Ivans of Caherdavin

thesimpsons

after 38 years in business, notice on the door today saying its now closed. looks like quick decision - lots of suppliers are in car park trying to deliver, news papers dumped at front doors, a couple arrived to collect 2 birthday cakes which were ordered last Friday. Post office is still operating as normal

Limerick Dude

Apparently it will be turned into a Centra.

Will be sad to see it go, was a real Limerick institution.

Jofspring

It has been opening later and closing earlier recently. Sad to see another local business going but I have to say the staff in there most of time were pig ignorant and really put me off going in there unless I really had to.

Just heard there the reciever moved in last night hence the sudden closer.

highlydebased

There were whisperings a couple of months back it would become a Londis but nothing seemed to come of it.

thesimpsons

thought the staff were fine, its the staff in post office I always found grumpy. or one in particular at least.

davo2001

Overpriced anyways, wanted a bouquet of flowers (standard stuff, nothing special) and was charged €30. Alot more value for money around the area, especially with Lidl just down the road.

MarkR

I got my wedding cake there. I hope no one is left hanging.

phill106

MarkR wrote: »

I got my wedding cake there. I hope no one is left hanging.

Surprised they didn't hang in for the valentine flower market

Comhrá

A shame to see it close. Maybe it was a bit pricy but it was hard to beat for variety, choice and things you won't get in the supermarkets. Great deli/bakery too, and I loved the roast beef there on Sundays.

It was a great amenity for the area but the proximity of LIDL, Dunnes & Tesco probably sealed it's fate in the end.

Radio5

Sad to see it closed. Never had a bad experience there.

relaxed

Limerick Dude wrote: »

Apparently it will be turned into a Centra.

Will be sad to see it go, was a real Limerick institution.

Hard to see a centra going well there with a mace across the road, better parking and other shops like a butchers and chemist.

CraftySue

Sad to see a local business close. Will miss the bakery and deli.

topper75

Got flowers in there once, a fine bunch of roses with €20 marked on them. When I went to the till, the lady there realised that there were 2 bunches of 10 wrapped together and was most indignant at this unintentional deal I was getting. Went into a huff as though I had shoved the two bunches together in the wrapper. Now maybe she was ticked off at whoever set up and priced the flower stock outside, but there was no need to go into a huff in front of a paying customer. Service on other occasions wasn't exactly presented with a smile either. I love the idea of shopping in independent outlets but when the staff struggle to repress contempt of you then you can't be too sad to wave Ivan's off, even if it was some kind of landmark at the crossroads there. Onwards.

crazygeryy

thesimpsons wrote: »

thought the staff were fine, its the staff in post office I always found grumpy. or one in particular at least.

they are just misunderstood

Parchment

Gutted - best cakes in Ireland.

Aidric

Enjoyed a tasty mark up in the good times. Didn't seem capable of adjustment and the inevitable ensues.

cooperguy

Pity to see it go. Great cakes in there (had terrible coffee the last time I was in there though!)

CrazyChick18

Sad to see it go after that long being in business. Myself and all my family used to always get cakes there but last 2 years found they werent the same so didnt go back. I suppose with there prices they couldn't keep going on.

McSween

thesimpsons wrote: »

thought the staff were fine, its the staff in post office I always found grumpy. or one in particular at least.

Many post office staff suffer from this condition namely Mungret and to a lesser extent the Crescent Shopping Centre.

I hate people who cannot provide customer service.

thesimpsons

the new post office on Henry street, up near willie sextons, have very pleasant staff.

McSween

thesimpsons wrote: »

the new post office on Henry street, up near willie sextons, have very pleasant staff.

Ill keep that in mind. Convenient place actually

Cherry Blossom Girl

I'm actually very sad to hear this, I have so many memories of the place. Every birthday cake I (and most of my friends/family) had as a child was from Ivan's. I remember before it was done up and was still a shop with a sort of extra room off it with all the cards, stationary and toys in it, and the post office if I remember correctly. That room was sort of magical to child-version of me - all the stuffed animals on a shelf the length of one wall up near the ceiling, and the stickers! Every time I went in there as a child I'd spend ages looking at all the different packs of stickers and sticker books. There's probably hundreds of stickers up in my attic, all from Ivan's.

