Tralee thread

I had considered the PC helper business....
but thru my own experience, people don't want to pay for it...they want to pay an internet café price ....but with personal service

g1983d wrote: »

For me the obvious chains like Tommy Hilfiger, etc would be nice
But local business wise I think there's huge opportunity for handyman service to open a store to promote their service but also sell related products
Another service that could be done in store would be for those who are not comfortable with computers helping them buy online, get car tax, change electricity providers, etc

Ice cream shop maybe

I think Ryles stock Hilfiger, but I can't see a stand alone store like that lasting here to be honest. I'm not sure there's the spending power for items like that.

There's an ice-cream shop in Rock street (opposite Garvey's). Lovely place. I doubt people in Tralee would pay Murphy's Ice cream prices, as nice as their ice-cream is, its very expensive!

g1983d wrote: »

Bakery like O'Mahonys but in town centre or if the Mall expanded their bakery or something different all together?

There's a bakery in the shopping centre, but its so dead in that centre that I don't know if people even think to go in there or remember they are there.

I remember O'Mahonys had a bakery up in Pembroke street too. Brudars have a bakery, but I never think to go in there.

The Roast House have put in a deli & take-away section at the front of their restaurant. I haven't been in yet, but I know they are doing some wines and a lot more take-away food.

The Inbetween is mine wrote: »

I had considered the PC helper business....
but thru my own experience, people don't want to pay for it...they want to pay an internet café price ....but with personal service

Whatever happened to PC Solutions in Pembroke St? He was a loss for that ide of town

cms88 wrote: »

Whatever happened to PC Solutions in Pembroke St? He was a loss for that ide of town

Packed his bags one night and moved to Canada

g1983d wrote: »

Along the theme of new stores, what do we all think is needed in Tralee.
Forget about the big chains, what do you see as a business a local could setup and work?
Be it a shop, a trade or a service, whats not catered for at the moment or is catered for but done badly,

One big issues is the lack of support from the like of the enterprise office etc If you have some pie in the sky tech business idea they'll trow money at you yet a business that might actully be needed gets no support.

hanamandiol

Does anyone speculate a reason why so many womens clothing outlets/stores closed and continue to close while mens clothing outlets are largely not affected. This seem to be a nationwide trend.

The Inbetween is mine wrote: »

Packed his bags one night and moved to Canada

It did seem to happen quite fat. He was quite good to be fair. But there's just so mny of those places around town now. I often wonder how they all stay open.

The Inbetween is mine wrote: »

I had considered the PC helper business....
but thru my own experience, people don't want to pay for it...they want to pay an internet café price ....but with personal service

Thats my thoughts too but maybe someone could make a go of it

cms88 wrote: »

It did seem to happen quite fat. He was quite good to be fair. But there's just so mny of those places around town now. I often wonder how they all stay open.

Comes back to the point about support, everyone wants it for free or has an expert buddy who does it for free and youn end up fixing their f ups and still have to justify your price.

Radleys do PC repairs also and are good, like always, you get what you pay for

Certain businesses would do well in town.
We all know Marks & Sparks would be a huge boon...KFC would do well, an existing takeaway in town enquired some years back about the franchise but the terms scared them off
Personally I'd love to see Boojum here... burritos are a bit different to anything in town and in Limerick and cork they always do well
An upmarket whiskey bar would do well...that might be happening if things pan out..
A proper indoor food market, not much in town for high end men's clothing, I'd love to see some Paul Smith or something in that vein.

phormium

hanamandiol wrote: »

Does anyone speculate a reason why so many womens clothing outlets/stores closed and continue to close while mens clothing outlets are largely not affected. This seem to be a nationwide trend.

Women far more likely maybe to spend time browsing and buying clothes online? Not so sure too many men do that

There are lots of things I'd like in Tralee but realistically the population and the percentage of that then likely to use those places is just not enough to make most of them viable. Ice cream shop for example, much as I'd love it what will they do for the bulk of the year that's it's not good weather, might sell a bit but not enough to provide a living. A Hagen Daas cafe in Leicester Square is viable year round, not so much in tourist less winter Tralee.

A good bakery I'd love also but again don't think people want to pay the prices they would need to charge to justify a shopfront.

I actually loved that little diy shop that used to be in Tralee Shopping Centre years ago, counter was made up of little box compartments that held all sorts of things, you could always find what you wanted there but now you have the likes of Woodies etc so don't think that would work these days either.

Personally I miss fabric shops, years ago there were 3 fabric places in town who also sold patterns but again these days not that many make their own clothes, why bother when you can buy for less than the pattern in Penneys!

Times have seriously changed for shops and I don't know what is going to work in the future!

Sardonicat

+1 for a burrito joint. Even better if they do churros as well.

Hahaha, I worked in that hardware shop in the Tralee shopping centre

ejmaztec

hanamandiol wrote: »

Does anyone speculate a reason why so many womens clothing outlets/stores closed and continue to close while mens clothing outlets are largely not affected. This seem to be a nationwide trend.

I think it's probably down to Philip Green and his ex wife controlling large companies that bought a load of frock shops over the decades, only for the large companies to go down the crapper. The only men's shop in amongst all the lady stuff was Burtons I think, and of course that went as well.

