Macclesfield-based furniture retailer Arighi Bianchi has been crowned Retail Family Business of the Year 2018.
The Family Business of the Year Awards celebrate the best of British family businesses, champion the family business story and help to give a voice to the significant contribution that family firms make to the UK economy.
Arighi Bianchi is independently and family owned, and has been since it was established in 1854 by Antonio Arighi and his cousin Antonio Bianchi, both from Northern Italy. Their store opened in 1892.
Modelled on the original Crystal Palace, its Grade II-listed store is located on the historic Silk Road in Macclesfield and is still directly owned and run by the Bianchi family.
Commercial director Nick Bianchi says: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won this award, which is testament to all the hard work and dedication of our team here at Arighi Bianchi. As a fourth-generation family business, we’re incredibly proud of our heritage but we wouldn’t be here, over 160 years later, if it weren’t for all our fantastic staff and customers.
“At a time when the British high street is in turmoil, established family businesses like Arighi Bianchi offer the customer stability and assurance. Our longstanding reputation and the relationships we’ve built up over the years allow us to be optimistic about the future, and this award is a reflection of that.”
Paul Andrews, founder and MD of Family Business United, says: “Arighi Bianchi are worthy winners of the Retail Family Business of the Year Award 2018, taking the title in what was an incredibly strong category. They are a great example of a family who take real pride in their business, are very much part of the fabric of their community and truly understand the need for exemplary customer service too.”
