Housing Units, a family-owned furnishings retailer based in Failsworth to the north of Manchester, has completed a five-year retail site development plan, one year ahead of schedule, launching five new retail concepts.
The plan included creating new departments, introducing new brands and improving existing areas to further enhance the destination store’s offering of furniture and furnishings.
Established in 1947, Housing Units is one of the UK's leading furniture and furnishings retailers. The company boasts a 5-acre site with 120,000 sqft of retail space, over 60,000 of which is dedicated to furniture. There is also the Wickentree Restaurant, which includes a private dining room, and Café 1947.
Additionally, an adjacent 5-acre site houses a 100,000 sqft DC, allowing many product ranges to be readily available from stock.
The site development plan was completed a year ahead of schedule due to the forced closures during Covid-19, enabling the business to create several new departments while the store was closed for the first time in its 77-year history.
“This development has solidified our position as the leading home furnishings retailer in the UK's mid-to-high sector. We seized the opportunity presented by the pandemic to accelerate our plans. The five new developments have not only reinforced our goal of offering the best selection of furniture and furnishings in the North West but possibly in the entire UK," says Nick Fox, CEO of Housing Units.
The new beds and bedroom department features a modern style, inspired by international travels. Italian flair and carefully selected lighting create a relaxed environment – a bespoke lighting system has been installed to create specific moods in each area.
Housing Units describes its Modern Living area as a "cool and edgy" concept, featuring furniture and accessories with smaller homes in mind, and suited to multifunctional living spaces, plus a range of decorative accessories, mirrors and art, rugs, lighting, soft furnishings, bedlinens and scents.
The refurbishment of the Emporium furniture department expanded the retailer's furniture offering to over 60,000 sqft. The purpose-built gallery showcases luxury lifestyle settings. A key feature of this area was the removal of the low ceiling, creating a sense of light and space.
Eichholtz, a renowned Dutch brand known for luxury furniture, lighting, and accessories, entered Housing Units as a brand store in 2023, featuring seven roomsets covering over 1600 sqft.
The final phase of the development plan was completed this year, with 1800 sqft dedicated to contemporary European furniture brands such as Venjakob, Himolla, Bontempi and Calia. A consistent aesthetic, featuring walnut columns and screens, helps present the products in a clean, sophisticated manner.
