JohnC. wrote: » Just noticed a To Let sign and a closer look revealed a relocation sale. Anyone know where it's moving to?
BBM77 wrote: » Into the old Zip yard premises.
iseegirls wrote: » Very odd move. Were they forced out? Do City Square own that as well. Wouldn't a move to that vacant corner site across from them be better. Zip yard premises seem small, and they do have that bit of a hill to get to it.
BBM77 wrote: » They were not forced out, city square did not own Alfie Hales present shop. They sold it to the new owners of city square. Don’t know why they choose the old Zip yard premises.
Aquos76 wrote: » Are you sure about that, I've heard the opposite to be honest, word going around was new owners wanted to renegotiate their rent and the increases were not acceptable to them, if that is actually the case, then technically they were forced out because of increased rent. The new premises is a strange choice alright but they would have built up a very good customer base over the years so I'm sure they'll be ok as long as they kept a city centre presence.
BBM77 wrote: » Waterford is a great place for stories going around alright. But what I wrote was what I read in the local papers. That they sold the shop to the new owners of city square.
Max Powers wrote: » Anyone recall city square mgt saying they wanted to move entrance to in the middle there by sullys/alfies. Think it was not long after latest people bought it.
Flow Motion wrote: » Agree with supporting local business. Alfies is a Waterford institution. You can keep your trendy Lifestyles and JD Sports. Alfies have the personal touch. In the mid 80's as a young fella I supported Man Utd. I wanted their kit. The real thing not the O'Neills knock off copy. It wasnt as easy to source replica kits back in those day. It was to be my Christmas present. Alfie himself had trouble getting one from Adidas. Meanwhile Christmas was fast approaching. My mother knew Alfie from her childhood years and he was going the extra mile to get me a kit. The week before Christmas still no sign. I was resigned to not getting it and was trying to come up with an alternative Xmas present. But.. behind the scenes Alfie had contacted his sister who lived in Manchester and she went to the (much smaller at the time) Club shop and posted it over to him. It arrived in the shop on The Quay (beside BOI, theres an Indian there now) on the day we finished up for the Xmas hols in primary school. To me Alfie = Santa! And for those not familar with the mid 80's. Man Utd were not the force they would go on to be, football wise and commercially. They were a big name not the brand they have become. Indeed football was not the mainstream commodity the "premiership (sic), premier league" would make it. So end the story of why Alfies will always be my No 1 choice of sports shop. Pure class and customer drive. Come on d'Blues!
shockwave wrote: » Probably the best location they could get, theres not many empty units to choose from in the city centre.
Jamie2k9 wrote: » Old sports savers but they were looking for 100,000 a year.
CeilingFly wrote: » There are rules and regulations on leases and rents. If parties don't agree there is binding arbitration. Alfie Hale's is a specialist "sports" shop as opposed to a fashion sports shop that the likes of lifestyle / jd etc are. They don't need a big 3300 sq ft premises to offer the services they are so well known for and much better to have a smaller specialised business than one competing with the big multinationals. Unit is available at €70,000 per year + rates. Probably go for about 60-65k. Zip yard unit was quoting 20k a year.
Aquos76 wrote: » That 3300 sq ft unit was actually 100k a year earlier this year, I get what your saying about arbitration between both parties, but was this not the case that the actual building where AH occupied changed ownership recently and when the current lease was up, the new owner set out new terms which were obviously not acceptable to Alfie Hales. Again, this may well. E just speculation and 2nd hand information which may well be incorrect, but what is certain city square are probably happy that they have the unit back now.
CeilingFly wrote: » .. with so much extra competition on the fashion sports side, probably a good move
iseegirls wrote: » But can't see how it is a good move. They are moving (or forced) from an area which has a lot of footfall, to one which is halfway up a hill, and very little retail around it. If you are a regular and love going to Alfie Hales, then most of these will still remain going there. However, visitors to Waterford, and people out for a stroll and just looking will rarely go up the hill.
AdMMM wrote: » Would tourists or people out for a stroll account for much of Alfie Hales turnover? I'd think not.
iseegirls wrote: » Never know. People often wander into a shop just to buy milk & bread, and end up coming out with a lot more stuff than they actually had planned to buy. Same for people coming into Waterford from Kilkenny, Wexford, Tipperary etc.. Those people will not be walking past the shop, unless they were aiming to go to Ballybricken. Look at how The Brasserie's move went. Successful restaurant was situated near Alfie's. Then building got sold/taken over, and Brasserie went up to near the same new location of Alfie Hales. The Brasserie failed after a few months. Not looking for it to fail - good to have a local sports shop, but there's an option of cheap rent, smaller store & less footfall versus higher rent, bigger store & more footfall. Whatever risk they want to take is up to them.
dzilla wrote: » I hope Alfies goes well nonethe less. With Elverys / LLoylds / Boxworks / Shoecenter and the new old cinema there that whole area has been rejuvenated in the last 2 years. Remember it for a few years after the cinema closed it was grim.
