Memories of the Abbey shopping centre in West Street, Drogheda.

barneysplash

Hi all

I thought I'd do a trip down memory lane, for the once proud Abbey Shopping
Centre in Drogheda's West Street. It's seen better days to be sure. Here's what
I remember, please feel free to add your own memories.

Mildred's - This was an American themed diner. They had real hot-dogs,
the big orange kind you'd see people eating on the streets of New York
in the movies. There was also the rude-sounding and Delicious
Knickerbocker Glory ice-creams. Apparently this was also the first place in
Drogheda to offer an exotic dish called Lasagne.

The Book Shop - I don't remember the name of the bookshop that was
across from Mildred's, but it was a great little shop. There were always loads of
books on display and you were encouraged to take them off the shelves and
have a look. I remember just before I got the internet, the man in the shop
would order in Star Trek paperbacks from England for me. He'd take out this big
ledger and fill in the details. He'd give me a call "in a couple of weeks" and I'd
come in and pick it up. In today's world of e-books and the like, this must seem
very old-fashioned.

Harpo's Clothing Store - This was the coolest men's clothes shop in Drogheda.
If you were a young man about town this was the place to get your threads.
The dance music and Manchester music scenes in the 1990's lead to a whole
new raft of styles - overly baggy jeans, vibrant coloured t-shirts, puffy jackets,
big chunky boots and even bigger belt buckles.

I remember buying my very first pair of "X-worx" baggy jeans
here. They were so cool.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Jeez, hardly memory lane. What are you talking? 30 years?

washiskin

barneysplash wrote: »

Hi all

Mildred's - This was an American themed diner. They had real hot-dogs,
the big orange kind you'd see people eating on the streets of New York
in the movies. There was also the rude-sounding and Delicious
Knickerbocker Glory ice-creams. Apparently this was also the first place in
Drogheda to offer an exotic dish called Lasagne.

Those KG Ice Creams were the business! It was the first place I had chopped hazelnuts on a dessert.
Was there a Supermarket there at one point?

cournioni

Ben Early Skin wrote: »

Jeez, hardly memory lane. What are you talking? 30 years?

Memory lane to some people. So either get involved in conversation about it or don't post at all.

Now back on topic.

barneysplash

washiskin wrote: »

Was there a Supermarket there at one point?

Yes, the supermarket was upstairs at the front of the West street entrance.
It was called "The VG" and then later SuperValu. My mam used to the the weekly
shop there.

I remember they were very focused on customer service, they had umbrellas that
they would loan to you as you walked out to your car if it was raining. I think they used
to send a member of staff with you if you needed it to help load your bags in to the car.

I think this was also the first place to have automatic entrance shop doors in Drogheda,
although I could be wrong. The Drogheda Town Centre opened in 1985 has automatic
doors at the Dyer Street entrance, but I don't think they were there in the original layout???

There was a lift in the VG supermarket that went down to the lower level, it came
out beside the book shop, so you could go out the the car park at the back near the river.

In later years, they had a convenience store type shop at the front that was very handy if you
wanted a newspaper, choc bar, bottle of pop etc. I seem to remember that after the SuperValu
closed, and moved to the L+N centre in Stockwell street, this front shop continued trading
for a while. It's now the Irish Cancer Society charity shop, a great place to pick up
second-hand books and knick-knacks.

Will have to write a bit about The Abbey Cinema and Tassel's Pub -
a really rough boozer that was under the VG and above the rest of the lower level.

It was the kind of place that reminds me of an old Tom O'Connor joke: "My local
is a bit rough. We had a table quiz last week, and the first question was
"What are you looking at?"."

I was never in the upstairs part of the shopping centre. If you came in off West Street,
there was a mysterious door on the left beside the stairs that led to the upper levels above
the VG supermarket. There were Solicitors and Doctors surgeries I seem to remember from the
signs at the time. Something about "Canada Life" or "Canada Insurance" has just popped
into my head???

kk7

I was never in the upstairs part of the shopping centre. If you came in off West Street,
there was a mysterious door on the left beside the stairs that led to the upper levels


I played space invaders up there during lunch break from school.
There were also pool tables.

Tassel's Pub - had my first almost legal drink in there on the way to see Queen in the RDS.

barneysplash

kk7 wrote: »

I played space invaders up there during lunch break from school. There were also pool tables.

