Gloria Jean's to take on Starbucks in Ireland

This sounds like a no-contest situation (Gloria Jean's?!), but this story says in Australia the Gloria Jean's chain has managed to dominate the market with 278 cafes compared to Starbucks' 45. (Irish Examiner)

Comments

[Alia]

Maybe any of the partner should have told the customer to put his shirt on, but from my experinece in Starbucks .. Partners can't do anything most of the time except make sure that the customer are "highly satesfied" .. why ? because basicly "Customers Are Always Right" .. that how things goes, i mean there's no such rule in Starbucks "Please Wear ure shirt" or so right ?its not like "No Smoking Area" .. if there's a customer who smokes inside the store where its a none smoking area, yeah the partner should stop them right away in a propper way offcourse, thats for example .. but i believe that ... Customers are always right .. no matter what they say .. and as hard as it may seem.. but thats the "SBX Rule" :S !!

[TW]

Hey now...I knew Gloria Jean long before Starbucks took over the world. It was one of those particularly horrid iced capp. drinks in the Madison, WI mall that got me hooked on coffee...just in time for me to move to Eugene, OR where they had coffee on every corner but no Starbucks until just before I moved to the coffee wasteland of FL where Waffle House and Krispy Kreme sold the best coffee in town. Now we have 6 Starbucks in town...3 within a mile. But without Gloria Jean...I would still be a Coca-cola girl.

[Zcott]

Starbucks are opening up more and more stores in the North of Ireland.....I can now think of three offhand, whereas last year there was one. Currently I don't know of any Glorida Jean's here. It's only a matter of time before Starbucks push their way into the Southern market and dominate. I think it's a case of whoever gets there first will win in the Gloria Jean's/SBUX in Ireland contest.

[ivy]

I can't believe that Gloria Jean's is still around!

It'll always be a podunk store from Madison, Wis., to me. And it always smelled of that sweet "hazelnut" chemically smell. It was the sort of place that people who enjoyed General Foods International instant coffees would go.

Ugh, flavored coffee beans.

I would have never imagined that it would make it big.

[patrickm]

Well I was out in The Dundrum Centre over the weekend and I've noticed the new starbucks unit. They've only a sign saying coming soon, but from all reports it's going to be in August. Let's not forget Barnies in this local coffee shop war! They've three units in the city center already, with a good few more planned. I can't wait. Heading to the UK tomorrow, so will over indulge in Starbucks.....yummy!

[saffron]

I am from Sydney, and Gloria Jeans is everywhere. I am much more of a GJ's than I am Starbucks. I find the Starbucks coffee is too weak, and their fraps just ok. Nothing beats an Oreo Bash from GJ's - and their coffee is made from arabica beans. Not sure about Starbucks though.

[patrickm]

Dublin Locations confirmed:
First Store - Dundrum Centre - Rent €350,000 a year for a small unit.

Other stores:
Harcourt Building on Harcourt Street
College Green - €220,000 for 176.5 sq m (1,900 sq ft) on the ground floor and a basement of 148.6 sq m (1,600 sq ft) at College Green.

The Dundrum centre is fully kitted out, but an opening date hasn't been confirmed.

---------------------------------
http://www.sbpost.ie
07 August 2005 By Neil Callanan
Hoardings announcing the arrival of the US coffee chain have already been erected in the centre.

The company will operate from a small unit on level 2, close to retailers such as Penneys, Boots, Pull & Bear and Jack&Jones.The company is rumoured tobe paying an annual rent of around €350,000 for the unit,which is near the main entrance from the Luas station in Balally. Starbucks will also open on College Green near Trinity College and in the Harcourt Building on Harcourt Street. The company is believed to be trying to buy the lease on a retail unit on St Stephen'sGreen. Cliff Burrows, managing director of the British and Irish operations of Starbucks, recently told The Sunday Business Post that the company had been actively looking to enter the Irish market since the end of 2003. He said the first cafe in the Republic was due to open at the end of the summer, subject to contracts being signed and any necessary planning permission being obtained. Starbucks was incorporated as an Irish company in February and will trade as Starbucks Coffee Company (Ireland).
The chain has become the world's number one coffee chain thanks to a programme of aggressive expansion. In 1990, it had 84 outlets, but a rapid store opening programme and acquisition policy has boosted that number to over 9,000.

Other tenants to open outlets recently at Dundrum include Café Mao, McDonald's, Pilgrim Jewellery and Virgin Megastore. Harvey Nichols is due to open next month. Clothes retailer Animal is also due to open on the mezzanine level in the near future.

Hamilton OsborneKing and Bannon Commercial are letting agents for Dundrum Town Centre.
---------------------------------
The Irish Times

Starbucks to open outlet on College Green

nicemove.ie

CoffeeShops: The long awaited arrival of Starbucks in Ireland is due to be announced shortly when the coffee chain confirms that its first branch will be at 1 College Green, next to the Bank of Ireland in Dublin, writes Jack Fagan

The high profile location obviously appeals to the American chain which is due to roll out a number of shops in the city this summer.

Agent Palmer McCormack, which is the letting agent for 1 College Green, said it had no comment to make at this stage.

The other locations being studied by Starbucks include the recently opened Dundrum Town Centre, the ground floor of the striking new office building at the top of Harcourt Street and the former Post Office in South Anne Street.

Starbucks will be paying a rent of around €220,000 for 176.5 sq m (1,900 sq ft) on the ground floor and a basement of 148.6 sq m (1,600 sq ft) at College Green.

Cliff Burrows of Starbucks said they were looking forward "to becoming part of this dynamic city with its vibrant café culture".

The retail element of number 1 College Green is owned by Treasury Holdings - like the ground floor and basement of the adjoining building, numbers 3 and 4 (let to Little Caesars at €250,000 per annum) - and number 5 which is rented by Centra at about €220,000 per annum.

The Little Caesar block has been owned for some years by Treasury Holdings but, in an unusual deal with Trinity College, it swopped the upper floors with the college in return for the ground floors and basements of both numbers 1 and 5.

This gave the college six floors of valuable space as well as a financial settlement.

It also allowed the college to avoid a confrontation with the city planners who were obviously concerned that the college's ownership of so many buildings around College Green would restrict retail activity in the heart of the city.

The planners have frequently cited how Trinity College Dublin killed retailing on Pearse Street by acquiring all the buildings along the perimeter of the campus over a lengthy period.

[bluebarista]

YESSSSS!
You've made me feel syndicated.
From my blog:

Ways to ruin your barista's day:
1. Order a frapuchino.
2. Dump your coffee in the trash can, so there's more room for cream.
3. Pay for your coffee with a $20, $50, or $100.
4. Approach the counter while on your cell phone.
5. Make everyone wait for you to finish your conversation before you order.
6. Ask for 20, $5 gift cards when there is a line out the door.
7. Insist that your milk be steamed to 180 degrees.
8. Hover over the bar while your drink is made.
9. Insist that your coffee be made in a press.
10. "Forget" to tip.

[L]

Bluebarista:

I'll stop dumping my coffee when the baristas ask if I need room for cream.

I'll stop asking for my beverages extra hot when Starbucks stops serving them lukewarm.

I'll stop hovering while my drink is made when baristas start following the simplest of instructions (ie, no whip).

I'll start tipping for a damn cup of coffee when I start tipping at McDonald's.

[JustMe]

L,
Instead of waiting for someone to ask if you want room for cream, tell them you want room for cream

Your drinks probably taste lukewarm cause you've burned the tastebuds off of your mouth with your 180 lattes.

Hover over my counter, and i'll pop you one.

Only tip when it's good service . . . that's all that's asked.

If you don't like Starbucks . . . don't go and stop your whining.

[declan]

The first Starbucks in the Republic of Ireland opened today in Dundrum. Unfortunatenly they managed to piss off numerous customers with poor customer service 1 1/2 hours before they actually opened.

They put up a sign saying they were open at 8:30am Monday-Friday so I went up there this morning and got there at 8:35am to find about 15 people standing outside waiting. The shutter was half down on the door but the staff were inside. Eventually one chap went over and spoke to a suited guy sitting on the couches beside the door. He came back and said he was told they were open at 10am.

