Active Sportswear gone from Donnybrook & RDS?

[deco]

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/news/10393.php#.UjGxHMZ6aQk

I always made an effort to buy from Active Sport as their staff were knowledgeable and would always have a chat about all things Leinster. I hope that the decision was mutual rather than a purely commercial decision by LR.

[underpantsdance]

I thought something was up alright as they weren't giving STH discounts in donnybrook at the pre-season friendly. Real shame to see them go as they would always go the extra mile to help you out

[Mickado]

Had a look at the Lifestyle website, me no like.

"Other customers also liked - A Munster Jersey"...

[TerenureJim]

Sorry are you saying the Leinster Rugby Store is no more? No that is a huge loss. The shop in donnybrook was one of the best stocked rugby stores I've ever been in. It was an aladin's cave of bargains and hard to get kit. Also it was super handy and the guys knew their stuff.

Lifestyle are fairly pants to be honest. Sad day for anyone who liked the store.

[deco]

Sorry are you saying the Leinster Rugby Store is no more? No that is a huge loss. The shop in donnybrook was one of the best stocked rugby stores I've ever been in. It was an aladin's cave of bargains and hard to get kit. Also it was super handy and the guys knew their stuff.

Lifestyle are fairly pants to be honest. Sad day for anyone who liked the store.

Fully agree.

My guess is that the shop in the RDS will be run by Lifestyle; the one in Donnybrook to close completely.

Farrells in Stillorgan is an alternative and they have decent sales on a couple of times a year.

[Dave Cahill]

Pretty much mirrors what happened in Munster, lifestyle took over running their physical shops.

Still sh!t though, Lifestyle were part of the 'infinite loop of bullshit' as regards womens gear (women couldn't buy proper tailored gear because Canterbury didn't make it because the stores wouldn't stock it because women didn't buy it because Canterbury didn't make it because the stores...)
John and Danielle on the other hand went out and got stuff made, sure it 'tier 2' stuff as its called, but at least it was proper womens tailored gear. They did the retro jersey too I doubt we'll see Lifestyle do that. I recall posts here about them dropping off stuff that was ordered online that day on their way home from work because it was on their way anyway.

Now maybe its just an inevitable consequence of the success of the game that Leinster are simply too big for a 'Mom and Pop' operation to support, and thats okay, its kind of what we want from Leinster and omlettes/eggs etc, but 'Mom and Pop' were damned good at what they did, so I'm very grateful to them for all the help and support they gave in emptying my wallet on a fairly regular basis.

I live in Blanch and Lifestyle, Champion, Elverys, Marathon, whatever all have humongostores within a 10 minute drive from my front door, but I always went across to Donnybrook to buy my kit, and now I'll head for Blackrock.

[Amz]

Hear, hear.

Very disappointed by this news, their customer service was awesome! They always got online orders out ASAP and like Dave, I've heard of times when they even hand delivered items ahead of big games (Heineken cup finals etc.) LIfestyle have shag all rugby stuff (at least that was my experience as a fan and a olayer) and their staff are not at all going to be motivated to deliver the same standard of care/loyalty to Leinster fans.

I wish the guys and girls in the Leinster rugby store all the best and I'm sorry to see them go.

[TerenureJim]

I live in Blanch and Lifestyle, Champion, Elverys, Marathon, whatever all have humongostores within a 10 minute drive from my front door, but I always went across to Donnybrook to buy my kit, and now I'll head for Blackrock.

That's the problem for me, they have huge stores with a very limited range. You walked into the Leinster Store you had tonnes of stuff to browse, they always stocked a huge range of items from a selection of teams as well as having decent quantities of the top sellers and if they didn't have something they'd order it.

Now maybe liftstyle will run the "Leinster" shop different to their normal stores but I have a suspicion that it'll be about as good a selection to the old Champion sports "Leinster" store was on grafton st in other words home/away jersey and a few ods and ends without being a proper dedicated rugby store.

[OTT]

Pretty much mirrors what happened in Munster, lifestyle took over running their physical shops.

