Described as “an exemplar of conservation” in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, No 59 Francis Street is a Georgian gem in the Antiques Quarter of Dublin city.
It could be described as the original of the species when it comes to antiquities. Built in 1820, it was formerly owned by antiques dealer Paul Cooke in the 1970s, who opened Cooke Antiques, the first antique shop on the street. Cooke employed some of today’s noted antique dealers including Niall Mullen and Chantal O’Sullivan, who went on to have their own businesses here. Another incarnation was as the Antiques Arcade, when 12 dealers operated under the Georgian roof, while Cooke moved across the street to the site currently occupied by Oxfam.
The building was subsequently owned by the Kelly Family, an Irish-influenced folk act who achieved most of their success in Germany; their energetic performances matched an image many had of a large, happy Irish family.
At the end of 1999, the Kelly Family allowed their friend and antiques dealer Nicholas Gore Grimes to open his Cross Gallery on the ground floor rent-free to help get him established. Then, in 2001, he and his sister purchased the building from the Kellys, with Nicholas living above his dream gallery aged just 23. “It started as a contemporary gallery where we represented 16-20 artists, and ran 10 solo and two group shows a year,” he says.
“We later introduced a design element and in 2013 we opened the Cross Cafe in the gallery, as it was a difficult time with the recession. The cafe was great as it created a much more sociable space and was filled with music students and lecturers from Bimm Institute and lots of local traders,” says Gore Grimes.
Gore Grimes subsequently rented out the space to dealer Michael Connell, while he took up the post of director specialising in contemporary art and mid-century furniture with Adam’s of St Stephen’s Green in 2018.
It’s really a beautiful space with a ground floor (plus storage in the basement) gallery, measuring 192sq m (2,067sq ft), which benefits from its own entrance. Above lies a two-bedroom apartment, where Gore Grimes lived for a number of years. Extending to 121sq m (1,302sq ft) over two floors, it has been recently renovated and retains some lovely period details such as open fireplaces, high ceilings, detailed cornicing and polished pine floors. It also has a balcony off the kitchen and a superb free-standing bath in a generously sized bathroom.
The location in the heart of the Liberties was originally the site of a 13th-century Franciscan monastery, and by the 18th century the place had become a hive of craftsmanship. Called the Antiques Quarter since 2003, it has recently undergone a €3 million upgrade by Dublin City Council in which the paths, paving and illumination were improved. Though the Cross Cafe is now closed, the area is well served with Two Pups cafe, Michelin-star restaurant Variety Jones and Spitalfields, which has a Bib Gourmand.
As it stands the apartment can generate a rental income in the region of €3,000 per month, as can the gallery, so there is approximately a yield of 7 per cent, given the asking price of €995,000 through DNG for the Ber-exempt property.
