Fit Out Advice in Limerick City
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Could anyone give me advice on fitting out a shell (around 1400 square feet), which will be converted into a starbucks-type coffee house?
As there is so much involved: serving area and equipment, new toilets, flooring, walls and ceiling, etc., am I better off hiring a project manager for the job?
Are there companies out there that does everything (A to Z) for the fit out?
Hope someone in the forum can help, as my decision to locate in Limerick was partly based on useful information from posters on this site.
Thanks.
@boardy wrote:
…..my decision to locate in Limerick was partly based on useful information from posters on this site.
that’s a bit silly, no?
The word “partly” was used to counter this type of response.
But it didn’t work!The re-development of Limerick city centre posts were helpful in my decision.
By “starbucks-type” do you mean that untrained teenagers will use super-automatic machines to produce undrinkable espresso and large cups of coffee-flavoured milk?
We have done fit-out work for bars, restaurants and are currently working on a fit-out for a 5500 sq/ft Farm Shop in Northern Ireland. We have also completed medical fit-outs for a private hospital in Cork.
My advice would be that you need a professional consultant to manage the project. This will at least save you their fee.
Feel free to drop me an email with a little more information on your scheme and I will be happy to help in any way I can.
Cheers
Thanks Ryan. This is exactly the type of information that I was looking for. Will have a look at your web site.
I am confused by the other postings though. Sounds like a bit of begrudgery. But then again, this is Ireland ….
Don’t listen to them boardy, there is a lack of decent cafes in Limerick city, plenty of uncomfortable, plastic glorified coffee vending machines though, and most (if not all) cafes close at office hours so there may be an opening so a late night cafe in Limerick (a la Java’s or Banana Republic in Galway). You need to have a good location though, there has been a definate swing towards the river, also a better location will be covered by cctv in town so less susceptible to “anti-social” behaviour. Good luck, I look forward to enjoying you new addition to the city.
No begrudgery at all – I treat coffee as seriously as any other food and Starbucks is to coffee as McDonalds is to food. If you’re planning on opening a cafe that uses its own machines, trains its staff well, and even better, roasts its own beans, then I wish you the best of luck.
As far as I know, there are only 2 other coffee shops that roast their own beans in Ireland and it is part of my long-term plan.
The Starbucks analogy is mainly geared towards the spacious and comfortable environment that they offer. 1400 square feet should achieve this.
The main concept behind my coffee shop is to provide properly prepared espresso drinks in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Hey Boardy.
As Amazotheamazing was syaing there is really a need for a late opening coffe place in Limerick.
There are very few decent coffee houses around and the place could definitely do with a new one.
Where will you be located ?Is Java’s on Catherine St. not open late? – regardless a bit of choice wouldn’t be a bad thing. A good starting point boardy might be to get an architect involved. Good design pays for itself. If you contact the RIAI (Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland) they can provide information on practices that will suit your project – the no. is in the golden pages. You should check out a few different firms to see which one is best for you. Try and get as informed as you can about what you want your cafe to be like, ex get images of existing good examples etc. Hope that’s of some use to you and best of luck with your project.
Thanks for the responses lads. Even before Shane’s post, I got on the RIAI web site this morning and was able to use it to narrow down my selection to architects that deal with interior design in the Limerick area. Handy web site. Will set up meetings with possible candidates next week. As I am a total newbie, how should I handle architect costs: what is the standard?
I will let you know the location (towards the river) as soon as I get the lease signed (and change of use from the city). It is on a city centre street.
Regarding the notion of a late night cafe, I would love to do it but the two concerns are the anti-social element and whether there would be enough customers for me to stay open at night. An alternative to the pub scene is part of the bigger picture and even though my friends say that there is a market for it, I am not too sure.
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