I never knew there were games and pool tables up there. When was this?

kk7 wrote: »

Tassel's Pub - had my first almost legal drink in there on the way to see Queen in the RDS.

Around the year 2001, Tassel's was renovated as Solas - a trendy pub and live
music venue, like McPhails. They had a big screen and this was the first place
I saw MTV's Jackass. It was a really nice, relaxed bar that attracted respectable crowd.

They also started a comedy night, I saw David McSavage there when he was an unfunny
abrasive guitar comic, long before the excellent Savage Eye.

Solas closed down, and around 2006 it re-opened to some controversy as Eden, a
lap dancing club. Was there too, typical sleazy strip-club, typical of the height of the
economic boom at the time. It's didn't last long.

washiskin

So, would I be right in thinking that the Abbey Cinema was a concert venue back in the 60s? My late Dad often told us about seeing Roy Orbison in "The Abbey" and I always just assumed it was the Cinema.

It WAS the VG I was thinking about . All those little nook-like shops - surely some use can be made of them ? It would be a smashing spot for a craft collective or a food collective.....

Peppa Pig

barneysplash wrote: »

I never knew there were games and pool tables up there. When was this?

:eek:
That is a sheltered upbringing . The "Cool Pool" it was called, spent many an hour there is the early 80s. It was like a young / downmarket 21 club.

barneysplash

Peppa Pig wrote: »

:eek:
That is a sheltered upbringing . The "Cool Pool" it was called, spent many an hour there is the early 80s. It was like a young / downmarket 21 club.

The Cool Pool, eh? I must ask my older brothers. It was upstairs above the VG?
I spent my formative years in the 1990s in Gistes in Dominic Street and the Whitworth
Hall up in Laurence Street.

Right you've also reminded me of that place the 21 club. What was that place?
It was across from the St. Patrick's Well entrance in Old Abbey Lane, I seem
to remember.

washiskin wrote: »

So, would I be right in thinking that the Abbey Cinema was a concert venue back in the 60s? My late Dad often told us about seeing Roy Orbison in "The Abbey" and I always just assumed it was the Cinema.

It WAS the VG I was thinking about . All those little nook-like shops - surely some use can be made of them ? It would be a smashing spot for a craft collective or a food collective.....

It was called the Abbey Ballroom. My mam and dad met there. My dad was also at the Roy Orbison gig,
Dusty Springfield also played there (apparently she was a right diva). It burned down, I believe.

About twenty years ago, there was a tape of interviews made with people who worked there
and with the punters as well. I think the Old Drogheda Society made it. I remember listening to it,
will see if my parents still have a copy.

A craft and food collective would be lovely. I was in the Abbey Centre today having a look around
and there is a new antiques shop open in the lower level.

There is so much rich history in Drogheda, my summer project is to learn more about our wonderful town.

Morpheus

remember mildreds

we used to go there every friday after school to do the weekly shopping in dunnes, but we'd always park in the abbey and go to mildreds and i always sat under the "Uncle Sam Needs You" picture in it!

whelan1

i remember the childrens shop, cant remember whats it was called, got my confirmation outfit there in 1986

GoodisonPark

Ah Mildred's brings back fond memories.
Always remember being fascinated with Mildred's American accent.
My favourite was her Open Hot Turkey Sandwich - it was to die for !!

calex71

barneysplash wrote: »

Harpo's Clothing Store - This was the coolest men's clothes shop in Drogheda.
If you were a young man about town this was the place to get your threads.
The dance music and Manchester music scenes in the 1990's lead to a whole
new raft of styles - overly baggy jeans, vibrant coloured t-shirts, puffy jackets,
big chunky boots and even bigger belt buckles.

I remember buying my very first pair of "X-worx" baggy jeans
here. They were so cool.

I'll see your Harpos and raise you a Mr. Ace of Laurence St :cool: ..... always good for a cool Tshirt.

I am very glad in todays climate that mansworld has stood the test of time and is still going !!!! went there as a lad and was in there at xmas for a top.

And I'll see others Mildreds and say Hollywood west!!!!!!! yum!!!!

barneysplash

calex71 wrote: »

I'll see your Harpos and raise you a Mr. Ace of Laurence St :cool: ..... always good for a cool Tshirt.

