Buy Local & Support Local Businesses by getting your gifts in Dún Laoghaire

It is that time of the year again when you can blast your favourite Christmas carols all day long if you feel like it. It is the time of shopping frenzy and thinking about the dear people in our lives. How we can bring the smiles on their facies on the Christmas morning. Buying presents from local Dun Laoghaire shops and supporting them at the same time would be definitely a good way to go about it.

This Christmas, we are featuring many well-known, beloved local shops and Irish brands with their fantastic offers for this festive season.

Let’s take a look together.

Irish Design Gallery

Everyone who’s been in Dun Laoghaire knows this place. Irish Design Gallery is not just a shop, it’s a whole experience. Their owner Sinead kindly shared the story behind her business.

Sinead and Irish Design Gallery are in Moran Park House beside the DLRLexicon since 2016. Before that Sinead owned a gallery called Design Loft. She really enjoys art and craft promotion and discovering new designers. Items in the gallery are mostly from the 75 different artists either from local area or from Ireland.

Sinead takes a great pride in promoting Irish artists. She also takes pride in the shop itself. People really enjoy just coming into the shop and exploring the items on display. In one room there’s an original art, in another textiles, in the central room you can find jewellery. The atmosphere is relaxing and enjoyable. People can come in to explore on their own time, chat with Sinead or with each other and the whole experience is like a little art heaven.

Sinead Buckley Quinn, Owner at Irish Design Gallery 

Christmas Gift Ideas from Irish Design Gallery

Irish design gallery covers a wide range of products starting from €‎6 bar of soap to €‎3000 paintings and everything in between. This includes nice luxury chocolate, biscuits, tea towels convenient for sending as a gift oversees.

One of the best sellers in the gallery would be a set of Poolbeg candles. Sinead is selling them every single day and they are also good for sending in the post. Another popular item is children’s height chart ruler made from Irish ash.

There’s also Eileen O’Duffy second book. It’s a limited edition book with only 1000 copies. It’s called “Champagne, Cocktails and Crêpes Suzette” and it’s a lovely picture book that shows old hotels in Dun Laoghaire.

The gallery is also well supplied with Christmas cards featuring sights in Dun Laoghaire and surrounding area.

How to Buy From Irish Design Gallery

Here’s where you can find Irish Design Gallery:

Moran Park House, Queen’s Rd, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, A96 DA36

087 270 7496

Website

Google Reviews Irish Design Gallery

Frewen & Aylward

Another established business in Dun Laoghaire, Frewen & Aylward, is in our community for generations. This family owned business with a great tradition always made sure that Dun Laoghaire men were dressed well.

We had an opportunity to talk to their director Richard Farrell and take a look “behind the scenes” of this fantastic local business. Frewen and Aylward is celebrating 60 years in the business. Richard joined the company 20 years ago and was recently appointed as a managing director. The business is quite established, they have many regular customers not just from around the city but around the country. They are making “made to measure” suits and carrying some of the exclusive brands like ZZegna.

Frewen & Aylward won an award three years in a row by All Ireland Business Foundation and all thanks to the great customer experience they are providing in the shop. Everyone who comes in is looked after by experienced staff who is capable of putting together great outfits and who is providing great atmosphere in the shop.

Richard Farrell, Managing Director at Frewen & Aylward 

Christmas Gift Ideas from Frewen & Aylward

At the moment, outdoor jackets, puffed jackets, rainproof jackets are very popular because of the cold weather. Frewen & Aylward also has a great selection of the cashmere scarves and jumpers, which make a lovely Christmas gift.

Richard also recommends a nice selection of wallets, credit card holders and other accessories. For the younger men, Replay is quite a popular brand with their nice jeans and tops.

How to Buy From Frewen & Aylward

Here’s where you can find Frewen & Aylward:

44 George’s Street Lower, Dún Laoghaire, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, A96 TV21

(01) 280 3127

Website

Google Reviews Frewen & Aylward

Art & Hobby Dun Laoghaire

Art & Hobby is well-know Irish brand for all things stationery. This is a perfect shop for anyone who is artistically inclined, or just wants to have some fun. We had a great pleasure to talk to the Dun Laoghaire store manager Maria and learn more about their offers. Maria is an art teacher from Spain and she recently joined the company.

Besides the stationery, arts and crafts materials, Art & Hobby also carries a wide range of toys and gifts. An emphasis is on fun and creativity and this is a perfect shop to buy something that will make this Christmas a bit more magical not just for the kids but the whole family.

Maria loves interacting with customers. Many of them come to the shop with questions rather than just to buy and go. It makes her and all their stuff feel good when they can help with the projects people are working on. All employees in the Art & Hobby shop have a knowledge of art or do it themselves which builds a nice collection of a unique skill set that can provide quality guidance for a wide range of art projects. It makes for a better atmosphere in the shop and an in-depth approach rather than just handing out the product.

Maria Del Mar, Manager at Art & Hobby Dun Laoghaire

Christmas Gift Ideas from Art & Hobby

This Christmas season the board games are very popular. Lego is also always in trend, but also all things for fine arts. Some of them even come at 50% off price.

For those indecisive, the shop offers gift cards at any amount you prefer.

