The last 15 years in Ireland has seen the country go from dizzying highs to depressing lows - at the moment we seem to be somewhere in between. This level of fluctuation isn't good for business and the retail sector in particular has had a difficult time.

Batavia, a specialist furniture store in Fermoy, has ridden the economic roller coaster and emerged to tell the tale. Set up by husband and wife team Majella and Noel O'Regan 15 years ago, it has managed to carve out a niche market for itself and with the vitally important Christmas season all most upon us, there's an air of optimism that the coming weeks will be busy, productive and profitable.

The feel good factor was very much in evidence on Friday, November 21st, when the O'Regans and their staff hosted a celebratory event for customers marking the store's 15th anniversary. At this stage, most shops are decorated for Christmas but few as impressively as Batavia, which has a massive Christmas tree as its focal point. Mulled wine flowed freely at the function which attracted a fine crowd.

Furniture is the backbone of Batavia's commercial operation but it's also an Aladdin's Cave of gift ideas for the festive season. A feature of the shop is the unique construction and design of its furniture, much of which is sourced in Indonesia. It looks, feels and smells impressive and every piece from table to bed is built to last.

Quite a few items already have 'sold' labels on them, however, there's no shortage of merchandise and while you could go on at length about what's on offer, the best course of action is drop in to the shop on the Rathealy Road (next to the old St Francis Welfare Home) and see for yourself.

Batavia wouldn't have made it this far without the hard work of staff and the loyalty of customers. These customers are now being rewarded with loyalty stamps and thanks to the level of service they receive, they keep coming back. Majella and Noel are looking forward to many more successful years in Fermoy but for now, their focus is understandably on the run up to December 25th.

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