SPECIAL REPORT A gent’s Santa suit for 3. A toddler’s first walker for 18. A 130 watch for only 8! Have we gone crazy? No, we’ve gone to Crazy Prices! Crazy Prices has been open in the Ilac Centre on Dublin’s Henry Street for almost a month now, and has already gained a reputa- tion as the ‘go-to’ store for all your Christmas needs and more. With 70 per cent discounts on the recom- mended retail prices of most items, it’s no wonder that customers are coming from Dublin and beyond to get their Christmas shopping sorted. There’s something for everyone here – from kids to grandparents! The aim of Crazy Prices is simple – give wholesale prices direct to retail cus- tomers. This means that cus- tomers can buy items that are, on average, 70 per cent cheaper than Dublin prices and 40 per cent cheaper than prices in Northern Ireland. According to Anthony Seery, manager at Crazy Prices, customers are amazed at the value on offer. “What I would say to peo- ple is: Why go north when our prices are going south? “The customers that walk in here are saying that they’re absolutely amazed by the prices that we’re giv- ing. They can’t believe it – they’ve never seen anything so cheap.” Although the shop has been open barely a month, trade has been incredible, picking up week after week, day on day. “Customers get a lot of variety – and every- thing here is priced 1, 2, 3, 4 and so on – there’s no 99 cent, no 45 cent. It’s all round numbers. “We have actually had wholesale people, traders coming in and buying from us to retail on. They asked me could I do them better prices and I said: this is whole- sale price, you’re not going to get it any cheaper anywhere.” According to Seery, people today are concerned with discounts and value – whether it comes with brand names or non-brand names. Everyone is conscious of money and even Santa is on a budget! Crazy Prices has top brands and non-brands with 70 per cent off. At Crazy Prices, people are already starting to pick up some great value items for Christmas. The top seller is the 16” dancing musical Santa, the recommended retail price (RRP) of which is 22 – at only 6 here it’s a terrific bargain and would bring festive cheer to any household, without break- ing the bank! You can also get a 6ft luminous fibre- optic decorated Christmas tree for only 77, a saving of 200 on its RRP of 277! Have your tree sparkling this Christmas with 20 fes- tive lights for only 1, or 100 fairy lights for 5. Turn your house into a winter wonderland with the luminous 10m flexible colour outdoor rope light for only 15 (RRP 54). Add to this the rope light lamppost (37, RRP 133) and the rope light twin reindeer and sleigh (48, RRP 158) and you’ll really be the envy of all your neighbours. Why not pick up the four-way A couple of years ago there was nothing like this at all in Dublin. The last time I was in the Ilac Centre there was nothing like this! The prices are amaz- ing. This is my first time in the shop and I’ll be back again before Christmas. Lindsay “ We spoke to a range of shoppers at Crazy Prices, who all agreed there was amazing value to be had. “ It’s a very good place. This is our third time back! The prod- ucts are great quality as well. We always go up North to buy stuff, for our new baby and general shopping. Once you can get prices like that down here, why would you bother? These prices are unbelievable. Wayne, Elisabeth and baby Joshua “ “ Unbeatable value in the heart of Dublin Why go north when prices are going south? NUALA RYAN AND BEN MURNANE PAY A VISIT TO CRAZY PRICES IN THE ILAC CENTRE, WHERE THE INCREDIBLE VALUE IS DRAWING IN SHOPPERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY