Powerscourt Townhouse Centre: Shopping Beyond the High Street

Already a key shopping destination, Dublin’s Grafton street shopping district pulses with variety – and at its heart stands Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, a boutique mall carved from the bones of a sprawling 18th Century townhouse. Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, once a private residence for a member of Ireland’s peerage, was extensively renovated in 1981, converting the building’s labyrinth of halls and rooms into open, flexible spaces – the perfect way to showcase the centre’s portfolio of over 40 artisan shops and stands.

Its landmark status undeniable, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre continues to delight fashionable locals as well as city-center tourists brave enough to venture off the high street and into something new.

The building’s main entrance on South William Street winds visitors past a small urban garden center that’s more florist than shed-stocker, leading past an elegant stairwell and into what was once the building’s central courtyard – now a soaring three-storey open air café space, shared by Pygmalion cafe, The Pepper Pot  (a nod to the Wicklow Powerscourt estate garden feature of the same name) and assorted dessert and coffee spots.

Appleby Jewelers and upscale trimmings boutique A. Rubanesque add glitter to the ground floor, while the second floor’s seriously trendy Article Design stocks city homes with unique kitchenware, textiles, prints and stand-out gifts. On the top floor, Powerscourt turns its attic space over to local designers in its Loft Market – home to a revolving cast of jewelry makers, dressmakers, silk screeners and other on-trend types.

Sparking among the soft furnishings, Powerscourt’s cast of antiques shops – some occupying space just wide enough to fit a display case – offer hours of happy picking through collections ranging from Georgian porcelain to '70s-era statement jewelry. Upscale clothes brands also feature prominently in Powerscourt Towncentre’s garment shops – with French Connection, Diesel and Kenzo sharing rack space with vintage finds at shops throughout the centre.

HelloDublin Tip: Fashion-forward shoppers on the hunt for unique pieces (and the occasional legend-making bargain) make a bee-line for Design Centre – a crown jewel in Powerscourt’s fashionista treasury.

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