Surely the oldest surviving family retail business in Ireland, Barnardo's, has been trading in Dublin since 1812, meaning its 200th anniversary will be coming up in just over a decade.

The furrier company was established by John Michaelis Barnardo, who may have been Jewish and certainly emigrated to this country from Germany.

He opened premises at 4 Dame Street and the business remained there for almost 60 years, during which time it became official furrier to the viceregal court, retaining this position until the end of British rule here.

John Barnardo married twice, first Elizabeth O'Brien and, following her death giving birth to a sixth child, her sister Abigail by whom he had several more offspring. One of these was Dr Thomas Barnardo, who founded the famous children's charity and whose daughter Syrie married the novelist and playwright W Somerset MaughaM before becoming one of the last century's most influential interior decorators.

Meanwhile in Dublin the family business thrived. So much so that in the early 1870s it was necessary to move to larger premises at 108 Grafton Street, opposite the house occupied by Trinity College's provost. This building remains in the possession of Barnardo's with the retail outlet on the ground and first floor and the workshops above.

The shop still retains fittings which look as though they were installed in the late 19th century with tall mahogany cases fronted by glass etched in the Adamesque style. Barnardo's continued to thrive in post-Independence Ireland and although a second premises further up Grafton Street had to be let go after the world financial depression of 1929, the company took over another long-established furrier business, Rohu Ltd at 4 Castle Market, in 1972. This outlet also trades as the Turret Boutique selling clothes and accessories predominantly to women who want a more personal service than is available elsewhere.

Quality of service is one explanation for the company's survival, according to Caroline Barnardo who has been in charge of the business since the death of her husband Harry in 1978. At the time, the couple's only child, Elizabeth, was just six years' old and so Mrs Barnardo had no choice but to take over full responsibility. Since then, her daughter has become fully involved in Barnardo's where, having been trained abroad, she now designs each new collection of furs. Eighteen months ago, Elizabeth Barnardo gave birth to a son, also called Harry, who - all being well - will be the sixth generation of the family to come into the business. Today the firm employs some 20 staff between its two shops but both Caroline and Elizabeth Barnardo remain intimately associated with every aspect of the operation.

They estimate that 90 per cent of their customers are women between the ages of 18 and 50 and that whereas formerly most fur coats tended to be bought by husbands, the average customer now makes her own purchase. Men's coats, especially those in unlined leather, have proven popular of late. An increasing number of visitors to this country also call to the shop.

Barnardo's offers a wide variety of services not necessarily available elsewhere; coats can be repaired or altered to suit changing fashions, for example, and cold storage is offered during the summer months.

Caroline Barnardo says she tends to encourage sales of mink as much as possible "because it is so durable" and styles now include a light-weight sheared variety. Such coats can cost anything between £3,000 and £6,000 but, if reasonably well minded, will certainly last a lifetime and beyond.

Given its long and distinguished history, the hope must be that Barnardo's continues to remain in business for just as long.