I found most of the staff were lovely, yeah there were one or two grumpy ones (mainly in the post office) but I found most of them very pleasant. A few of the older, long-timers even knew my mam by name because she'd be in and out of there so often over the past 20ish years!

It definitely had decreased in quality and atmosphere over the last few years and it was more expensive than competitors but it will be sadly missed.

Lisa2011

Bought flowers there over the years and birthday cakes too. Also went for an interview at one time. Sad to see a long standing business go

Cartman78

The day of the corner shop in Ireland is well and truly dead so it's amazing that Ivan's managed to keep going this long at all imho.

Got a few cakes there over the years and found them ok, the staff could be a bit abrupt at times but not to such a level that it put me off going there.

In hindsight, would they have been better concentrating on the bakery, deli side of things and maybe operating as a coffee shop type outfit (rather than trying to compete with Tesco, Lidl and Dunnes on general groceries)?

pappyodaniel

Sad to Ivan's go, their problem was they never adjusted to the current climate by keeping their prices high. I think Whitty's will do just fine out of this.

aha_sender

Wow Ivan's gone god remember buying birthday cakes for years there. Still their were high and with and jet land near I can understand

RikkFlair

Staff have commenced a sit-in

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/business/business-news/staff-at-ivan-s-in-limerick-commence-sit-in-at-premises-1-5824542

davo2001

How would such a small place require 30+ staff in the first place?

aha_sender

That's an awful lot Of staff too loyal perhaps to their staff

Berty

Just because you cannot see them on the shop floor doesn't mean they don't exist. Office staff for one and more importantly who it where did you think the cakes were made?

Upstairs there a load of staff you wouldn't see.

Personally I didn't like the rude owner so stopped going there.

Good luck to the staff sitting in.

phill106

Wonder will people be delivering food there?


Or just let them eat cake....

jbkenn

Beer Baron wrote: »

Just because you cannot see them on the shop floor doesn't mean they don't exist. Office staff for one and more importantly who it where did you think the cakes were made?

Upstairs there a load of staff you wouldn't see.

Personally I didn't like the rude owner so stopped going there.

Good luck to the staff sitting in.

Rude owner? whatever Ivan Cremins might be accused of, rude would not be it, I always found him to be a gentleman

Jofspring

jbkenn wrote: »

Rude owner? whatever Ivan Cremins might be accused of, rude would not be it, I always found him to be a gentleman

Ya I always thought Ivan was fine.

One or two staff behind the deli and two ladies doing the tills were always very rude though.

marienbad

Beer Baron wrote: »

Just because you cannot see them on the shop floor doesn't mean they don't exist. Office staff for one and more importantly who it where did you think the cakes were made?

Upstairs there a load of staff you wouldn't see.

Personally I didn't like the rude owner so stopped going there.

Good luck to the staff sitting in.

Rude owner !!! You must have the wrong shop . You couldn't meet a nicer gentleman , probably that was part of the problem when the downturn came- too nice to make the tough choices.

Ash.J.Williams

I lived in Limerick 96/97

Ivans, the old thomand Rugby club, Costelloes and Feathery Burkes...i'll never forget you!!!

DoubtingMary72

Fond memories of Ivan's from the mid 90's when I was in college in Limerick. Always found Ivan himself a class act.

Comhrá

marienbad wrote: »

Rude owner !!! You must have the wrong shop . You couldn't meet a nicer gentleman , probably that was part of the problem when the downturn came- too nice to make the tough choices.

Agreed..... Ivan is a gentleman. I'm going in there for years and always found him a pleasure to deal with. Other staff are a mixed lot....two females on the checkout tills in particular were not very pleasant and one or two on the deli counter were pretty unfriendly and surly too. The other staff I found to be fine, so not tarring them all with the same brush!

Blazer

McSween wrote: »

Many post office staff suffer from this condition namely Mungret and to a lesser extent the Crescent Shopping Centre.