How to Buy From Art & Hobby

Here’s where you can find Art & Hobby Dun Laoghaire:

111 – 113 George’s Street Upper, Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin

(01) 280 5047

Website

Google Reviews Art & Hobby Dun Laoghaire

The Pier Health Club (at Royal Marine Hotel)

The Pier Health Club & Spa Manager, Daria kindly showed us around the Health Club and its fantastic facilities. The Health Club has a range of cardio machines and free weight section not to mention the 18 meter heated pool with hydro pool, steam room and sauna. Range of membership options from a three month gym & pool to a family full membership. Member benefits include a reduction in sansanaSPA, complimentary underground car parking, discount on food and beverage in the Royal Marine Hotel and 10% discount on best available rates in any Neville Hotel. 

Daria joined the Royal Marine Hotel in March having previously worked for the Neville Hotel Group in their sister hotel – Druids Glen Hotel & Golf Resort in Wicklow. The Royal Marine Hotel was purchased by the Neville family from Co. Wexford in 2004 and went through an extensive renovation that included the addition of the Health Club and Spa. 

Royal Marine Hotel has a special offer just for the readers of dunlaoghairetown.ie website and that’s one year €490 pool membership with 3 months complimentary gym access. This can be purchased for yourself at the Pier Health Club reception by quoting dunlaoghairetown Christmas article.

Daria Okulewicz, Manager at The Pier Health Club & Spa

Christmas Gift Ideas from Royal Marine Hotel

Give the gift of choice this year with a Royal Marine Hotel gift voucher available on their website 

Gift vouchers include some excellent spa treatments like Shirodhara Treatment and Night Spa Special in Classic Double Room. Alternatively you can purchase a Gift Card by calling the hotel on 01-2300030 these are valid in any Neville Hotel 

How to Buy From Royal Marine Hotel

Here’s where you can find Royal Marine Hotel:

Marine Rd, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, A96 K063

(01) 230 0030

Website

Google Reviews Royal Marine Hotel

The Pen Place

In the era of digital devices, pens are still holding their own and there’s one shop in Dun Laoghaire that just sell pens, and does it well. People in Dun Laoghaire certainly know the Pen Place in Dun Laoghaire shopping centre well. The shop owner Brendan is always there with a friendly smile and exceptional customer service.

Brendan took over the business 20 years ago. This shop is one of the oldest businesses in Dun Laoghaire shopping centre. They are selling the same things for the last 45 years and there’s no end to the reasons why people are buying pens. And this is not just tied to the Christmas but to the every day of the week. From graduations to retirements, parties and birthdays. Brendan’s special offer would be the engraving service which is free of charge. Just in the last four months Brendan has engraved around 3,500 pens.

It is assumed no one uses pens and that no body writes anymore but the business not only survived but thrived because it sells lots of interesting pens and inks. And here’s one example, Brendan’s got 700 bottles of ink a few weeks ago in 200 different colours. One of the colours of the ink sold out immediately and it’s called writers blood.

Brendan Kerrigan, Owner at The Pen Place

Christmas Gift Ideas from The Pen Place

Pens are a wonderful gift for all seasons and occasions in our lives including Christmas.

The best-seller this season is a space pen which has been on the market for 50 years. There are brands like Lamy and Cross, and there’s always something new for Christmas from all different suppliers.

Brendan recommends a wonderful gift set from Lamy with a vibrant red pen and a journal. They are selling out rapidly.

How to Buy From The Pen Place

Here’s where you can find The Pen Place:

Unit 317a, Marine Rd, Dún Laoghaire

(087) 254 2932

Website

Google Reviews The Pen Place

RNLI Dun Laoghaire

Christmas is a season of giving and showing kindness to one another and there’s no greater goodness than saving someone else’s life. RNLI in Dun Laoghaire is a charity organization that’s guarding lives on the sea with their team of volunteers.

We learned more about RNLI in our town from their manager Brian Costello. RNLI Dun Laoghaire is a part of a larger RNLI organization that runs in UK and Ireland. Dun Laoghaire station has two life boats – one being an all weather boat and another in-shore smaller life boat. When calls come through 911 and the coast guard, the guard is tasking with RNLI with the life-saving missions. Besides the sea RNLI saves lives in some inland locations as well.

RNLI is an independent organization, not related to the government although they are working in cooperation with the coast guard so the shop in Dun Laoghaire is a part of the fundraising that goes to help to support the life-boats and to allow them to run them out of Dun Laoghaire.

Brian Costello, Manager at RNLI Dun Laoghaire

Christmas Gift Ideas from RNLI

The big sellers in RNLI shop are Christmas cards including one that has been locally produced with a picture of their lifeboat. A lot of people would also go with the items that Brian called “stocking fillers” – socks, pens, notepads.

RNLI also offers a range of 2023 calendars and diaries, items for kids – toys and activities, clothing items like t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats.

How to Buy From RNLI

The items could be purchased in the shop that’s located on the Dun Laoghaire pier. It is also possible to make tap-machine or cash donations on their premises and all the money goes directly to RNLI in Dun Laoghaire.

Here’s where you can find RNLI:

2 Queen’s Rd, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, A96 X240

(01) 280 2667

Website

Google Reviews RNLI

Ready for the Christmas shopping?

It’s not too late for the last minute Christmas shopping. Local businesses are here for you with a perfect gift for everyone in your life. You can choose from a great variety of products and buy local at the same time. Best wishes to everyone this Christmas season from the dunlaoghairetown.ie team.

Thank you for supporting our Dun Laoghaire business community!

For a list of all the retail outlets in our town please see our Dún Laoghaire Town business directory.

Would you like us to include your business in future Love Dún Laoghaire features?

We would be delighted to, please send an email to [email protected] with details of your location in Dún Laoghaire and we will be in touch. 

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