Three Ireland have launched their revamped store and Christmas gift range, and we got to go along for a nose. Three have long held a special place in this author’s heart, since I used to work in a 3 Store back in the distant mists of 2010. Back then, Three were an upstart new entrant to the hot Irish mobile market, as smartphones began their climb to ubiquity. Supported by a huge push from their owners, Hong Kong comms giant Hutchinson Whampoa, Three’s all you can eat data plans were gamechanging. They attracted a loyal customer base of the tech-curious and savvy to a whole new way of doing things, and I was their gatekeeper, helping them to navigate the complexities of this daunting new paridigm.
10 years on, and the mobile phone retail market looks in far different shape, smartphones are now a familiar form, having converged along similar lines of design and features as many appliances before them. With the collapse of Carphone Warehouse during the pandemic, the stalwart phone shops, with their rows of handsets, gaudy accessory walls and life size advertising cutouts are now in a fight for survival. Customers increasingly feel as excited to buy a new phone as a new fridge freezer, and they’re now confident enough setting up and using them that online orders are less daunting.
With this in mind, Three has relaunched it’s stores as delightful little gift boutiques, which also happen to sell phones. The rows of phones and shelves of accessories are still there, but so too are very well presented displays of little devices, gifts and decorations.
The Retro Arcade machine – Pacman
ION Luxe LP Vinyl Record Player (RRP: €140).
Lexon Powersound Bluetooth Speaker & Power Bank (RRP: €79)
Petcube Bites2Lite Treat Dispenser (RRP: €170):
Polaroid Now Pink (RRP: €130):
D8 Candles (RRP: €31)
Jando prints (RRP: €70)
As a self-confessed disastrous gift giver myself, I can foresee many frantic spouses, parents and friends finding an unexpected lifeline with something genuinely nice this christmas, when they maybe sought retreat from the crowds among the phone stands, or thought they’d get away with an aul case and charger as a gift. Hopefully, thanks to three, the only fight under the tree this Christmas will be Ryu against Chun Li.
~CJ
Items were recieved in gratuity, comments reflect the author’s own views,