Blanchardstown Centre - history of tenants

Tzardine · 31-05-2018 3:46pm

Does anybody remember the shop that was beside Roches Stores, near where the florist is now. I think it was attached to a butchers. They did hot rolls at lunch time. They had hot roast beef / turkey joints and chicken. There used to be a mad Q there.

I think it might have been called Gleesons actually. Probably 15 years ago.

LorelaiG · 31-05-2018 3:49pm

Yeah Gleesons used to be down that end and I do remember them doing rolls at lunch time!

Gavin "shels" · 31-05-2018 7:01pm

LorelaiG wrote: »

What was the store on the other side of that pair mobile kiosk? Or was there one?

Wasn't it that supplement store where the woman was always sitting on the stool at the entrance to it?

LorelaiG · 31-05-2018 7:07pm

Yeah I thought that but actually hadn't noticed it was gone! Mad if so, he's been there yearrrssss.

ongarboy · 31-05-2018 8:04pm

I specifically remember the Starbucks down there now replacing a butcher's so it must've been that unit. Kay's had a much smaller restaurant in or around there too before they moved across the way.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 31-05-2018 8:11pm

ongarboy wrote: »

I specifically remember the Starbucks down there now replacing a butcher's so it must've been that unit. Kay's had a much smaller restaurant in or around there too before they moved across the way.

Kay's was beside the fountain, almost literally opposite where it is now.

Samuel T. Cogley · 31-05-2018 8:11pm

Fond memories of Time Computers, we got punted over from Scotland as it was easier than recruiting managers in Dublin and we were let run riot. We had a family of ducks living in the fire corridor at one point. Far too much time and money spent in the Budda bar!!

daymobrew · 01-06-2018 8:49am

Gavin shels wrote: »

Wasn't it that supplement store where the woman was always sitting on the stool at the entrance to it?

Was that Tony Quinn Health Store?

Gavin "shels" · 01-06-2018 10:24am

daymobrew wrote: »

Was that Tony Quinn Health Store?

Ye that's the one - I could be wrong but nearly sure it's gone, unless they're moving.

Tzardine · 01-06-2018 1:29pm

Gavin shels wrote: »

Wasn't it that supplement store where the woman was always sitting on the stool at the entrance to it?

I always felt sorry for her. I imagine she had a massive debt to Tony Quinn. A friend of mine was caught up with them. Spent about 30 grand on "courses".

avalidusername · 02-06-2018 12:16am

Tzardine wrote: »

I always felt sorry for her. I imagine she had a massive debt to Tony Quinn. A friend of mine was caught up with them. Spent about 30 grand on "courses".

Likewise, I always thought she was working there an incredibly long time and never looked very happy. Spoke to her once buying something and she was friendly and helpful though.

I've a vague memory of one of the Sunday tabloids doing an exposé on Tony Quinn as somewhat of a cult leader a few years back, don't think it gained much traction so it died down after a week or two.

Only realised that unit was changed reading this thread, is it the sunglasses or eyebrow place now?

My most missed unit is the Pickamix place downstairs, I spent way more money than I should have on fizzy cherry cola bottles!

:D

JupiterKid · 13-06-2018 3:10am

What’s happening to this hare-brained plan to add more kiosks to the Blanch Centre?

It’s clear to me that the Centre needs to be extended and redeveloped around its edges. The surface car parks should be replaced with multi-storeys. Some of the malls could be extended further out. Also the whole complex with the retail parks around the edges is pedestrian unfriendly, particularly in bad weather.

The Centre has generally aged well in 22 years (wow - that long since it opened?? :eek:) but it seems to me that it can’t keep up with the sheer population growth of Dublin 15 and neighbouring areas like County Meath from which it draws much of its customer base from.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 13-06-2018 9:47am

JupiterKid wrote: »

What’s happening to this hare-brained plan to add more kiosks to the Blanch Centre?

It’s clear to me that the Centre needs to be extended and redeveloped around its edges. The surface car parks should be replaced with multi-storeys. Some of the malls could be extended further out. Also the whole complex with the retail parks around the edges is pedestrian unfriendly, particularly in bad weather.

The Centre has generally aged well in 22 years (wow - that long since it opened?? :eek:) but it seems to me that it can’t keep up with the sheer population growth of Dublin 15 and neighbouring areas like County Meath from which it draws much of its customer base from.

