Dromroe shop is closed!

MiamiMortimer

Any ideas why? Anyone know whether this a temporary thing or a permanent thing? There's a sign on the door reading 'closed until further notice'

MiamiMortimer

http://www.anfocal.ie/news/839/cappavilla-and-dromroe-shops-to-close-doors?fb_ref=addtoany&fb_source=home_oneline

Aha!

wnolan1992

Sickening. It was such a handy thing to have in Dromroe, and the staff there were so lovely... I've spent about 20e+ a week there every week since I started college last in 2010, now the SU will be lucky if I spend any money on their services at just because it's inconvenient to walk all the way to the SU courtyard for a frozen pizza or a bag of Tayto or something small like that.

The deli in Dromroe was also ten times better than the one in the Main shop. Never had to deal with burned pudding in my breakfast roll when I was eating from Dromroe...

Really gutted about this. I could maybe see the argument for closing Cappa, but Dromroe was serving both Thomond and Dromroe, and always seemed to be fairly busy...

swimming in a sea

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Sickening. It was such a handy thing to have in Dromroe, and the staff there were so lovely... I've spent about 20e+ a week there every week since I started college last in 2010, now the SU will be lucky if I spend any money on their services at just because it's inconvenient to walk all the way to the SU courtyard for a frozen pizza or a bag of Tayto or something small like that.

The deli in Dromroe was also ten times better than the one in the Main shop. Never had to deal with burned pudding in my breakfast roll when I was eating from Dromroe...

Really gutted about this. I could maybe see the argument for closing Cappa, but Dromroe was serving both Thomond and Dromroe, and always seemed to be fairly busy...

it's a long time since i've been in UL, just wondering if the shop in kilmurry village is still open?
These small shops are always dear, i was very glad when superquin opened in Castletroy when i was in university to save a few pound, but i always lived up that way.

wnolan1992

swimming in a sea full of trout wrote: »

it's a long time since i've been in UL, just wondering if the shop in kilmurry village is still open?
These small shops are always dear, i was very glad when superquin opened in Castletroy when i was in university to save a few pound, but i always lived up that way.

As far as I know there's none in Kilmurry anymore (open to correction, I've never heard anyone mention it anyway).

Sure, they were a slight bit dearer than other shops, but you have to expect that with lower footfall, and you're paying for convenience, which no one can deny, having a shop in Dromroe and Cappa was fair handy.

CiaranMT

swimming in a sea full of trout wrote: »

it's a long time since i've been in UL, just wondering if the shop in kilmurry village is still open?
These small shops are always dear, i was very glad when superquin opened in Castletroy when i was in university to save a few pound, but i always lived up that way.

Closed a long time ago.

Sad to see the bike shop closed too. The lads were very helpful.

Reiver

The Cappavilla shop is gone too right? That'll be a real kick in the teeth for students over in the Irish World Academy and Health Sciences, they've a fair walk to go if they just want to grab a quick bite!

wnolan1992

Reiver wrote: »

The Cappavilla shop is gone too right? That'll be a real kick in the teeth for students over in the Irish World Academy and Health Sciences, they've a fair walk to go if they just want to grab a quick bite!

Yeah, Cappa, Dromroe and the Bike Shop are gone.

Article here -> An Focal

Real shame, Thomond residents will be hit too, seeing as students there used both shops, now they've nothing. At

Reiver

It doesn't make sense though, I thought the SU put money into both those shops last year to keep them open. Wasn't there that big thing in Clubs and Societies over the money being used or something? I only did a year of Business but it seems to me that that was a waste of the student body's money.:(

Sorry if I sound really vague, I'm just going on memory from last semester!

EDIT:

Found it!

http://www.thomondstudenttimes.com/index.php/news/101-clubs-and-societies-bails-out-campus-shops

60k, thats a lot! And all for naught. Does anyone know how much the shops were in debt? It says here 500,000 (it says student run businesses, I assume the Bike shop+SU Spar's) but thats circa Sep 21st/2011.

Zeouterlimits

Sadly feels like an unfortunate reality that the money isn't there.

Tis a shame this seemingly wasn't fully expected/explored in advance, as it's hard to see how things bottomed out in one year so badly.

Sorry to hear it all the same, was about to call into the bike shop tomorrow - I have little-to-no functioning breaks :eek:

joey12

and the long awaited facebook page has arrived
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ULSU-Reopen-Cappavilla-and-Dromroe-Shops-Signed-Angry-Students-of-UL/235505396528322

reunion

I would love to see if opening drumroe actually increased sales substantially that the cappa shop may have had some viability (or even drumroe itself was a viable alternative)?

Would also love to see some sort of four seasons/chipper and off-licence open in the cappa and drumroe shops. Maybe the SU could rent the spaces?

I'm glad to see the bike shop go, too much stock and the guy who worked there was terrible. Never made any financial sense to open a seperate bike shop, go back to the bikes being made/sold in the courtyard once a week.

wnolan1992

reunion wrote: »

I would love to see if opening drumroe actually increased sales substantially that the cappa shop may have had some viability (or even drumroe itself was a viable alternative)?

