# Anyone been to Rathdowney Factory Outlet Mall ?



## battyee (29 Jan 2007)

Travelled from Dublin to visit this much hyped Outlet Mall in Co. Laois & their January sales. I expected it to be a smaller version of Woodbury Common. How wrong can you be ? At least 1 in every 3 shops were closed & there were 10 cars in the adjacent Dunne's stores park to every 1 in the Discount Development.Product range & prices with the exception of a large shoe shop were a joke. A 3 hour return journey & 140 miles on the clock.Bought nothing. Has anybody found the trip there worthwhile ?


----------



## Cyrstal (29 Jan 2007)

I went a few months ago and had the exact same experience!!  What a dump - a complete wasted journey!!  Didn't buy anything either.


----------



## Guest111 (29 Jan 2007)

I was there recently and bought some golf stuff in the Nevada Bobs there...I got talking to the sales guy and he told me there were a lot of stores opening soon, the main one being a TK Maxx type place called Leading Labels.


----------



## ClubMan (29 Jan 2007)

Any takers at 2-1 on that we'll hear the "RO" term before this thread has run its course?


----------



## Guest111 (29 Jan 2007)

ClubMan said:


> Any takers at 2-1 on that we'll hear the "RO" term before this thread has run its course?


 
I'll lump on at 2-1 Clubman...now will I put my winnings in Rabo or NR?


----------



## TarfHead (29 Jan 2007)

battyee said:


> I expected it to be a smaller version of Woodbury Common. How wrong can you be ? .. A 3 hour return journey & 140 miles on the clock.



If only there were some [broken link removed] you could have consulted before wasting your time  ?

Last week I saw  that is due to open Easter 2007. When they get the new road between Dundalk & Newry opened, it'll take another 15 minutes off that journey.

There's, at least, one other outlet place in Norn Iron - I've never been there but a buddy on Belfast has found some value there.


----------



## bond-007 (30 Jan 2007)

I am a Rathdowney resident and I consider the place to be dire. Local rumour mill indicates that it may not be long for this world.


----------



## Guest111 (30 Jan 2007)

That's interesting...what have you heard? Things didn't look great alright last time I was there.


----------



## NHG (30 Jan 2007)

I agree with all above comments, went there when it opened a few years ago.... never went back...never plan to either!


----------



## MandaC (30 Jan 2007)

Went to Rathdowney outlet centre and did not think it was great

I visited the Kildare outlet Centre before Christmas and thought it was worth going to. Got a lovely pair of Levi's for €15.00


----------



## Carpenter (30 Jan 2007)

I visited the centre last year and spent a few bob in the suit shop; got a few bargains I thought but definitely questioned its future at the time...


----------



## wirelessdude (30 Jan 2007)

go to the kildare outlet village...i thought it was alot better and got some great bargains in quiksilver, and nike while the mrs got alot of stuff in karen millen, coast and monsoon


----------



## Bazoo (31 Jan 2007)

Was there about 2 years ago. The stuff in Joseph and French Connection was so obviously seconds and poor quality. I struggled to find something to buy after my journey out there. Eventually bought a pack of bombay trail mix in the Health food store...


----------



## KalEl (31 Jan 2007)

The Centre is in transition at the moment but I can assure you it is not going to close. It is changing ownership and is about to receive significant investment. A new anchor tenant will be opening in the summer. All of this information is in the public domain.

I am an investor in a business in the Centre.


----------



## Daisybell (31 Jan 2007)

KalEl said:


> The Centre is in transition at the moment but I can assure you it is not going to close. It is changing ownership and is about to receive significant investment. A new anchor tenant will be opening in the summer. All of this information is in the public domain.
> 
> I am an investor in a business in the Centre.


 
Well it certainly needs a shake up.  I don't live too far from it and have found it to be a dump from day one.  I would think most things are either seconds or way out of date and I don't believe half the price tags that say was €XXX now €XX.  

I would imagine Kildare definitely has Rathdowney shaking in its boots.


----------



## auto320 (31 Jan 2007)

Kildare is actually quite good. I'm not a shopper, but was curious from my property background as to how it might compare to many of the US outlet malls. Was plesantly surprised, it had a Starbucks with decent coffee, and I bought a very expensive Italian business suit for 300 euro (would have cost me 600 anywhere else).

Nice layout, village style architecture, easy to get in and out of. Surprised me, I expected a row of sheds.

Haven't been to Rathdowney, not sure I'd bother unless I was passing close to it.


----------



## ClubMan (1 Feb 2007)

Daisybell said:


> I don't believe half the price tags that say was €XXX now €XX.


I thought that there were specific rules on how and when retailers could display prices as "reduced" or "sale" prices? I can't find anything specific on ConsumerConnect or [broken link removed] though.


----------



## EvilDoctorK (1 Feb 2007)

ClubMan said:


> I thought that there were specific rules on how and when retailers could display prices as "reduced" or "sale" prices? I can't find anything specific on ConsumerConnect or [broken link removed] though.



I had always thought (though I can't back it up ) that this only refers to the usage of the word _SALE_.

I always thought that if they used the word _SALE_ then it was a rule that the item must have been sold at a higher price within the last 90 days or something like that.

This I always believed is why Power City etc. don't often have "Sales" ... but are always having "Price Crashes" etc.  as these aren't subject to the same regulations.

I could well be wrong but that's what I've always thought.


----------



## joanmul (1 Feb 2007)

I was there a few years ago and picked a few things up - eventually. I bought mostly in the Pringle shop.  However, I was lucky that I was passing that neck of the woods on my way elsewhere - no way would I make a special trip there. I read in the papers, not recently, that it was on its way out. The Kildare Outlet has had good reports - I haven't been there. Apparently they don't advertise and hope to gradually build up a good customer clientele.  The best Outlet I went to - but that depends on what one is looking for - was the Cheshire Oaks.


----------



## MandaC (1 Feb 2007)

Kildare Outlet Centre is quite good.

Karen Millen, Coast, LK Bennett, Regine, Clarks, Levi Jeans, Reebok, Nike, Pepe Radley, Molton Brown and thats just to name but a few.

I got a pair of shoes in LK Bennett for €99, that I had first spotted in Scotland for STG £155.  The


----------



## Guest127 (2 Feb 2007)

the company who were going to open a retail outlet in dundalk stated that to have a 'proper' outlet as in france or england it required a population of around 2m within a 50 mile radius or 60 minutes etc. hence dundalk was their preferred choice. but as we all know planning in this country takes forever and the banbridge outlet which was mooted long after the dundalk one was on a far faster track to planning permissing by being north of the border. hence the banbridge one will be open by april and as there is only room for one such outlet in this country the dundalk one is unlikely to go ahead. gather this will be a real factory outlet and not a mickey mouse job.

I went into one of those links provided by Tarfhead and M&S state that their outlet will be at least 30% cheaper than their other stores. won't suit the triedies of course but for us old timers............
the info supplied also shows that they have a population of 1.28m within 60 mins and 3m within 90 mins. so dublin is obviously within their target range.


----------

