Opera House and book store prove they have winning vibe

CORK Opera House and the Vibes and Scribes store were yesterday named as the third quarter winners of the Cork Business Association/Heineken Ireland business awards.

Unusually, the awards were not presented in the brewery last night, but instead in the Opera House itself.

The venue took the award in the large enterprise category. According to CBA president Sean Murphy, the award was an acknowledgement of the venue’s regeneration under new chief executive Mary Hickson.

Mr Murphy, who works for media sponsors the Irish Examiner, said it was also an acknowledgement the incredibly hard work done by the Opera House board of directors and staff, comes at a very exciting time as it prepares to stage a landmark production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale by legendary local theatre company Corcadorca.

“It is a great compliment to receive the CBA/ Heineken award for large enterprise for the quarter; everyone here is thrilled that our efforts have been recognised,” Ms Hickson said.

“The Opera House has gone through something of a transformation over the last 12 months and it is wonderful to receive this award from our peers in the business community,” she added.

Damien Wallace, chairman of the Opera House board of directors, said the award was a very important recognition of the commercial importance of the venue to the Cork region and in particular to the cultural life of the city.

Meanwhile, Vibes and Scribes won the medium /small business award.

The company, run by Joan Lucey, has outlets at Bridge Street and Lavitt’s Quay and is Cork’s largest independent bookshop for new, bargain and second hand books.

Vibes and Scribes is celebrating 20 years in business and takes pride in providing its customers with something different than what is on offer in the big chain bookshops.

“To this end, we specialise in genres such as cult fiction, fantasy, mind body spirit and art and architecture,” Ms Lucey said.

The Lavitt’s Quay book and fabric store also stocks a large range of quality fabrics, which are very popular among people who want to design their own wedding or debs dress at a fraction of the cost.

The same store also carries an extensive range of specialist art, craft and photography books as well.

Meanwhile, the arts and crafts store next door at Lavitt’s Quay also stocks a broad range of quality art and crafts materials including beads, jewellery-making clay and canvass, paints and pastels.