Would also love to see some sort of four seasons/chipper and off-licence open in the cappa and drumroe shops. Maybe the SU could rent the spaces?

I'm glad to see the bike shop go, too much stock and the guy who worked there was terrible. Never made any financial sense to open a seperate bike shop, go back to the bikes being made/sold in the courtyard once a week.

I'd imagine Dromroe on its own could be viable, if they implemented some changes like keeping it open until 10pm, maybe doing some pizza or something.

I'd also imagine there's a reason that there isn't an offy open on campus already, FI'm sure there's some regulation or something that says they can't be opened on private property or in college or something. Or else you'd have to say people are stupid enough not cash in on the idea until now.

Jester252

reunion wrote: »

I would love to see if opening drumroe actually increased sales substantially that the cappa shop may have had some viability (or even drumroe itself was a viable alternative)?

Would also love to see some sort of four seasons/chipper and off-licence open in the cappa and drumroe shops. Maybe the SU could rent the spaces?

I'm glad to see the bike shop go, too much stock and the guy who worked there was terrible. Never made any financial sense to open a seperate bike shop, go back to the bikes being made/sold in the courtyard once a week.

The SU didn't own the spaces so they can't rent them out
Such a shame about Cappa. What a waste of money.

wnolan1992

Jester252 wrote: »

The SU didn't own the spaces so they can't rent them out
Such a shame about Cappa. What a waste of money.

Kelly posted some comments on the An Focal article (well, I assume it was her given the username Kellywindsurfer, but obvs I can't be 100% on that) saying that the rent was only part of the problem. Short of PCC waving all the rent for a while the shops weren't viable.

Cappa was a mistake even by their own admission. As it says it was planned for a larger N. Campus crowd, but that hasn't happened.

Jester252

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Kelly posted some comments on the An Focal article (well, I assume it was her given the username Kellywindsurfer, but obvs I can't be 100% on that) saying that the rent was only part of the problem. Short of PCC waving all the rent for a while the shops weren't viable.

Cappa was a mistake even by their own admission. As it says it was planned for a larger N. Campus crowd, but that hasn't happened.

Was equipment left in the building or was it removed?
If it was left then it's not as bad as the shop can reopen with little cost and the initial cost for the set-up wouldn't be a wright off

wnolan1992

Jester252 wrote: »

Was equipment left in the building or was it removed?
If it was left then it's not as bad as the shop can reopen with little cost and the initial cost for the set-up wouldn't be a wright off

Not sure, didn't really take that close a look, but I'd imagine they had to clear most of the stuff out given that they don't own the units...

I really son't get this decision though. They have the equipment. They kept on all the full time staff. So they're still paying the same wages (give or take a few term time contracts). I don't know about Cappa, but Dromroe always seemed to be fairly busy during the day.... surely keeping at least Dromroe open had to have been viable? In fairness, if you can't keep a small shop like that going in a village with 450ish people living there, and Thomond residents just over the bridge as well then you've got more problems than money.

I'm beginning to suspect that it wasn't so much a case of Dromroe/Cappa being viable as much as the entire organisation being up sh*t creek. Probably took the decision to strengthen the main shop, which I suppose makes sense, but still sucks.

Kiyomumizu

It makes me think that this service should be outsourced! Because we certainly are not getting massive value for money in any of the three shops. Clean out the management which caused this problem in the first place!

Jagle

Kiyomumizu wrote: »

It makes me think that this service should be outsourced! Because we certainly are not getting massive value for money in any of the three shops. Clean out the management which caused this problem in the first place!

+1

the managers are unable to manage anything but amounting more debt it seems

Jester252

wnolan1992 wrote: »

Not sure, didn't really take that close a look, but I'd imagine they had to clear most of the stuff out given that they don't own the units...

I really son't get this decision though. They have the equipment. They kept on all the full time staff. So they're still paying the same wages (give or take a few term time contracts). I don't know about Cappa, but Dromroe always seemed to be fairly busy during the day.... surely keeping at least Dromroe open had to have been viable? In fairness, if you can't keep a small shop like that going in a village with 450ish people living there, and Thomond residents just over the bridge as well then you've got more problems than money.

I'm beginning to suspect that it wasn't so much a case of Dromroe/Cappa being viable as much as the entire organisation being up sh*t creek. Probably took the decision to strengthen the main shop, which I suppose makes sense, but still sucks.

They don't have to by stock for the shop and even if they kept the full timers they don't need part timer. Also electrical and other cost that are incurred from having the shop open. It is well known that money is tight around the place. Like Daly said no profits no services

wnolan1992

Jester252 wrote: »

They don't have to by stock for the shop and even if they kept the full timers they don't need part timer. Also electrical and other cost that are incurred from having the shop open. It is well known that money is tight around the place. Like Daly said no profits no services

I guess... hopefully more details will come out about just how bad the situation actually is at the EGM... hopefully this is just a temporary thing until things get some way back to normal.