SPAR Merrion Row, Dublin, Ireland
SPAR Merrion Row, situated in Dublin City centre, primarily serves customers working in the bustling business hub of Baggot Street and the nearby Government Buildings.
From Monday to Friday, the store experiences a steady flow of customers throughout the day, with peak times during breakfast and lunch, creating a lively and energetic atmosphere. Evenings and weekends are calmer, attracting shoppers, tourists, and people socializing in the many local restaurants and bars.
Company and Brand Overview
SPAR Merrion Row, opened in December 2005 by retailer Thomas Ennis under SPAR’s retail franchise system, was a pioneering convenience store. It launched with a team of 30 staff and was the first of its kind to offer an in-house seating area, an Insomnia Barista, and a Tree House Smoothie bar. The store also employed in-house chefs to prepare fresh food products on-site.
Since then , the group has grown to 11 sites, including –
6 SPAR Stores, 1 EUROSPAR and 3 MAXOL Forecourts all based in Dublin City Centre and the greater Dublin area. The group has developed a reputation for high-quality customer service, a diverse product range with a very strong emphasis on Fresh Foods, with SPAR Merrion Row setting the standards for each store that followed, the group is now known by our innovative, premium, quality fresh produce, mouth watering deli displays, along side excellent store standards.
From day one our love for Fresh foods has driven us to be the best in class.
This lead to the development of our production kitchen, based in Merrion Row. Here we develop, create and produce, delicious, pre packed meals, sandwiches, salads and various other fresh products for each store in the group.
Store Photos
Store and Offer Overview
SPAR Merrion Row’s core customers are people commuting into the area, to work in the busy business hub of Baggot Street and the neighbouring Government Buildings. Merrion Row, Monday to Friday, enjoys a constant flow of customers throughout the day, with peak times at breakfast and lunch, creating a lively, energetic atmosphere.
This leads into calmer evenings and weekends with shoppers, tourists or people socializing in the many restaurants and bars in the area.
The main food offering throughout the day is the cold deli serve-over, where you can find freshly prepared gourmet sandwiches, pies, sausage rolls or simply create your own from our large array of delicious ingredients.
Customers also love our hot food offering, here you can find our delicious breakfast rolls, our hot meal of the day, along with Irelands infamous chicken fillet roll.
Along side the hot food bar we offer Social Fries, for the days our customers are looking to indulge. Social Fries takes the traditional French fries to the next level by topping them with a variety of flavourfull toppings.
The All – Day Egg Bar, offers a healthy offering of egg- based dishes, emphasizing the versatility of eggs as the primary ingredient for various times of the day, offering an all-day breakfast, brunch and lunch options of healthy, nutritious, protein – based meals.
Food junction, is a self- service unit offering a a variety of fresh, breakfast options, vibrant salads and a range of hot food, also catering for all day parts.
SPAR Merrion Row also offers Insomnia Coffee, one of Irelands leading coffee brands, along with a large selection of pastry and sweets treats.
Layout and Retail Environment
SPAR Merrion Row is designed to offer a modern, efficient shopping experience.
The store is 3000 sq feet, and when it was revamped in 2019, along with its new design, the layout was changed to cater for an ultra convenience, quick and easy experience for customers on the go.
When the customer enters to the left, they will see our Food Junction unit alongside our large grab and go range. This allows customers quick and easy tasty healthy options.
This leads onto all our fresh food departments, with the middle of the shopfloor split by a large soft drinks unit, customers can then browse the shopfloor before heading to the checkout area, or seating area to the righthand side of the store.
The SPAR design response is warm and welcoming, with a focus on creating a unique consumer experience that matches our specific shopper needs. T
- The windows are open and deliberately devoid of communication in order to allow views into the store, providing vision onto the fresh and fresh – served departments, and for the store to act as a beacon at night and the visibility of the key food.
- Glass, black metal frames and wood-effect cladding form the majority of elements used to provide a neutral and natural pallet that allows for the SPAR brand to have good visibility and stand-out and are contrasted by stronger colours, predominantly red and green, which are used in a controlled way.
- Other features include timber table surfaces with corporate red legs and a mixture of timber , black and red seating that offers seating for 25 customers.
Customers can also avail of our click and collect ordering option, where they can order and pay online in advance from our Food Craft Range.
Customer Experience
At Spar Merrion Row, we pride ourselves on delivering a top-tier customer experience defined by the quality and variety of our product offerings and the efficiency of our service.
A significant portion of our products, from gourmet sandwiches to hot food offerings, are prepared fresh in-store daily.
This commitment to freshness not only ensures high-quality food but also allows us to offer a diverse range of options that cater to the varying tastes and needs of our customers.
One of the standout features of our store is the quick turnaround time we provide, even during the busiest hours. The store’s layout is designed for maximum efficiency, enabling customers to navigate quickly and find what they need without delay.
Whether grabbing a coffee or picking up lunch, customers appreciate the speed and ease with which they can complete their shopping, making Spar Merrion Row a go-to spot for time-pressed professionals and locals alike.
- Adding to this experience is our friendly staff, who come from diverse backgrounds, bringing a richness of perspectives and a warm, welcoming atmosphere to the store.
- Their dedication to providing excellent service ensures that every customer feels valued, and their efficiency ensures that service is always prompt, even when the store is bustling.
- This combination of fresh, in-house offerings and swift, friendly service makes Spar Merrion Row a standout choice for customers who value both quality and convenience.
Operational Excellence
Operational excellence at Spar Merrion Row is rooted in the store’s smart layout, in-house production capabilities, and well trained staff, all of which ensure efficiency and adaptability.
The space is meticulously designed to facilitate a seamless shopping experience, with strategically placed sections that guide customers effortlessly throughout the store. This thoughtful arrangement not only enhances customer convenience but also optimizes staff operations, allowing for quick service even during peak hours.
A significant aspect of our operational success is our commitment to waste reduction by preparing all fresh food in-house, we have full control over production, enabling us to scale operations up or down based on demand. This flexibility is particularly valuable during large events or quieter periods, allowing us to minimize waste while meeting customer needs.
The team in SPAR Merrion Row are the key ingredient to the stores overall success.
- From the first day a new member of staff enters the building they are set on a full career path if they so wish.
- Staff training is at the forefront of day to day operations, starting with on the job training, SPAR’s virtual Academy to the Retail Apprenticeship Programme and the Retail Degree Programme now available for all our Supervisors and Store Managers.
We are very lucky to have many long standing employees who are with us from day one. This allows a large wealth of knowledge to be passed down from those who have extensive retail knowledge.
Overall Performance
Spar Merrion Row’s overall performance is a testament to its efficient operations and adaptability in a competitive market. Our in-house production model not only contributes to our sustainability efforts by reducing waste, but it also allows us to maintain quality and profitability.
- This model provides the flexibility to adjust production levels in response to fluctuating demand, ensuring that we can serve our customers effectively whether it’s during a bustling event or a slower week. The store’s strategic layout, combined with our ability to quickly adapt to customer needs, has resulted in continuous growth.
- These operational strengths have not only reinforced our financial performance but have also earned us multiple awards.
- Spar Merrion Row continues to lead the way in the convenience store sector, driven by a commitment to excellence in every aspect of our operations.
SPAR Merrion Row’s
Foodservice is contribution is 50% of the stores overall turnover
The store is currently showing growth of 4% year on year.
The average daily transaction count is 9000 customers.
The group is going from strength to strength with a over 240 employees.
‘The Best Foodvenience Store in the World’ 2024