Restaurant chain agrees deal for prime retail unit in Limerick city

THE CITY’S main thoroughfare may not be the most attractive street to set up shop currently but retailers are looking to the future.

Gordon Kearney, managing director of Rooney Auctioneers, confirmed to the Limerick Leader there have been three recent retail lettings on O’Connell Street with a fourth on the way.

“A well-known restaurant chain is going into the old Dunnes Stores across from Brown Thomas. I can’t say who yet but it is a restaurant,” said Mr Kearney, who has had a busy couple of months showing properties on the street.

He let 122 O’Connell Street to Veritas, a religious book and ornament store. Number 29 O’Connell Street (formerly Nevil’s Shoes) is now Rain Outdoors, a retailer of sport / active / running clothing and apparel while 23 O’Connell Street (previously Leonard’s Menswear) was let to Franklin’s Shoe Shop and Shoe Repair who relocated from 27 O’Connell Street.

Mr Kearney said commercial clients are seeing value in a new transformed O’Connell Street

“I walk up and down the street every day. You meet people in favour of it and against it who challenge certain aspects. The one underlying message I am getting is that something had to be done. Our main street looked tired and dated and old – something had to be done. People are welcoming the change albeit the nuisance factor that is there but we all knew there was going to be a nuisance factor while the works being done,” said Mr Kearney.

Revitalisation of Limerick's O'Connell Street could continue into 2023

People are looking forward to it being completed but there are concerns, he says. These include cleanliness and landscaping.

“I am hoping and presuming a proper cleaning regime will be in place once it is finished. Landscaping, lighting and signage are going to be key.

“We don’t want the street to be littered with big signs for Cork this way and Galway that way.

“It has to be in keeping with the pedestrianised, friendly aspect of the street. Location of bins, plants, bike storage is all going to be important to make it pedestrian, biking but, also, vehicular friendly,” he said adding that he doesn't want to see cars being stopped from coming into the city.

“I know this is often a bugbear for some people but people drive cars. We have good public transport, we don’t have fantastic public transport. People need to be able to get into their cars and drive into the city. We have to be conscious of that and make it as hassle free as possible to get into town, park up and shop,” said Mr Kearney.

Covid sped up the growth of online shopping but there will always be a need for bricks and mortar.

“It was changing prior to Covid and I think the transition to online has been accelerated during the pandemic. People that would not normally have been buying online were pushed into it during Covid. I know retailers out there are rethinking their strategies for the future. The feedback I am getting is that bricks and mortar will always play an essential part of their business. So much can be done online but people still want the shopping experience of going to town, having a coffee or a bite to eat and trying on clothes or shoes,” said the wel-known auctioneer.

The experienced estate agent thinks the changing face of retail could play to the city’s strengths.

“We don’t need as large stores as anymore, smaller stores might win the day which is great because Limerick has a lot of smaller stores. It was a challenge when you go back 15 / 20 years where big box retail couldn’t be attracted into the city because we didn’t have those big boxes. Now in the shift in the retail demand we could be able to cater towards them because we have a lot of smaller units. The big plus is the refurbishment of O’Connell Street,” said Mr Kearney, who believes it will become “our main shopping street when all the works and landscaping is done”.