Dunnes Stores

Boy have they put a dose of lipstick on this pig! In fact, the recent renovation has created a shopping experience that one may even call pleasant! Gone away are the neglected, sad aisles of blah and apathetic employees who spent more time socialising amongst themselves than working. The new Dunnes food shop now features a series of mini-​shops, including: Sheridan’s cheesemonger (!!), Café Sol and a really decent bakery to rival the nearby Natural Bakery. Each of these specialised mini-​shops are staffed with people who actually know what they’re selling!
As for the rest of the Dunnes, whatever they did to reinvigorate their «regular» staff, it seems to have worked. I used to amuse myself by watching the terrible staff attitudes fly– I guess I’ll have to find another distraction as I wait in the self-​service queue.

Ah lads, seriously? I am not remotely impressed with the standard of staff in this place, and they are CONSTANTLY misleading customers as to what is or is not on offer. I was one of 4 in a que on a quiet Wednesday having had to go to customer service to make returns for items which were incorrectly charged for.
It’s a pity staff are so unpleasant and management so disinterested, as it is generally clean and there are always a few (correctly marked up!) decent offers.

Again with the Swan Centre currently going through its facelift, I’m sure Dunnes will have to do the same soon enough. It’s not the best Dunnes out there, but being in the heart of Rathmines, it doesn’t really have to be — it’s handy, has very cheap parking @ € 1.50 per hour (and an overnight rate if € 5 prepaid/​pre-​booked), and is large enough to get all your weekly shopping done in one go.
I use it quite a bit, and so does everybody else it would seem — the staff are always re-​stocking the food shelves when I get there! I have never bought anything in the clothes section as it’s not really for my tastes (you know because I’m so cool and all!!! Ha!). The queues can be long sometimes, especially at the self-​service section, but that’s life eh? I particularly love that parking is just one floor down then boom; you’re at your car and home in no time.
Shopping wise, it ticks my boxes, aesthetically wise, it needs a makeover, but it’ll happen over time.
Good for keeping it Irish heads, buying your cheap sweets before the cinema heads, and quick shopper heads!

While setting up the new place, this has been one of my most frequented stores in Rathmines. It has all the essentials at prices within walking distance. You can find better prices farther afield, but the difference usually isn’t so big that it’s worth the hassle.

Even though for seven years, this place was the closest supermarket to my apartment, I gradually came first to avoid it, and more recently, to boycott it entirely. Why? There are so many little reasons that I’ll try to condense into two big ones:
1– Staff. This branch of Dunnes employs staff with the poorest level of personal hygiene ever. Once, a checkout guy did a really wet sneeze, wiped his nose with his hand, than used that snot-​filled (yes, it was) hand to carry on swiping my groceries. I actually nearly vomited. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. A different person dropped dandruff everywhere, and another time the girl had such bad BO that I actually didn’t want to buy the food anymore and left. They are always dirty, impolite to customers and ignorant about the shop itself. I know that sounds mean, and I’m sure they all aren’t like that, but it is the consistent overall experience.
2-​Quality. The clothes fall to bits. The soles fall off the shoes. Regarding groceries, anything that’s ‘fresh’ is sitting there going mouldy. I could swear some of those pastries in the bakery section could walk out of there on their own. Rotting carrots, destroyed apples, etc, all fingered by the grubby staff? No thanks. Again, this is consistent, not a one-​off event.
It is just astonishing that in this part of Rathmines, where Aldi and Tesco are so close by, and Mortons and Superquinn only a little further away, that Dunnes is so poor in comparison. You’d think they’d make some effort! Alas not however. Avoid if possible.

It is a nice supermarket to do your grocery shop in.
But they close so early on a regular week day. I mean for the area where you have Aldi and Lidl that both stay open until 9pm week days (usually) and there is Tesco that stays open until 10pm at least (I’m not sure when it does close). And I usually don’t get to Rathmines until after 8pm, so I end up going to Tesco for the branded stuff. I would prefer to buy these products in Dunnes.
And they are in such a rush to close… they start announcing the store will close in 15 mins etc etc. But today as I was leaving I noticed they announced that the stored was now closed. It was 1955, five mins left to closing I would say.
Oh well. Moan over now :)

Dunnes Home in the Swan centre is much smaller than the branch in Stephens Green, but stocks a good selection of home-​ware and usually have some special offers. It’s also much less chaotic and the staff has actually time to help you find what you need, whether it’s storage boxes, a bath mat or a tooth-​brush holder. I got eight wooden hangers for € 4 and cheap candles the other day and have my eye on a woven laundry basket.
I also find their towels and bed-​sheets of good quality and they won’t cost you and arm or a leg.

THe kitchen of flat is like a Dunnes Home showcase. The cutlery in the drawer, crockery in the cupboard, the kitchen bin and even the sweeping brush were all bought here.
Once Habitat in Dublin closed down, Dunnes Home upped the ante and now have beautiful, really stylish homewares on offer. My favourite purchase from here is a really cute breakfast set with small plate, cereal bowl and huge round coffee cups (nothing worse than a tiny cup of coffee when you need something comforting enough to curl yourself around), with multicoloured polka dots.
Towels and bedlinen are really cheap here, and much better quality than in Penneys.
They’re great for lighting too (massive globe paper shades for € 2!).
Oh, and they’re Irish.

This is a fine Dunnes, with the usual range of basics (t-​shirts, trousers, hoodies) and the fancier Savida stuff. However, it is a little disconcerting having the clothes so near to the food. (The supermarket section is only a line of checkouts away.)
It may be irrational, but I prefer not to shop for dresses when I can see the cereal aisle, it sort of shatters the boutique experience.

Probably the best all-​rounder supermarket in Rathmines. The range is better than Aldi up the road and the store is much nicer than Tesco down the round. Prices are ok, and there’s usually freezers or shelves of discount items here which can be anything from fruit to meat to biscuits.
They stock the usual range of items but they do cater a little more to the kind of clientele they get locally with more ready meals and quick food options than you might find in another Dunnes. On saying that there’s still enough of an array of stuff here if you are into cooking.
This store is consistently busy with lots and lots of foot traffic, so you may have to queue. On saying that the staff are pretty good and try to make the queues move as quickly as possible at the busy times.

A couple of years back, when Dunnes became cool, they started to branch out into home wares. Thier huge home store in the city center may be scaled down a bit but the Rathmines branch is still going strong as a stand alone store.
It covers most of the same ground as Habitat and the like used to, Furniture, bedroom, bathroom, storage, knives and forks etc but at better prices.
In an Ireland still without IKEA, yes we’re so uncivilised, dunnes is still a great bet. Weather you’re kitting out a new place or looking to replace your old stuff. Most of the furniture and wares are modern, funky and affordable.