There are probably loads of fashion chains in Europe that might consider coming here to fill a few empty buildings, and I suppose they may well have kept out in the past, with British shops dominating the scene.

ejmaztec wrote: »

I think it's probably down to Philip Green and his ex wife controlling large companies that bought a load of frock shops over the decades, only for the large companies to go down the crapper. The only men's shop in amongst all the lady stuff was Burtons I think, and of course that went as well.

There are probably loads of fashion chains in Europe that might consider coming here to fill a few empty buildings, and I suppose they may well have kept out in the past, with British shops dominating the scene.

There's a few lovely chains I'd love to see here (Bershka, Zara etc)! I heard ages ago that New Look were thinking about opening in Tralee, but nothing came of it and they have been in trouble in recent years so not sure if they will open more stores, but who knows now seeing as the Arcadia group have closed physical stores.

The Inbetween is mine wrote: »

Certain businesses would do well in town.
We all know Marks & Sparks would be a huge boon...KFC would do well, an existing takeaway in town enquired some years back about the franchise but the terms scared them off
Personally I'd love to see Boojum here... burritos are a bit different to anything in town and in Limerick and cork they always do well
An upmarket whiskey bar would do well...that might be happening if things pan out..
A proper indoor food market, not much in town for high end men's clothing, I'd love to see some Paul Smith or something in that vein.

Yeah, Sean ogs planning whiskey bar and in general that area is slowly improving with the new building ongoing, a buyer for vals and the Abbey would do wonders there

Tralee shopping centre could be a great space for indoor food market, English Market style

ejmaztec

Ciarrai76 wrote: »

There's a few lovely chains I'd love to see here (Bershka, Zara etc)! I heard ages ago that New Look were thinking about opening in Tralee, but nothing came of it and they have been in trouble in recent years so not sure if they will open more stores, but who knows now seeing as the Arcadia group have closed physical stores.

You'd think that the council and the landlords of all the malls would make a list of suitable chains and offer incentives for them to set up in Tralee, instead of sitting on their butts waiting for someone to show up out of the blue?

ejmaztec wrote: »

I think it's probably down to Philip Green and his ex wife controlling large companies that bought a load of frock shops over the decades, only for the large companies to go down the crapper. The only men's shop in amongst all the lady stuff was Burtons I think, and of course that went as well.

There are probably loads of fashion chains in Europe that might consider coming here to fill a few empty buildings, and I suppose they may well have kept out in the past, with British shops dominating the scene.

Pepe, Jack Wolfskin and S.Oliver to name a few but Tralee would be way down the list if places they'd open in Ireland 1st

ejmaztec wrote: »

You'd think that the council and the landlords of all the malls would make a list of suitable chains and offer incentives for them to set up in Tralee, instead of sitting on their butts waiting for someone to show up out of the blue?

As a group it doesn't seem to happen, individuals are interested but as a collective they can't agree and each politician wants to say it was them that succeeded similar to the chamber

Everyone needs to work together and not care who gets the plaudits

FM252

I stopped shopping in Tralee years ago and have a tough time thinking of a reason to go in sometimes. I honestly think it is a beautiful town much nicer than Killarney, there is no comparison really, and by that I mean buildings, Denny Street etc. We just don't have the atmosphere.

I think we have lost alot of shops over the years and we need that critical mass to come back. But I think town centre improvements are great but something simple would be seating in the square. Even to get a can of coke or ice cream and sit down. Instead of A to B and then home

cyning

Just on The Range they also have a massive craft section: I often go to Limerick for it. There is no where decent to buy any craft stuff in town at all: and it’s quite a big market now. And, pardon the pun, but their range is far superior to anything there at the moment.

Also I spend a fortune on material online, so if anyone is reading this there is a massive market there for decent material: jerseys, French terries, fleece not just cotton.

I’d love to see H&M coming to town too!

Does anyone know if the Barber over by the Garda station (next to Deaf centre) has a facebook page or have a number for Karol? I don't know if he has a booking system and seeing as its booking only (according to Government), I don't really know how to book in my little boy. Karol is great with cutting kids hair, and the only barber my 4 year old has been happy to sit for!

xxyyzz

A high-end bike shop with a knowledgeable mechanic and I don't mean O'Hallorans hole in the wall. Killarney and Listowel both have them and they can't keep bikes in stock they are selling so fast.

Pirates Ale

xxyyzz wrote: »

A high-end bike shop with a knowledgeable mechanic and I don't mean O'Hallorans hole in the wall. Killarney and Listowel both have them and they can't keep bikes in stock they are selling so fast.

You could go to tralee gas supplies, but the owner will probably give out to you for buying off him.

I see Norths estate agents have retired. Another long running business in town now gone.

cms88 wrote: »

I see Norths estate agents have retired. Another long running business in town now gone.

Yes, they retired last month.

I imagine it will be difficult for many pubs in town to have any outdoor seating and will in turn have to stay closed until at least July (?). I doubt the council will allow a lot of seating along the pathways, nor would you be able to fit many tables anyway so not many customers could be catered for.

Even those who do have space for some out door dining/drinking, won't have a lot of it. The only place I can think of with a good amount of space is Benners courtyard (which they are doing loads of work on), Gally's may have space to play around with in their carpark. An Cearnog has a little bit of space. Yummy Cafe is doing outdoor seating, but you won't be able to fit too many tables, so it will be hard to get a seat during busy times. The likes of the Tankard has a great huge garden out the back that they can take full advantage of. And the Oyster to a smaller extent. It will be interesting to see how the pubs and restaurants who can open cater for it.