RIP Feargal Quinn

Gloomtastic!

See retail legend Feargal Quinn has sadly passed aged 82.

Near the end of his retail business career he bought a horse and took up horse riding going out every Tuesday afternoon. He called his horse Business so when someone called to his office to see/speak to him, his PA could honestly say, 'he's out on business!'

Legend!

begbysback

Did he own quinnsworth?

EmmetSpiceland

begbysback wrote: »

Did he own quinnsworth?

Superquinn. A nice guy too. RIP.

The Tetrarch

His father had a shop in Main Street, Blackrock, I think.
He was chairman of An Post for a while. RIP.

vicwatson

News at one on RTE are headlining with this story:rolleyes:

Another day out and photo op for the politicians

is_that_so

vicwatson wrote: »

News at one on RTE are headlining with this story:rolleyes:

Another day out and photo op for the politicians

He was actually one of the good guys and a very enthusiastic and energetic man. Always unfailingly polite too!

Dj Stiggie

Met him a couple of times at Committee Meetings in the Dáil while I was doing an internship years ago and he was a senator. He came up to myself and my colleague, introduced himself and asked us about our work and studies. We met him a couple of times after that and he always remembered us and asked how we were getting on. Very nice gentleman, and he always has a nice quip or small anecdote about anything you'd mention. RIP.

McCrack

He was a decent skin unlike that Mrs Heffernan aul bag

Your Face

An innovator.

R.I.P.

RMAOK

RIP

.......

Best boss I ever had.

A true gent. He led by example.

BarryD2

is_that_so wrote: »

He was actually one of the good guys and a very enthusiastic and energetic man. Always unfailingly polite too!

I'm sure he was a grand man, but show me the successful businessman who never screwed a few people/ suppliers along the way! I think you can only become Mr.Nice Guy when you've got to the top of the pile and can afford the luxury.

But nonetheless he has a good reputation.

eviltimeban

A little fact: He always refused to sell newspapers and sweets in the store, so as not to impact on the local newsagents. It's telling that once he sold the store, they started to sell papers and sweets, and it wasn't long before the newsagents closed.

is_that_so

BarryD2 wrote: »

I'm sure he was a grand man, but show me the successful businessman who never screwed a few people/ suppliers along the way! I think you can only become Mr.Nice Guy when you've got to the top of the pile and can afford the luxury.

But nonetheless he has a good reputation.

Nah, they were always straight up with suppliers. They had a good brand, real customer service and good quality. The Dunne clan made up for the rest of the industry in nefarious behaviour!

is_that_so

eviltimeban wrote: »

A little fact: He always refused to sell newspapers and sweets in the store, so as not to impact on the local newsagents. It's telling that once he sold the store, they started to sell papers and sweets, and it wasn't long before the newsagents closed.

Not sure how true that is. Superquinn Sutton at least, sold bars of chocolate and other stuff. Local newsagent's did very well on account of its location.

ohnonotgmail

I grew up listening to my mother telling me what a lovely man he was. She knew him when we lived in finglas in the late 60s/early 70s. I always assumed he was older. He must have started Superquinn very young.

NATLOR

eviltimeban wrote: »

A little fact: He always refused to sell newspapers and sweets in the store, so as not to impact on the local newsagents. It's telling that once he sold the store, they started to sell papers and sweets, and it wasn't long before the newsagents closed.

They always sold sweets but he removed them from the checkout areas so parents wouldn't be hassled by their kids into impulse buying.

F Quinn was an absolute gent I worked for him for over 20 years. RIP

tricky D

My best recollection of the gentleman is when working as a kid in Superquinn. I was on mop duty and he was showing some suits around. In an effort to look good, I instead end up catching the bucket wheel in a chink in the lino and the not clean contents of the bucket spread out over the floor to their feet. As a kid, I am thinking my life is over, but not at all. He almost laughed, pointed to the chink problem being the cause and noted it for his snag list. He then rallied some help and we got it sorted in no time. Later he sought me out and gave a lovely pep talk.

As well as sweets he wouldn't sell flowers. Eventually and inevitably, between the business being moved on and commercial pressures the policy stopped.

iamwhoiam

My three started packing bags in Superquinn at 15 . He always employed local youngsters and they were well looked after . They learned well there

Mr E

I loved Superquinn in the early days. Such a quality supermarket.

