Joseph James Furniture Outlet breathes new life into Stockport’s former Debenhams store

Owners Joseph Shenton and James Pullen started the business after leaving school in 2019 and what initially started as a way to generate income during a gap year, quickly grew into a thriving business. They saw demand soar, especially during COVID-19, for discounted branded furniture, which was available for immediate delivery. University plans were swiftly put on hold to focus on establishing their growing business.

Initially operating from Safestore Mill on Wellington Road North, after 6 months it was clear they needed more space and they relocated their business to Compstall Mill in Romiley in Summer 2020. Moves to Altrincham and then onto large premises in Streford quickly followed and due to the success of its Streford location, Joseph and James were keen to find a second retail outlet and thought that Stockport fitted the bill perfectly.

Joseph Shenton and James Pullen said: “After building a strong customer base, we thought the time was right to open a second outlet and the 90,000 sqft on offer at the former Debenhams building was an opportunity that was too good to miss. The retail frontage of the building is very strong given its location on the busy A6 and we also expect to see a strong level of footfall from Merseyway Shopping Centre.

“Stockport Council is working hard to attract people to the town centre and the new Interchange, along with the success of Redrock and the Underbanks, has contributed to our commitment to the town. We will offer our customers a great experience, with new stock constantly on display, to keep them coming back instead of browsing online. We believe we are now the largest furniture outlet in the UK in terms of floorspace and we are looking forward to being back in Stockport where it all began.”

Colin MacAlister, Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration and Housing at Stockport Council, said: “I am delighted that Joseph and James, like so many of our businesses, have seen the benefits of opening a business in Stockport and being part of our journey. All three of the town’s former department stores will all shortly be back in use, which is a huge achievement given the large size of the units.

“They can also benefit from our investment in the town centre, with the new Transport Interchange opening in March, additional improvements to Merseyway and thousands of new homes in the pipeline, bringing even more people to the town centre. The longer-term plans for the building are still in the pipeline but the fact that the building is occupied again is great news for the town centre.”

The new store will see their current workforce grow from 15 to 23-25 people and will have a huge range of furniture, with between 30-60% discount on over 350 sofas, as well as armchairs, dining tables and chairs, beds and mattresses on display.

The store will be open 11am - 7pm Monday to Thursday and 10am - 5pm Friday to Sunday.

All available stock can be viewed on the website: https://www.josephjamesfurnitureoutlet.com/

You can also follow them on:
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Facebook - Joseph James Furniture Outlet
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdiKekNho0M_xbTDJvX5v9A