I hate people who cannot provide customer service.

there's one in the crescent who's an awful pig..looks like one too

Berty

Okay. The majority know him as a nice man. I didn't. He was rude to me once(once is enough) an I've seen him berate a staff member and shout at people in the car park for failing to park correctly.

I did like the cakes though.

fl4pj4ck

I cannot understand how you can be a well seasoned business man with 38 years in business and close is just like that. I have no pity for the guy and I'm hoping everyone working there will get their redundancy, even if that means stripping him of his assets.

marienbad

fl4pj4ck wrote: »

I cannot understand how you can be a well seasoned business man with 38 years in business and close is just like that. I have no pity for the guy and I'm hoping everyone working there will get their redundancy, even if that means stripping him of his assets.

Usually the case in one man business - the last to know and accept and always believe you can turn it around , a bit like a football manager in fact.

That is when the banks usually step in - not that I am aware of that in this case.

In any case why so cruel ? He developed a locally unique brand and created employment for nearly 40 years - not a bad achievement . Having a Tesco Dunnes Lidl and Mace within 500 yards put paid to all that but at least he gave it a go and probably hung in there longer than was wise.

xxlauraxxox

i worked there myself for 18months left in 2007 i absoloutely hated the place i found ivan ok twas the two supervisors that drove me out the door..yep 30staff seem fairly right youd have people upstairs in the kitchen baking,deli staff,till staff office and floor staff and all on 3different shifts..sad to see it go ivan wasnt the wrost

fl4pj4ck

marienbad wrote: »

In any case why so cruel ? He developed a locally unique brand and created employment for nearly 40 years - not a bad achievement . Having a Tesco Dunnes Lidl and Mace within 500 yards put paid to all that but at least he gave it a go and probably hung in there longer than was wise.

why so cruel? because of his action 30 people don't have a job, wages and redundancy money, that's why

marienbad

fl4pj4ck wrote: »

why so cruel? because of his action 30 people don't have a job, wages and redundancy money, that's why

How so ? We don't the how this will play out yet. As far as I know for redundancy money ,if the company cannot pay the state will.

You seem to be making out as if this was deliberate ?

relaxed

fl4pj4ck wrote: »

why so cruel? because of his action 30 people don't have a job, wages and redundancy money, that's why

That's a bit of a harsh opinion, he created 30 jobs for 38 years and maintained a bakery when almost everybody else around moved to outsourcing.

You don't know the facts either but are jumping to conclusions. I'd say dunnes lidl and tesco have a lot to do with it.

fl4pj4ck

relaxed wrote: »

You don't know the facts either but are jumping to conclusions. I'd say dunnes lidl and tesco have a lot to do with it.

I'm jumping to conclusions? :rolleyes:

Vision of Disorder

marienbad wrote: »

As far as I know for redundancy money ,if the company cannot pay the state will.

This is correct. Benefited from this myself about 9 months ago. Two weeks pay for every year and one week extra. Didn't take long to be processed either.

If (and I stress IF because I don't know) he (or anybody else) closed without letting his staff know it's a despicable thing to do. I don't know if that is the case though.

marienbad

fl4pj4ck wrote: »

I'm jumping to conclusions? :rolleyes:

You have to be joking !

fl4pj4ck

Joking? The article in Leader states clearly:
- shop has closed overnight on Sunday
- owner so far didn't engage the staff (FOUR days later)

marienbad

fl4pj4ck wrote: »

Joking? The article in Leader states clearly:
- shop has closed overnight on Sunday
- owner so far didn't engage the staff (FOUR days later)

You have me confused now ?? the other poster mentioned (as I did) Dunnes Lidl etc and you said he was jumping to conclusions and now you veer on to a different point ?

Anyway we don't know the full facts but overnight closure has the all the hallmarks of a receiver moving in , if so Ivan has nothing to do with it.

ninty9er

Writing was on the wall. What opened my eyes to it was when I went in about a month ago to buy a decent pen and highlighter and all they had was standard Bic shite.

If they couldn't afford to stock something that was a staple of their business for so many years it was a matter of time. Unlikely staff will get redundancy if someone takes it on as a going concern, which isn't necessarily out of the question.