Louis Mitchell, Director at The M6 Bed Warehouse, talks about the expansion of the business as they celebrate the launch of their new store.
Cheshire-based family-run bed and mattress retailer The M6 Bed Warehouse is going through an exciting period of growth and is about to expand with their second store this month. The grand opening is set for the May Bank Holiday on Saturday 4 May 2024. As you’re reading this, the store has more than likely opened its doors.
Situated on Winnington Business Park in Northwich, the new store has been two years in the making and has seen significant investment from initial design plans to full completion. The project has been a big task, but one Louis Mitchell, Director at The M6 Bed Warehouse, has thoroughly enjoyed.
So, why expand now?
“We’re a second-generation family run business which started in 2001. We were created with the vison of being a ‘bed and mattress specialist’, allowing us to focus on giving our customers the best value, choice, service and expertise possible. These pillars, coupled with our unparalleled passion for the products we sell and first-class delivery service, has allowed us to build a strong base of loyal and local customers.
“Our business has grown and we’re looking to expand our customer base and Northwich is an ideal location for this. The town has experienced huge growth and investment in recent years and we hope to become a staple business within the area for local people and building on the strong reputation we’ve built over the last 20 years.”
Adding to their existing location on Radway Green Road, Alsager, the new store is a purpose-built, glass-fronted 6,000sqft retail showroom overlooking a busy main road. “It’s a fantastic location and allows us to showcase some of the very best products we offer,” Louis said.
“Managing the project and combining all the different elements/contractors to ensure each stage has been completed on time so the whole project doesn’t get delayed has been a fun challenge. It’s a shell-spec unit so we’ve had an amazing opportunity to build a floor plan from scratch. We’ve found inspiration from many areas (including other retailers) and tried to build a showroom which offers an incredible story and comfortable shopping experience from when you enter the store.
“We want to expand our customer base into a wider ‘local’ area, develop our brand, drive people into both stores and develop our online business through organic and direct traffic.”
Alongside the store expansion, the business has invested in five new full-time salespeople as well as expanding their fulfilment capability by adding a fourth delivery vehicle and more warehousing space for delivery processing and stock holding. The company has also invested heavily in SEO & PPC campaigns for its website and even plans to add another store next year.
“Despite difficult general trading conditions, we’ve had a successful Q1 2024 where YOY we’re up,” Louis added. “We’ve focused on driving the value proposition for our customers and ensuring the story within our stores is simple and effective. We’ve found short lead times and high product and service availability is key to our customers and we’ve had to align with supply partners who can match these expectations.
“Our industry is full of investment and new technologies which is fantastic and we’d love to see more UK made bedframe suppliers to compete against the imported options. For now, we’re working hard to ensure our new store will be a massive success, while our next plan is to move onto store three by 2025, so watch this space!”
