RetailMarket:Virtually every major city from Shanghai to Stockholm, Malta to Miami and Tokyo to New York has a BoConcept store. That is except Dublin.

But this is set to change with the opening shortly of the BoConcept Irish flagship store at Beacon South Quarter in Sandyford, Co Dublin.

The new cutting-edge "brand" store will offer a full range of interior furniture and fittings in an attractive 400sq m (4,306sq ft) outlet in south Dublin's newest home/lifestyle shopping precinct.

Barry Rochford, proprietor of the well run Living stores in South William Street and Bray, is to operate the new business and plans to open up three further outlets in the next five years.

He says he has already built up a strong partnership with BoConcept over the last five years through both retail stores and their apartment fit-out businesses.

"It is the fastest growing interiors brand in the world and, having spent a lot of time searching for a suitable location in Dublin, we are delighted to be opening the first brand store in Beacon South Quarter."

BoConcept specialises in what it describes as "affordable design furniture and accessories for people with an eye for urban design".

The company has over 350 stores in 47 countries and has concessions in stores like Harrods and Selfridges in London and Stilwerk in Germany.

BoConcept stores are generally located in some of the hippest neighbourhoods in principal cities. Beacon South Quarter is proving exceptionally popular with shoppers because of the introduction of the Luas service and the fact that Sandyford is just off the M50.