Some people went away but most of us waited for confirmation, like a sign on the window or something. Eventually one woman went over and asked the suited guy. She had to ask 3 times before the guy acknowledged her presence. Then he grufly said 10 am and walked over to seats further from the door. As the woman walked away she muttered "well they have just lost one customer".

Bad Starbucks, bad.

[illyman]

Let get things straight, both gloria jeans and starbucks suck and we don't want either of them on Irish high streets. They make the place look like everywhere else. We want indie cafes that serve illy.

Declan what time do they close at? This is amazing! Starbucks in Ireland! Brillent.

[Declan]

I think they close around 9pm, but I'm not sure. The center is open til 9pm. I might go up there tonight and check :-)

Everyone to their own, but I always found Illy to taste "dusty". Maybe it was the shops not cleaning the machine or something.

[L]

Hey, will they be serving "Irish Coffee?"

Because it sure would be great to hit all my addictions in one place!

[patrickm]

I'm defo going to pop over later tonight. Having visions of a vendi vanilla latte with cinnamon swirl! I'm going to be in heaven. I wonder if you can purchase the stock? Last year in NY I was able to buy those 1l bottles of syrup for around $7. Very cheap.

[Declan]

You can probably purchase stock, its a big enough store and they do have shelves stocked with things like mugs for sale so I would be surprised if they didnt have the coffee and flavors on sale. This being Ireland I'd be curious how much the same bottle of syrup is here, post a message if you get the price :-)

[patrickm]

So has any starbucks fans been out yet? I got the luas on out after work. Very exciting indeed!

The store is on par with others worldwide, didn't see any couches though. Menu is the very same as the UK one, but the baristas will make to demand items that are off-menu, i.e. vanilla cream fraps. Food selection, but is once again identical to that of the UK including a large range of starbucks sandwiches and cakes, however I didn't see any cinnamon swirls.

It was very busy when I went out, around 7:30pm. A few passers by where slagging the queue, which in fact was out the front door; however service was very quick considering. There where two staff (partners in starbucks lingo) taking orders with another four serving drinks. Two additional floor staff where floating around making sure everyone was happy.

The store stocks a full range of merchandise, including a Dublin City Mug. Price wise it’s good. A Large Latte is a little over €3, Venti (24oz) is €3.75. Flavour shot is 50c extra and I think Soya milk is 60c extra (Barnies now charge 90c for Soya – outrageous). Whilst they will sell boxes of tazo tea for €5.50, they will not sell their flavour syrups. The barista did inform me they sell them in the US!

The staff where all very friendly, from accents appeared to be British or American. One thing I would suggest is for them to adopt the concept of taking either your name or initials and putting it on the drink as the collection point was a little crowded and confusing; everyone was grapping each others drinks as they where being severed.

Overall I was impressed with the operation. A very warm welcome to Ireland, long overdue….lets see the Irish coffee wars begin!!

[Declan]

I went up to Starbucks around 7:30pm as well. It was very busy but there were still seats and tables. As you said the queue was out the door, but moved fast and I had my coffee in about 5 minutes.

I noticed the baristas had English and American accents. I think they were training others, at least from time to time there seemed to be others hovering behind them watching and being told what was going on.

I thought there were couches in the back of the store, but I didnt look too closely. They also had leaflets for eircom wi-fi.

[Matt]

Anyone have a price on the Starbucks Dublin City mug? Also is there an Ireland mug available? Thanks

[Sarah]

Does anyone know when a Dublin City Centre branch of Starbucks will open? I've been prowling the city centre looking, and searching the web, but no answers as yet.

[-m]

Can Gloria Jeans even be considered competition? Their coffee is absolute swill. Their stores look like they were designed by a mid-western house wife. Their merchandise is counrty-clutter-crap. These stores belong in Wisconsin strip malls and thats about it.

[ivor]

I had a starbucks in the college green outlet this morning at 7:00, chirpy staff (irish btw) and a fine cup of coffee,
other units opening soon are the harcourt st, south anne street,(off grafton st) and the unit 137 one in the blanchardstown centre, and i heard rumour that they have 2 coming up on baggott street....any confirmation on this?

[Eoin]

On the subject of flavoured syrups, Barnies on Westmoreland St. do a full range of them. Amusingly, the prices in USD are printed on (I think $4.50, or so was the price) and over this has been gunned the Euro prices, approximating EUR 12... Rip off republic - indeed! But coffee shops do seem to lead the way here.

[geewizz]

is this what we have become? sitting up all night waiitng for the new Starbucks? Insomnia are an Irish chain - does anyone know if they are any good? Like standard of coffee, and service and what not?

[TXLonDub]

a little bit of an old thread here, but I had to give Insomnia some props. Their coffee is excellent, really consistent, and their food is a lot better than Starbucks in the US or UK, more variety, wheat free stuff, fresher. The service I have always found to be pretty good, the usual eclectic Euro blend of staff, kind of a pleasant change from the Starbucks "Partners" who increasingly seem to be community college McDonalds employees in green aprons. In the US, I go to Starbucks about every day, it started out pretty well, now it is just dull high street. Has anyone noticed how amazingly dirty the Starbucks stores in London are? In Dublin, it is always Insomnia as a first choice.

[doesn't matter]

You know what? I'm from New York City, and am now living in Cork City, Ireland. I sat down for a few meetings inside of Gloria Jean's only to find out that it's the most vile excuse for coffee in the world.

In a Tea culture, a place like this managed to survive. Coffee is like an underground movement here.

I have always had a strict boycott on supporting Starbuck's, who hold residency on every NYC corner, opting instead to support the Mom & Pop shops that serve coffee. Starbucks isn't good, but I drank it twice in airports, and it was a whole lot better than Gloria Jean's!

Gloria Jean's is like a joke on the Irish people. Serve them coffee at a really weak strength, tastes brewed twice through the same filter, at REALLY high prices. I love to watch the immigrants, and tourists pile in to try their weak, watered down brew. Their faces go all warped!

I can guarantee that if Starbuck's makes it to Cork City, they will beat the pants off of Gloria Jean's. While I'll be walking the few blocks to Cafe Gusto, I will actually be happy to see Gloria's go away- at any cost. Ever immigrant in Cork City would support it over the rancid tastes of Gloria Jean's. There are LOADS of immigrants here.

I know this sounds like a whole lot of contradiction, but with coffee so bad, I'm a bit angry at them for passing this crap off to the public & for being allowed to call it coffee.

[Andrew Richard Saumure]

whoever likes starbuck's coffees shouldnt even be considered a true coffee drinker.... unless you guys liked their charcoal tasting espressos.... and not to mention their damned superautos....

[neo freeman]

I work for sbux so if anyone has any questions then let me know.

[manda smith]

WOW!
i love gloria jeans. i think they make great drinks & the staff are great. i drunk them non stop in australia where they are 'the place' to get a great coffee. i love now i can get them in ireland.
i love illy - but don't understand why "independents" are so much better? i would rather get a consistent coffee everytime than a random good/bad one from an independent.
i back gloria jeans - hope you keep rockin

[Em]

GJ use highly acidic coffee. YUCK. GJ looks great, but coffee itself Tastes awful/burnt/bitter, although...Cream and Caramel is yum.

(GJ probably better for smokers)

Starbucks is excellent. No comparison.
Starbucks wins.

For best Coffee try Holland.

[gj primo]

best way?don't compare starbucks and gloria jean's. most autralians (where gj is based now) finds starbucks coffee weak, that's why they prefer gloria jeans...it all depends on somebody's taste...

[Tim & Aisling]

Starbucks coffe is good, but have you tasted Blue Mountain!!! now that's a coffee - savour th goodness!!!

:)

Tim

[marlborolyts]

go gj!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[V]

NEED A STARBUCKS IN CORK!!! - not just at the airport, please!

Though, there is a Gloria Jeans on Patrick Street... I got hooked on them when I was in Australia.

[Interested]

Let me just add my 2 cents worth. I know a little more about GJ's than anyone that has posted here and let me just say that GJ's will NEVER EVER dominate the Irish coffee market...... I have no vested interest in either but I know some of the people involved in one of the aforementioned and that's all I'll say.........