Red Shoots - Tons of New Businesses Opening in Cork

27th Aug 2014

Take a look at most of the national papers or any quotes from cranky city councillors and you’d get the impression Cork city centre is dying a death. Rather than just talk it up we bring you a list of all the great people who have had the liathroidí to open new businesses and defy the negativity in recent months:

The explosion in the popularity of tattoos has taken many Corkonians by surprise – at the rate they’re opening there’ll be more of them than barbers soon with queues of Rebels lining up to have their bodies inked following a trend of the last few years on the back of celebrities and sports stars showing off theirs in public. Love-Hate Tattoos on French Church Street, Smiley Dogg Tattoos on North Main Street and Inkoholics on Tuckey Street have all opened their doors in recent times.

So whether it’s a Cork GAA crest on your forehead or your old doll’s name splayed across your chest there’s huge choice now in the city to the extent that the city now hosts an annual tattoo festival  with sponsorship from another recently opened business: Rising Sons Brewery on Cornmarket Street.

Another venture from the ever-expanding McCabe clann, who have also re-opened The Parnell bar as The Poor Relation on newly refurbished Parnell Place, it’s clear the family are taking quite a Cork approach to their business: why depend on big breweries for your beer when you can just brew it yourself? Behind the bar you’ll see a large glass panel with four big copper cylinders that are used to produce the drink you’re holding in your paw so as well as bar staff and a pizza chef there have been further jobs created in knocking up the very booze in your lámh.

And while you can get a Murphy’s and Beamish, the People’s Republic of Cork Revolutionary Committee note that there’s no Dublin brew here so don’t mortify yourself by asking for a Guinness. When the weather allows it’s great to see people sitting outside on tables and adding to the buzz on the street.

Moving up the street towards The Roundy, ze Lidl Germans have opened a new underground outlet in the basement of the old Guy Printers building which along with the budding Coal Quay Festival has injected even more energy into this part of town and thankfully up on North Main Street the massive euro store that closed down has been replaced immediately by a competitor. Another empty premises ticked off the list.

After a long spell in the Market Parade, gift shop Pure Crafty have ceased an opportunity for more footfall by slotting into a cosy new premises at the top of Paul Street – attracting the eyeballs of tourists on the Heritage pub trail or heading for the Vision Centre on North Main Street. Subway is about to open on the street too (the sandwich crowd, not an underground rail system) in the old A-Z Printers shop opposite Pinochio’s Toy Shop and the Daily Grind have opened a pop-up café in the park opposite Waterstones – daycint for a coffee on a warm day. 

Just a few yards away on Academy Street, new gourmet burger restaurant with the unusual name Coqbull has replaced Café Bar Deli and you’ll be lucky to get a table on a weekend night such is this place’s instant hit with Leesiders. Try the lamb burger -  we’ve been dreaming about it ever since.

Local lad Jack Crotty aka Rocketman and a favourite at Farmer’s Markets recently opened a salad bar to which punters are flocking on Princes Street for salads, seeds and stews. To boot the new arrivals also organised an early-morning mini-festival where punters were handed free food and were treated to west Cork’s Saxy Lady Boys and a DJ at 6.30am!

Directly across from Rocketman and up one floor, a new Japanese restaurant Wabisabi opened its doors six weeks ago and their sushi, noodles and soups are going down a treat with hungry Rebels. The entrance is right beside O’Donovan’s off license on Oliver Plunkett Street and the restaurant’s staff are among the friendliest in the city.

If salads or sushi don’t do it for you and you’d prefer something sweeter then you don’t have far to go. On the South Mall end of Princes Street Óco Chocolate Bakery have opened a lovely looking shop to compliment their café on French Church Street and are churning out hot chocolates and brownies like there’s no tomorrow.

The glass is definitely more than half full outside the city centre island too. Just over the North Gate Bridge the pub on the corner of Shandon Street and North Mall, renamed The Friary has reopened as a craft beer pub while Ernest Horgan, Rory O’Leary and Liam Barry opened Goldbergs bar on the June weekend which has been a big success to date bringing much needed kick up the arse to the docks area with a nice beer garden and tasty lunches.

The thriving Asian diner ‘Ramen’ on Anglesea Street have opened up a new Asian Street Food restaurant in Dennehy’s Cross whose rip-roaring success must surely be offered as evidence of a re-emerging local economy. The owners must be delighted at the daily hoards queuing for tables and takeaway (although less enamoured with the langball who stole part of their neon sign during their first few days) – you literally can’t draw a leg in there most nights. It heralds a much needed, long and drawn out revamp of that area too.

Some see the glass half empty but we say, let’s start to see it half full – and the rest will fill up quicker.