They are supposed to be extending into the yellow car park and then turning one of the other car parks into another multi story. They announced that ages ago though. There's more units empty in the centre at the moment than I ever remember there being so expanding seems a bit odd at the moment. Who knows.

ongarite · 13-06-2018 1:36pm

Centre doesn't need expanding at all, just better traffic management.
There are too many vacant units already and I can think of any big brands missing from the place.

Established UK retailers who also trade in the Ireland are facing some serious trading issues.
Fast fashion is moving online with the likes of ASOS, MandM & Boohoo taking large market share.
Not too many EU based retailers who would be interested in coming into the small Irish market.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO · 13-06-2018 3:47pm

Some of the anchor tenants could do with bigger units. Dunnes and M&S are both pretty rubbish compared to some of their other stores around the country. Expanding into the yellow could work for Dunnes but I'm sure they own the unit they're in there and it's the centre that's supposedly expanding so it's unlikely they will too.

Nolimits · 14-06-2018 9:21pm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Some of the anchor tenants could do with bigger units. Dunnes and M&S are both pretty rubbish compared to some of their other stores around the country. Expanding into the yellow could work for Dunnes but I'm sure they own the unit they're in there and it's the centre that's supposedly expanding so it's unlikely they will too.

Dunnes won't be expanding anytime soon. If you've been in there recently you'll see there's some work started. This is actually a huge job, should be finished around November. The shop will be getting a little bigger but basically everything is changing, James Whelan, Baxter and Green, a Cheesemonger and Cafe Sol all going in over the next few months. So basically they won't be expanding anywhere else for the foreseeable future.

daymobrew · 15-06-2018 9:08am

Nolimits wrote: »

basically everything is changing, James Whelan, Baxter and Green, a Cheesemonger and Cafe Sol all going in over the next few months. So basically they won't be expanding anywhere else for the foreseeable future.

How do you know which tenants are incoming?
I (poorly) maintain Blanch Centre History so would love to get advance info.

Nolimits · 15-06-2018 10:20am

daymobrew wrote: »

How do you know which tenants are incoming?
I (poorly) maintain Blanch Centre History so would love to get advance info.

They're not new tenants, they'll be inside Dunnes. They are companies owned by Dunnes.

ongarboy · 15-06-2018 7:52pm

Yeah, Dunnes are doing an upgrade of their flagship stores. Stephens Green, Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Henry St already had their makeovers. Glad to see Blanch getting done too!

LorelaiG · 15-06-2018 11:27pm

Does this mean the dunnes cafe will be gone?

Nolimits · 15-06-2018 11:29pm

LorelaiG wrote: »

Does this mean the dunnes cafe will be gone?

No, it's not going anywhere.

oblivious · 16-06-2018 10:31am

ongarboy wrote: »

Yeah, Dunnes are doing an upgrade of their flagship stores. Stephens Green, Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Henry St already had their makeovers. Glad to see Blanch getting done too!

The one in corrnelscount is very nice

DoozerT6 · 17-06-2018 3:01pm

Gavin shels wrote: »

Wasn't it that supplement store where the woman was always sitting on the stool at the entrance to it?

The Tony Quinn kiosk - I only noticed last weekend that it was gone. It'd been there years! I only ever saw two people working there, the aforementioned woman and a guy with a grey moustache. They must have worked all the hours there. Would be pushed to remember ever seeing a customer in there either.

Anybody got any ideas when Krispy Kreme is meant to open?

glossy · 17-06-2018 4:39pm

DoozerT6 wrote: »

The Tony Quinn kiosk - I only noticed last weekend that it was gone. It'd been there years! I only ever saw two people working there, the aforementioned woman and a guy with a grey moustache. They must have worked all the hours there. Would be pushed to remember ever seeing a customer in there either.

Anybody got any ideas when Krispy Kreme is meant to open?

October, sometime

daymobrew · 23-06-2018 9:04pm

When did Maplins close?

I saw an article from February that the company had gone into liquidation. When did the Blanchardstown store close?

ilsilenzio · 23-06-2018 9:28pm

About 2 weeks or so ago--- it had a 4/5/6 week "closing" down sale with reducing prices but even then the prices were a bit on the higher side. I liked the range and ability to feel the product but they were far too expensive. I believe they were set up as a mail order type business, but got caught out in the "bricks and mortar" public retail approach.