At the top of the line was Raymond Nash and Alicia Healy, who hoped to be among the lucky customers to find high-quality tech goods.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope I find an iPhone or an iPad, that wouldn\u2019t be too bad,\u201d Alicia told the Irish Examiner. When asked what she would do if she unwrapped something else, she said she would \u201cjust have to suck it up, I guess, it\u2019s the luck of the draw.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4980254_8_articleinline_DSC06749.jpeg\" "\\"The")
The first customers at the pop-up shop. Picture: Noel Sweeney<\/p>\n
Another hopeful customer was open-minded and happy to share some of her purchases with her family if they weren\u2019t right for her. Sarah from Carrigaline said she didn\u2019t have any particular items in mind to rummage for.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything really, just stuff that I hopefully might use or pass on to a family member, something that doesn\u2019t waste all my money basically,\u201d she said, adding she was queuing more for the excitement than to find something in particular.<\/p>\n
\n It\u2019s more the element of surprise, really. It\u2019s something different, a different way of shopping. It\u2019s exciting.\n <\/p>\n
Packages are sold by weight, with standard packages priced at \u20ac2.29 per 100g and \u20ac2.99 per 100g for a premium package. Shoppers have 10 minutes to select all the packages they want, but they are not allowed to open them before purchasing. It seems cheap, but those kilos add up quickly in the frenzy to find a bargain.<\/p>\n
As the first customers made their way through the selection, blindly choosing and hoping to strike gold, the atmosphere was electric, with groups of friends giggling over their buys.<\/p>\n
![\"Jennifer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4980257_8_articleinline_DSC06783.jpeg\" "\\"Jennifer")
Jennifer and Ois\u00edn at the opening of King Colis. Picture: Noel Sweeney<\/p>\n
The first person through the tills spent \u20ac106 on his items, which included an eight-inch television screen and a phone cover. Ray and Alicia were through soon after with a receipt for \u20ac266 and a bag full of surprises. While she didn\u2019t find that elusive iPhone, Alicia instead had items like tablecloths, an Android system for a car, and Christmas lights.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a gamble. If you\u2019re lucky you can get something good, or you can have things you don\u2019t have a use for,\u201d said Theophane Mericskay, director of the Cork pop-up. He said his advice for customers is to choose one standard package and one premium one to get the best possible item.<\/p>\n
\u201cPremium packages are only from e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Rakuten, things like that. In standard packages, you can find everything, all brands: you can find some e-commerce platforms, but also private sendings, like if you order online from a store like Zara or Shein.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Theophane](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/4980260_8_articleinline_DSC06663.jpeg\" "\\"Theophane")
Theophane Mericskay from King Colis Paris stocking up ahead of the big opening. Picture: Noel Sweeney<\/p>\n
\n Irish Examiner\u00a0columnist Caitr\u00edona Redmond has\u00a0previously written about these types of shops\u00a0and advises caution when introducing children to what she describes as a form of gambling<\/a>.<\/p>\n With both adults and children making purchases on Tuesday morning, Mericskay was asked if a child could potentially buy a box that contains something adult-related. While Mericskay hasn\u2019t seen it happen, he said it is a situation parents should be prepared for.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s possible. All these lost parcels are coming from all over Europe so [inside them is] what you can imagine from an average European consumer. I\u2019ve been doing this for six months and I haven\u2019t seen one yet so I think it\u2019s rare. If it happens, that\u2019s bad for sure.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n