Europa, a pioneer in pan-European real estate investment, in partnership with its local partners CoreCapital and Oakmount, announces that it has signed global sports retailer, Decathlon, in a major new letting for Clerys Quarter, one of Dublin’s most iconic new mixed-use developments.
Decathlon will occupy a circa 30,000 sq ft unit on a 30-year lease in what will be its flagship city centre store, with doors expected to open mid-2024. The opening will also see over 50 new jobs created locally, across various different areas.
This follows a flurry of activity at Clerys Quarter, with the entirety of the retail space now fully let. Decathlon will join H&M, which is currently fitting out its circa 30,000 sq ft unit for its largest store in the city and on track to open in Spring of this year, as well as on-the-go sushi chain, ROLLED, which is also due to open in the Spring. These openings will join Pret A Manger which opened its ground floor retail unit in December last year.
Pictured is Elena Pecos, CEO Decathlon Ireland at the announcement
In November it was also announced that the Earl Building, representing approximately a third of the office space, had been sold to the Health Service Executive (HSE), on behalf of the Rotunda Hospital, for a new maternity outpatient hospital catering for over 100,000 outpatients annually.The restoration of the iconic Clerys building reached practical completion in June 2023 and retains its historic features including the colonnaded façade, internal staircases, columns, ceilings and the famous refurbished Clerys clock. The scheme combines traditional elements and modern concepts to create a landmark destination which will be a vibrant, thriving space on Dublin’s O’ Connell Street. The scheme has achieved LEED Gold certification and WiredScore Platinum certification.
Kevin Sweeney of Savills acted for the landlord and Michael Turley of Turley Property Advisors acted for Decathlon.
James Keast, Director, Asset Management at Europa, commented: “The arrival of Decathlon is a major coup for Clerys Quarter and means that the entirety of the scheme’s retail space is now occupied. The phased opening of the scheme will continue throughout 2024 and, as we near the completion of the project, we are looking forward to welcoming the community into the space.”
Derek McGrath, Core Capital commented: “We are delighted to announce Decathlon as an anchor tenant at Clerys Quarter. As its flagship store in the city centre, Decathlon is an ideal addition to the wider scheme and will have huge appeal for city centre consumers. We look forward to its launch later in the year, which follows a number of exciting openings taking place over the coming weeks.”
Elena Pecos, CEO at Decathlon Ireland said: “We are thrilled to announce the opening of our third store in Ireland, particularly in the iconic Clerys Building on O’Connell Street. Clerys holds a special place in the hearts of many Irish people, with countless fond memories of shopping and generations of families creating traditions within its walls. At Decathlon, we are honoured to become a part of this legacy. Our commitment goes beyond offering sports products; it extends to creating a community hub where the people of Dublin can continue to build their active lifestyles and create new memories for generations to come.”
