are both closing. The building housing the former beauty salon beside Buckley's is up for sale. As in Tara Hall B&B while I'm at it.

In Glasthule it looks like work has started on the former Bistro Vino and Glasthule Gallery units - both to become a Cavistons Bar & restaurant.

Gareth Keenan

Gareth Keenan wrote: »

In Sandycove, the Wine Buff and Buckleys are both closing. The building housing the former beauty salon beside Buckley's is up for sale. As in Tara Hall B&B while I'm at it.

In Glasthule it looks like work has started on the former Bistro Vino and Glasthule Gallery units - both to become a Cavistons Bar & restaurant.

Buckleys auctions?

I have mixed feelings about that. it is the end of an era, but it isn't really in an ideal location. Friday mornings can be a nightmare along there with vans loading and unloading. It would be nice to see them move somewhere more suitable, like a small industrial estate.

The Wine Buff was always going to be under pressure with two excellent wine shops very close by. Shame though.

redved

agree on buckleys, lived close enough to it for a number of years. The parking/abandonment of cars that went on was beyond belief.

coylemj

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I also forgot to mention that the old Debenhams Cafe upstairs above the old McDonalds is getting all of it's previous fittings removed. There were a good amount of builders boarding up the place & probably refitting it for another cafe inside when I was in Frascati on Thursday afternoon.

They closed the cafe a few weeks ago, there was a sign at the bottom of the escalator on the ground floor telling customers that it was closing and the wording indicated that it was a permanent closure. Which I took to mean that it was not a refit or an outside crowd taking it as a franchise.

ongarboy

coylemj wrote: »

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I also forgot to mention that the old Debenhams Cafe upstairs above the old McDonalds is getting all of it's previous fittings removed. There were a good amount of builders boarding up the place & probably refitting it for another cafe inside when I was in Frascati on Thursday afternoon.

They closed the cafe a few weeks ago, there was a sign at the bottom of the escalator on the ground floor telling customers that it was closing and the wording indicated that it was a permanent closure. Which I took to mean that it was not a refit or an outside crowd taking it as a franchise.

Let's hope it's only the cafe and not the entire store. Today's news not looking good for Debenhams in general!

Fears for Irish stores as Debenhams unveils shop closure plans putting 4,000 jobs at risk

https://www.independent.ie/business/world/fears-for-irish-stores-as-debenhams-unveils-shop-closure-plans-putting-4000-jobs-at-risk-37456873.html

coylemj

ongarboy wrote: »

Let's hope it's only the cafe and not the entire store. Today's news not looking good for Debenhams in general!

+1 agree that it would be sad to see any of the Debenhams stores here close but the cafe closure in Frascati was not a great surprise to me as it was a very small operation, nothing like the restaurant in Henry St..

So IMHO not really connected to their current difficulties.

Time

The Organic Supermarket in Blackrock and Rathgar are gone under since last Monday.

caviardreams

Time wrote: »

The Organic Supermarket in Blackrock and Rathgar are gone under since last Monday.

Wow - they had been there a while and I always think if businesses like that weathered the downturn they would surely do ok now. Sad to see

Looks like one of the new frascati stores will be a travel agent (didn't think they were still a thing :P)

coylemj

Time wrote: »

The Organic Supermarket in Blackrock and Rathgar are gone under since last Monday.

caviardreams wrote: »

Wow - they had been there a while and I always think if businesses like that weathered the downturn they would surely do ok now. Sad to see

The problem for niche retailers is that as their offerings become popular, the big supermarkets decide to get in on the action and the little guys get squeezed out.

As well as organic food, you can now buy ingredients for Chinese/Thai home cooking in most large supermarkets and Dunnes have a Polish food section.

rubadub

coylemj wrote: »

you can now buy ingredients for Chinese/Thai home cooking in most large supermarkets and Dunnes have a Polish food section.

My tesco have an "asian supermarket section", a bit away from the usual asian sauces etc. But it is very expensive compared to asian supermarkets.

e.g. 1 curry sauce I get is 3.59 in tesco but as low as 2.50 in some asian shops.

I have a good memory for prices but I reckon many just think "ah sure its tesco, the prices have got to be OK"

A litre of Kikkoman Soy is 9euro in tesco and 5.90 here
https://www.asiamarket.ie/kikkoman-soy-sauce-1l.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7bTSt8-u3gIVTLftCh2ngAQpEAQYASABEgJUxvD_BwE

I have bought stuff there though when stuck, paying maybe 50cent over the odds. But if getting a few bits it would quickly add up. Not only do I want to save money I want to support these smaller places.

coylemj

rubadub wrote: »

My tesco have an "asian supermarket section", a bit away from the usual asian sauces etc. But it is very expensive compared to asian supermarkets.

Dunnes and Tesco are never going to compete with the Asian markets on price. What they're selling is convenience - everything under one roof.

dublinman1990

There is an article in today's Indo to say that The Organic Supermarket is heading for liquidation. The chances of that retailer coming back to Blackrock are close to zero.

rubadub

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

Yummys lease was up so they had no choice to go, Kambo is closing down as the owner is retiring and Yummy are taking over the Kambo premises.

Shame.. Loved that Chinese and yummy is dirt (well it all is really)

I got a menu in the door for Kambo/Yummy in ballybrack village, it did mention both places.

There are lots of changes, I wondered if they would just continue it as Kambo but apparently not. One deal I used to get is gone. There is also now no regular chicken curry on the menu! just breast of chicken curry.

Romayos (new chipper in cornelscourt where Aldos was) have upped their prices a lot and there are lots complaining on facebook. They are now more expensive than liberos who I considered fairly pricey.

ted1

rubadub wrote: »

I got a menu in the door for Kambo/Yummy in ballybrack village, it did mention both places.

There are lots of changes, I wondered if they would just continue it as Kambo but apparently not. One deal I used to get is gone. There is also now no regular chicken curry on the menu! just breast of chicken curry.

Romayos (new chipper in cornelscourt where Aldos was) have upped their prices a lot and there are lots complaining on facebook. They are now more expensive than liberos who I considered fairly pricey.

Yummys was muck. I’ll have to try the villager again.

0ph0rce0

ted1 wrote: »

Yummys was muck. I’ll have to try the villager again.

Don't :pac:

gmisk

I see a few new places opened in Inchicore.
Rascals brewery now are doing pizzas and beer on site.
Bar has opened up called Richmond gastropub opposite the black lion

The Mig

0ph0rce0 wrote: »

Don't :pac:

Agree. Yummys was cat and the Village not much better.



We've been using Lees Kitchen or Lets Eat In since Kambo went

Stephen15

gmisk wrote: »

I see a few new places opened in Inchicore.
Rascals brewery now are doing pizzas and beer on site.
Bar has opened up called Richmond gastropub opposite the black lion

That's not a suburb that gets very often on this thread despite being in South Dublin