I am very glad in todays climate that mansworld has stood the test of time and is still going !!!! went there as a lad and was in there at xmas for a top.

And I'll see others Mildreds and say Hollywood west!!!!!!! yum!!!!

Mr. Ace was more for you rockers and grungers, plenty of Guns 'N Roses
T-shirts, combats, German Army shirts, bandanas, sew-on patches etc.
Bought quite a bit there as well when I was going through my heavy metal phase.
Was this place called "Off The Cuff" at one stage?

I liked Hollywood West too, a pity it's so derelict today.

calex71

barneysplash wrote: »

Mr. Ace was more for you rockers and grungers, plenty of Guns 'N Roses
T-shirts, combats, German Army shirts, bandanas, sew-on patches etc.
Bought quite a bit there as well when I was going through my heavy metal phase.
Was this place called "Off The Cuff" at one stage?

I liked Hollywood West too, a pity it's so derelict today.

Was a Chinese place last I was over that way, and that was a fair while back now, little or no reason for me to set foot over that side of west street these days.

In more recent times, well more than 10 years ago you had Flip and Jumping Jacks to go over that side of town outside of the friday / saturday night stagger past on the way to fusion from Mc Phials or the Cellars

Karona

I loved Mildreds she did the BEST BLT sandwich ever! It was actually the first place I tasted a BLT sandwich and I was fascinated that there were crisps on the plate.

I loved Hollywood West aswell, used to love the Laurel and Hardy pictures they had.

Ah those were the days.

WindmillWarrior

Tassels was the Abbey Tavern (or maybe it was one of those 2 name jobs?!) before it became Solas, or the Abbey Toilet as we used to call it. Still it was great for getting served in!

Harpos - I have a belt and buckle from there that I still use to this day!

The Abbey cinema - remember the queues?? On a bad day you'd have to queue all the way down a load of flights of stairs, maybe even out on to the street!

washiskin

WindmillWarrior wrote: »

The Abbey cinema - remember the queues?? On a bad day you'd have to queue all the way down a load of flights of stairs, maybe even out on to the street!

We were brought to see ET there and had to queue on the stairs. The folks used to sit at the back & we were up the front. I remember the bit after ET had "died" and all you could hear were kids sobbing & sniffing all over the place (including ourselves :rolleyes:) Wasn't there a double seat at the end of some of the rows or am I thinking of another Cinema?
I'm trying to remember it there was a sweet shop in there......

bren_mc

barneysplash wrote: »

It was called the Abbey Ballroom. My mam and dad met there. My dad was also at the Roy Orbison gig,
Dusty Springfield also played there (apparently she was a right diva). It burned down, I believe.

About twenty years ago, there was a tape of interviews made with people who worked there
and with the punters as well. I think the Old Drogheda Society made it. I remember listening to it,
will see if my parents still have a copy.

The ballroom / cinema was a diiferent venue to the current cinema as that entire building was only built in the 70's. I'm not 100% certain but i think the ballroom was located where the bridge of peace is today. If i recall correctly, a construction worker was killed while they were demolishing whatever replaced it to make way for the bridge.

Here's a link to an article about the original cinema, which did indeed burn down

http://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/localnotes/the-abbey-ballroom-fire-was-the-end-of-an-era-27102992.html


Anyway, surprised noone's mentioned the Tangerine Dream yet! Cool little shop that sold t shirts, badges and the like. It was just inside the Dominic Street entrance.

castle2012

bren_mc wrote: »

The ballroom / cinema was a diiferent venue to the current cinema as that entire building was only built in the 70's. I'm not 100% certain but i think the ballroom was located where the bridge of peace is today. If i recall correctly, a construction worker was killed while they were demolishing whatever replaced it to make way for the bridge.

Here's a link to an article about the original cinema, which did indeed burn down

http://www.independent.ie/regionals/droghedaindependent/localnotes/the-abbey-ballroom-fire-was-the-end-of-an-era-27102992.html


Anyway, surprised noone's mentioned the Tangerine Dream yet! Cool little shop that sold t shirts, badges and the like. It was just inside the Dominic Street entrance.

Worked in the supervalu . And the ballroom was definitely in the abbey building. We used to lift the ceiling tiles when we fixed lights and you could see the remains off the ballroom