RIP, Feargal. Definitely one of the good guys.

MAJJ

Met him Blackrock when he was owner and famous - he backed bags, always engaged with his customers and looked for feedback - real gentleman and a great example to others.

tricky D

And was progressive in hiring intellectually disabled people - a policy which continues today, post sell-off.

Sad Professor

I worked for Superquinn for several years and met him a few times. Nice guy who was genuinely liked by both customers and staff and rightly so since he took good care of both. Shame what happened to the company afterwards. The Musgrave-run remnants are a shadow what they were under Quinn.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

BarryD2 wrote: »

I'm sure he was a grand man, but show me the successful businessman who never screwed a few people/ suppliers along the way! I think you can only become Mr.Nice Guy when you've got to the top of the pile and can afford the luxury.

But nonetheless he has a good reputation.

No, not at all. I met him many times and he was a genuinely nice, decent and honest person to deal with. R.I.P.

neris

Lovely man and very down to earth family. He lived on the same road as a friend of mine growing up. Went to his house on halloween night and we were the only kids to call and he brings out a huge tray of sweets and crisps and is telling us we might as well take the lot. MUm used to be a regular at the shop in sutton and when he was in the store he knew all the customers by name and

elperello

A good life well lived.
I met him a couple of times, a real gent.
RIP.

iamwhoiam

I realised my wedding ring was missing while shopping in Superquinn . I asked if it was found at the desk and Feargal Quinn heard me . He went off and came back with a sweeping brush and swept under the displays , he asked all staff to look and he found it under a fruit stand
I will never forget his kindness

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam

jellybear

Was only chatting about him the other day! As kids, he'd appear quite often in our local Superquinn giving out vouchers for a free doughnut (the AMAZING jam ones with icing and sprinkles). He'd say something like "I'm only giving them to girls wearing pink today" then he'd go to my brother and say "I'm only giving them to boys wearing white runners" etc
It's a fond memory of mine and felt like winning the lotto as a kid!!:D

Thanks Mr Quinn and may you rest in peace.

dublinman1990

Oh no; that is sad news. I think I may have seen Fergal Quinn packing bags in his father's store in Blackrock when my late granny was alive a few years ago. He was a lovely gentlemen to all the customers & staff. His family will be very proud of his legacy now that he is sadly no longer with us. R.I.P.

jiltloop

BarryD2 wrote: »

I'm sure he was a grand man, but show me the successful businessman who never screwed a few people/ suppliers along the way! I think you can only become Mr.Nice Guy when you've got to the top of the pile and can afford the luxury.

But nonetheless he has a good reputation.

The first negative comment on an RIP thread and it's based on.... nothing. Well done.

Mean Laqueefa

Im genuinely upset about this, such a lovely man.

My mam got me my first ever golf club in the finglas store using the superclub points, a peach of a pitching wedge with a green handle no less for the daily game down in the old pitch and putt on Finglas bridge, amazing you could get a single club btw.

I went with my mam to collect it and unfortunately it wasn't there, i was so upset i cried in the store, He gave me a free doughnut and said it will be here next week waiting for you, i swallowed the devastating heartache and awaited my mams next big shop (Friday evening).

Parked in the tiny carpark where you could always get a space and went to collect. There it was my wedge, and included was 3 new balls, tee's, and a spanky new white golf glove with a little card that read thanks for your loyalty and service.

Wish i had kept the note as i dint know if its from Feargal, but i still have that memory and the pitching wedge to this day.


RIP you legend !

jellybear

Oh I'd forgotten about the points...my sister and I got tennis rackets with those points! I'm sure they're somewhere in the house!! We used to scour the shelves for out of date products, cheese was the most common one. If you brought it to the customer service desk they'd give you vouchers for points. Ah, those were the days!!

Cina

He gave us the best damn sausages I'll ever eat and I'll cherish him forever for that.

paconnors

Never met the Man, Always seemed to be a Jolly Man

Always enjoyed his TV Programs about saving struggling Business

RIP Feargal

Amirani

vicwatson wrote: »

News at one on RTE are headlining with this story:rolleyes:

It's fairly notable news. Not sure what you're off rolling your eyes at. :rolleyes:

I just felt so sad today when I heard the news. I often saw him in Superquinn Sutton, always cheery and in good form. He was part of my growing up days. RIP

salmocab

His shops were well run with great service, I actually complained to musgraves about something in an old superquinn a few years back and said to them ‘I’m glad Fergal Quinn is still alive because if he seen what you’ve done to his shops from the afterlife he’d be kicking the lid off his box’.
Proper business man who knew what customer care was.

