Hatfields Furniture & Interiors – Service, History and a Contemporary Look
“I think we stand out because we’ve got a lot of history with the products we sell and experience within our sale team and those who we employ. A lot of focus goes into our customer service as it’s an important side to our business. We put focus into our aftercare and have a loyal customer base because of the care we put into the purchases we make. On the product side, we purchase different products from everyone else. We can change quickly, unlike bigger retailers, so we can keep up with the latest trends. We have a lot of choice with what we offer, and the quality is high” - Robert London, Managing Director, Hatfields Furniture & Interiors.
If you’ve lived in Colchester for a while, you would definitely have heard of Hatfields Furniture & Interiors. Based in Peartree retail park, it is a firm favourite with the locals, and it is this loyal customer base that has kept them going strong for 133 years! There aren’t many independent businesses with such a lucrative history, able to adapt with the times and thrive in the current climate. Robert London and his brother Andrew, together with Malcolm Durbridge, all run the day to day operations, and there are various family members with shares. Hatfields Furniture & Interiors store sells everything you would ever need to decorate and furnish your home.
There are contemporary and classic pieces available, and all of the products are purchased with the view of there being something for everyone. They sell a range of sofas, armchairs, dining sets, sideboards, bedroom furniture, mattresses, beds, hard flooring, carpets, rugs, and finishing touches such as mirrors, lamps, ornaments and pictures. Basically, anything you could want for your home! There are also some in-store concessions such as; Granite Transformations, Dean&Co, Hammonds and Zigi’s, Fireplaces.
Hatfields Furniture & Interiors was established in 1886, operating out of Colchester Town Centre. At the time, it was a bit of a “wheeler dealer’s”, operating out of John Hatfield’s front room! Over time, it became bigger and three adjoining properties were bought to trade out of. Move on to 1976, and Hatfields made the big decision to move out of the town centre and into its current home. This was a huge decision to make back then, potentially putting the business at risk, as the town centre was where most people went for their shopping. It’s a risk that has paid dividends. Since moving, Hatfields have now opened up more floors and the entire operation is executed from one location. In 2005, just across the road from Hatfields Furniture & Interiors, “Hatfields2Go” was born which changed to “Hatfields Budget and Clearance Outlet” in 2010.
Last month, Hatfields held a VIP launch event to celebrate the new corporate ID, logo and refurbishment of the front of the store. It was catered by Redwood Pizza and One For The Road provided the gorgeous refreshments.
It was for existing customers and with the hope of attracting new ones. Colchester Borough is constantly growing, meaning more and more people will be looking to decorate their homes. They also have a new website where you can create a customer account, browse online and add things to your Wishlist. This way, customers can keep up to date with the latest products and know what they want when they walk into the shop. Customers will soon be able to manage their own deliveries online – Hatfields have an expert delivery team. The next phase of the website is to add an online shop, but with the thousands of items they sell, it will be a working process!
Next on the list is to modernise some further in-store room sets. Now the exterior has had a face-lift, Hatfields Furniture & Interiors would like to bring everything internally up to date and give it a new twist. The plan is to hold more customer-based events and potentially some interior design ones. Through October and November, there is an autumn sale where you can take advantage of some amazing discounts across the whole of the store. Meaning you can update your home in time for the festive period!
We loved coming to see the new, modernised Hatfields Furniture & Interiors and we’re looking forward to the next event! Thank you for having us.
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