As the title says, this is a new thread for chat about Dun Laoghaire in general without the traffic & transport nonsense.
Enjoy.
They still offer grants but some businesses would rather not accept them. The hairdresser a few doors down (formerly Majella Hair Care) is being renovated and they have new and improved signage.
I am not an expert but i am sure laws can be changed to a certain standard that all business signage should adhere too. The council did or used to give a grant to do up shop fronts.
I didnt say the council could do anything. I just said i noted the boarding was down. I did hear a year ago that Dunnes wanted to do something with it but that some one was living above them so they were limited in what they could do.
You obviously don't really understand the limitations of planning law, or the powers of County Councils.
Dunnes have been responsible for that eyesore for the last 20-30 years. What could the council have done to prevent that?
Just Vape shops and charity shops. Dun Laoghaire is prime example how to ruina town by a council. To note i see the boarding down from the commercial units that have being vacant for years besides Dunnes Stores. Think Dunnes own these themselves. Hopefully the will do something good with them.
My partner works in the ISPCC/Childline. They opened an office in Dun Laoghaire a few months back and they are having a family fun run on the west pier on the 30th March. Families can sign up here: https://www.ispcc.ie/event/family-fun-run/
(let me know if this is OK to post)
And also the amount of charity shops = a sure indicator of poor business climate? I was sad to see M&S food outlet go. I hoped it would expand into adjacent Connollys Shoes. The Aviva outlet got me down there twice a year to do business with insurance, now gone. And the Argos was worth a try if looking for item out of stock elsewhere.
Unfortunately thats the only type os shops thats attracted to Dun Laoghaire. The shopping centre is a disaster TBH. It should be a premium destination in south dublin but its not.
Best bit of free advertising that shop ever did was to put that signage up...
Yeah, tbf, that shopfront is awful. There's no need for it.
Just back from a trip to Dun Laoire.... I notice that dreadful sign over shop that replace Connolly's shoes is still there. Surely that should be replaced? I see newly renovated loo's in the old shopping centre but at 50 cent a go with credit card scan. All of top floor is non retail save for pen shop with medical use as well as Specsavers audio outlet.
Gas seeing that picture pop up here, that was my Great Grandad's shop, owned it right up into the 90s if I remember correctly when the family sold it. There was actually a piece (I think it was on RTE?) about pensioner's working where they interviewed a few of them. My mam had it on tape for years, keep meaning to ask her to try to dig it out!
My gran has an original of that photo hanging in the house.
He was a really lovely guy, always remember him doing magic tricks finding pound coins behind my ear when I was a kid.
Very young, very sad....RIP.
For the most part I believe he had vision and did a good job.
https://www.irishtimes.com/obituaries/2023/11/26/bob-hannan-architect-and-urbanist-made-a-huge-contribution-to-improvement-of-dun-laoghaire/
@Phat Cat Where did you get that picture of McGoverns, is it from a book?
Should be interesting. Let's hope it's a success.
apologies for the format/quality. These are from Thoms 1971
it was QTH Computers when I was a lad. Home computers like Spectrums, Commodore 64s, that kind of stuff. Possibly boring word processors as well, but who cared about all that in the 80s. My memory is likely wrong but I remember the hardware shop a bit further down the road being a Murdochs. There was also a hardware shop in Glasthule where Cavistons new restaurant is. I've an old Thom's Directory lying around here somewhere, if I find it I'll post a listing.
McCullagh's was like a mini department store where Penneys is now, I think. Lee's Department store was in situ where Dunnes is now.
It was a Revenue Commissioners vehicle reg office up to about 2004.
Iceland didn't in fact replace the Texaco petrol station beside Smyth's Pub, rather it went onto the site which had previously been Dockrells Hardware. That happened around 1990 if memory serves.
Also, that same Texaco station had a long established car dealers, Donnelly and Fitzgerald Toyota, attached to it.
That was still there as recently as 2009
The building on the opposite corner of Wellington Street has been empty since that time, any ideas as to what it was when occupied?
Thats McGoverns grocery at the other end of the town, across from the Peoples Park. McCulloughs was where Iceland opened and Knowles was on the corner of Mary Street.
I was born in the 80's so I've no idea but I always remembered the petrol station beside Smyths Pub that was replaced by Iceland and now apartments of course.
Anyway here's an interesting article about Lower George's Street
Ahh Knowles Electrics - that's it. McGoverns would have been before my time.
I fairly sure the home furnishings store was on the Iceland/Petrol station site.
Was there a McCulloughs in D/L? A large furniture store (sofas/beds etc) at the other end of Georges Street, where Dunnes is now?
Close, it was McGovern. Good memory thought. It was later a Knowles Electrics store.
As for Iceland there was a petrol station there before it opened in 1996.
Showing my age here, but I seem to recall McCulloughs (I think) in that location back in the 70s/early 80s. It was from what I can remember a home furnishings type of shop.
Also a small electrical goods store just up the road where the Asian store is now on the corner of Wellington Street.
I think the Quarterdeck remote working proposal for the ferry terminal is dead
Personally, I'd love to see it as a school. The town really misses secondary schools. And it would be a great campus.
Many thanks for replies. Great stuff.
Yes, as I recall Iceland was recessed from the street. I don't recall there being a hotel there though.
WAs the Bespoke place formerly Iceland outlet?
Ferry Terminal is to be turned into some sort of remote working hub the last I heard.
https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/dublin/2022/06/13/dun-laoghaires-former-ferry-terminal-to-be-leased-as-co-worker-space/
Old library is going to be used by IADT on Kill Ave for some classes / workshops
https://iadt.ie/news/iadt-announce-agreement-with-dlr-to-expand-campus-to-carnegie-library-dun-laoghaire/
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