Barker and Stonehouse, the UK’s largest family-owned independent furniture retailer, recorded an increase for year-on-year Boxing Day sales last week.
Total sales across eight of the company’s nine UK stores (Barker and Stonehouse’s ninth store in Battersea opened in July 2013, therefore no comparisons could be made on sales figures for 2012) and website rose compared to 2012 for the first day of the winter sale.
Staff also reported heavy footfall throughout all showrooms, with customers enjoying mulled wine and mince pies, and queuing well ahead of store opening times in Newcastle, Gateshead and Middlesbrough.
MD James Barker says: “It has been a busy year for Barker and Stonehouse, especially with the opening of our first London store in July, and I’m very happy with how our winter sales period has started. We’re continuing to grow, and I am quite sure that our strength lies in our decision to continue investing in our stores and listening to what our customers want.
“As an independent retailer we have been agile enough to respond to the changing market by introducing new offerings and product lines, and we’ll continue to be innovative moving into 2014.”
