DUBLIN'S HABITAT furniture store threw its doors open yesterday for a closing-down sale that drew thousands of bargain-hunters.
The store, which closed last May because of a severe deterioration in sales, opened for stock clearance at noon, with some people still waiting to get in 45 minutes later.
At one stage, more than 300 people were counted in the queue.
Brian Doyle said: "I have just bought an apartment in Drumcondra and am hoping to move in this weekend, so I am here to buy everything from a bed to a coffee table and mirror."
Siobhán Howe said she was very disappointed when the store closed, as she had bought a house six months ago and had furnished it with a lot of items from Habitat.
Aline De Chaumont from Ballinteer queued for an hour at the tills in the packed store. "I spent €310 on towels, bed linen, kitchen utensils, pillows, lamps and a stool," she said.
The Irish franchise of Habitat UK, which was bought by Londoner Malcolm Brighton of Conai Designs (Ireland) Ltd in 2002, closed its Dublin and Galway stores in May, with a loss of more than 60 full-time and part-time jobs.
George Maloney of accountancy firm Baker Tilly Ryan Glennon, the appointed receiver of Conai Designs, subsequently took control of the company's assets.
Tom Robinson of the receivership said the store would be open until Monday, as long as there was still stock to sell. "We're hoping to make a fair amount of money in order to pay back the creditors as much as possible."
Habitat employees and the Revenue Commissioners are among the list of preferential creditors, who will be repaid from the sale of assets. Employees are owed €52,293, while the Revenue Commissioners are owed a VAT bill of €318,000.
The Conai Designs list of unsecured creditors shows Habitat UK as the creditor owed the most, with a sum of €558,343 owed to the company. The company also owes €158,037 to AIB, and €187,000 in respect of leases.
Mr Robinson said the shop would not be honouring gift vouchers or electronic gift cards for the sale. However, Claire Durkin for Habitat UK said vouchers and cards would be redeemable through UK Habitat stores.