Spanish Eyes

Wonderful man, and never really sought publicity for his own sake, his business acumen and customer service philosophy did it for him.

The Super Valu shops AFAIK are franchised out. Our local one which replaced Superquinn has gone downhill a lot. Use Aldi far more now.

May he rest in peace.

jos28

Sad to hear the news today. A long time shopper in Sutton, met him several times. He always treated his customers extremely well and we were made to feel welcome. He wasn't beyond getting the brush out and sweeping the floor or doing whatever was needed. He helped me pack my bags once at the checkout.

I was in the Sutton store this afternoon and was very sad to see no mention of him anywhere. No photo, candles, book of condolences. Very disappointing, the store was never the same since Supervalu took over.

BarryD2

jiltloop wrote: »

The first negative comment on an RIP thread and it's based on.... nothing. Well done.

No my comment was not negative, just realistic of the business world. Clearly Feargal Quinn was a decent chap and seems to have treated people as he'd like to have been treated himself.

Theboinkmaster

BarryD2 wrote: »

No my comment was not negative, just realistic of the business world. Clearly Feargal Quinn was a decent chap and seems to have treated people as he'd like to have been treated himself.

Your comment was not accurate, not relevant, negative and unwelcome in this thread.

Obviously.

.......

Actually, he facilitated my marriage!!

Met my now hubby when both of us worked together there!

TheValeyard

Seemed well liked and had a keen business mind. RIP.

amcalester

....... wrote: »

Actually, he facilitated my marriage!!

Met my now hubby when both of us worked together there!

Ah I wouldn’t hold that against him

neris

They have a tri colour flying at 1/2 mast at the Cross.

jos28 wrote: »

Sad to hear the news today. A long time shopper in Sutton, met him several times. He always treated his customers extremely well and we were made to feel welcome. He wasn't beyond getting the brush out and sweeping the floor or doing whatever was needed. He helped me pack my bags once at the checkout.

I was in the Sutton store this afternoon and was very sad to see no mention of him anywhere. No photo, candles, book of condolences. Very disappointing, the store was never the same since Supervalu took over.

The_Kew_Tour

He came across well. Anyone I heard of who worked for him said they were well treated and looked after

tricky D

tricky D wrote: »

And was progressive in hiring intellectually disabled people - a policy which continues today, post sell-off.

Very much this. For somebody running a private business he was way ahead of things with that. I knew some local kids in this category who got jobs in Superquinn when nobody else would dream of employing them. Now, it's widely accepted. He also ensured all signs were bilingual, and that was always refreshing. Lastly, and most enduringly, he raised the health, hygiene, shop layout, and especially home bakery standard that the other supermarket chains finally followed. It was always a treat to go to Superquinn because of these differences. Did any supermarket chain have an in-house bakery before Superquinn?

AMKC

He was a genuine good man. I never met him but have a friend who did a few years ago when he was doing the programme about helping struggling business. He helped turn around one of them in the town I live in.

RIP Feargal Quinn. He would have made a great Taoiseach, or President for Ireland.

griffin100

I don’t think I’ve ever seen an RIP thread get to over 45 posts witnout someone coming in and badmouthing the deceased. That’s a reflection of the nature of the man I think.

He came across as a genuine individual. I do like his philosophy that all you have is your good name and shafting someone to make a few pound is not worth losing it for.

spurious

I remember he rang me personally once, to follow up on a 'cranky oul' one complaint' I had written about checkouts on one of their feedback cards.

We spoke for a good twenty minutes about all the things that made me (at the time) get a long bus journey out from where I lived to Superquinn. Very charming man. Now it's very possible he was thinking 'this will shut the oul' one up' but the man knew how to do customer service. R.I.P.

jos28

neris wrote: »

They have a tri colour flying at 1/2 mast at the Cross.

Cheers, glad to hear that. I obviously missed it trying to get out of the car park. Thanks