Still sh!t though, Lifestyle were part of the 'infinite loop of bullshit' as regards womens gear (women couldn't buy proper tailored gear because Canterbury didn't make it because the stores wouldn't stock it because women didn't buy it because Canterbury didn't make it because the stores...)
John and Danielle on the other hand went out and got stuff made, sure it 'tier 2' stuff as its called, but at least it was proper womens tailored gear. They did the retro jersey too I doubt we'll see Lifestyle do that. I recall posts here about them dropping off stuff that was ordered online that day on their way home from work because it was on their way anyway.

Now maybe its just an inevitable consequence of the success of the game that Leinster are simply too big for a 'Mom and Pop' operation to support, and thats okay, its kind of what we want from Leinster and omlettes/eggs etc, but 'Mom and Pop' were damned good at what they did, so I'm very grateful to them for all the help and support they gave in emptying my wallet on a fairly regular basis.

I live in Blanch and Lifestyle, Champion, Elverys, Marathon, whatever all have humongostores within a 10 minute drive from my front door, but I always went across to Donnybrook to buy my kit, and now I'll head for Blackrock.

During the summer they didnt even have one piece of Leinster clothing not even a sale rack. It was prior to the release of the new range but I still thought it was strange (maybe not so much now), you should give a ring before you next head out there just in case.

[Dave Cahill]

That's the problem for me, they have huge stores with a very limited range.

Very limited range of sizes too, you're lucky to find an XL there in the normal run of things. Now I'm exceptionally well muscled, its just that they're all in an extreme state of relaxation - ahem - and another reason why I hardly ever use these stores is that they rarely carry anything larger than an L or an XL, and I don't think they've noticed that rugby players and supporters would tend towards the larger end of the size spectrum

[simonno6]

Frustrating decision.

[LeinsterLeader]

Yeah very Disappointed with this. Had become somewhat of a Christmas tradition that the Saturday before christmas we'd head to DB and get the kids kitted out for Stephens' day. We all loved it and You never know who you might see in there. Can't see heading down to Lifestyle having the same thrill. they were good people in there (especially Danielle) and I don't know if this move has changed their employment arrangment but I hope they get sorted out.

[bronxbull]

I am really sorry to hear this news as I have frequented the stores in the RDS and have walked down to the store in Donnybrook many a day.
I fully agree with the comments regarding the staff,I remember getting fuly kitted out before a trip to the Recreation Ground in Bath in the Donnybrook store and they treated me superbly.

Sad times but thank you for your excellent service

[Vamos los azules]

That's a shame to hear. It won't be the same without the store in Donnybrook.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Maybe this is something the OLSC should take up with LR, especially if the range and service provided by Lifestyle do not match up to those provided by existing store. I always got my stuff from the Donnybrook store and found them excellent to deal with.

Having said that, many of us who have been to club stores in France and the UK have long felt that LR were missing a potential source of revenue in not providing branded merchandise, especially stuff for kids. Not sure if the new deal will rectify this. Time will tell.

[deco]

Maybe this is something the OLSC should take up with LR, especially if the range and service provided by Lifestyle do not match up to those provided by existing store. I always got my stuff from the Donnybrook store and found them excellent to deal with.

Having said that, many of us who have been to club stores in France and the UK have long felt that LR were missing a potential source of revenue in not providing branded merchandise, especially stuff for kids. Not sure if the new deal will rectify this. Time will tell.

The OLSC won't bite off the hand that feeds them.

[mikey]

very sad about this - Danielle has always gone out of her way to help us both when we went to the shops at the RDS and Donny, plus on line - the new guys had better be feckin sh!t hot as they have a tough act to follow....

Cant see why this change has been made - more province wide retail i guess, but by all accounts they dont measure up on service.......

sad day I think.

[footrush]

Real pity loved that shop, still have team gear I picked up when we used to play all our matches there, sign of the times.

[dod]

It is a shame but

The two shops are still going to be there just run by somebody else.. I don't think the range of stuff in the shop will be that different on saturday from what it was the last day of last season.. It may even be better with the buying power of Lifestyle..

[mtleinster]

Im sure the Dolans will appreciate reading the above,

On the plus side, at least Lifestyle will sell off last years stuff at a decent discount.

I always thought it was funny with the old leinster store where they would have under the sale section 20% off a 3 year old jersey, and have other clubs / international jerseys equally old and equally poorly discounted

This is over 50% off at €30