Oak Furniture Land

Oak Furniture Land
Private
Industry Furniture Retail
Founded Chippenham, United Kingdom (2006)
Headquarters Swindon, United Kingdom
Number of locations
 92
Area served
 United Kingdom
Key people
 Jason Bannister
(Managing Director)
Products Living room, bedrooms, small office/home office, dining room, furniture, nursery
Number of employees
 1300+ (2018)[1]
Website www.oakfurnitureland.co.uk

Oak Furnitureland is a privately owned British furniture retailer of fully assembled hardwood cabinetry furniture, sofas, beds and mattresses for bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, hallways and home offices. The company has 98 stores across the UK, and its headquarters in Swindon in Wiltshire, England.

History

Oak Furniture Land was launched through its website on Boxing Day, 2006.[2] The company started in 2003 by selling on eBay. It opened its first shop on an airfield in the Cotswolds. Its first store on a retail park was in Cheltenham,[3] with turnover of £85m and a profit of £9.2m in the year to September 30, 2012.[4]

In late 2012 the business moved its national distribution centre to a 302,000 sq ft building in South Marston near Swindon, Wiltshire.[5]

A new Christmas TV advert [6] was launched in 2012 promoting their dining set offering, with the overall theme being "Don't Do This To Nan".[7]

For their Winter Sale 2013 TV advert campaign, the characters of Oak and Acorn were introduced. Oak, played by Stephen Critchlow, is the mature salesman while Acorn, played by Philip Labey, is the comedy relief within this duo.

In 2014 the company launched a dedicated sofa brand - SofaStore.com, with a stand-alone website.

In an interview with The Sunday Times on 10 January 2015 the firm's managing director stated that his chain has sales of £194m.[8]

April 2015 the company owner, Jason Bannister, was "shortlisted in the London and South region of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award run by international accountancy firm EY."[9]

June 2015 Oak Furniture Land became the principal sponsor and Home Shirt sponsor for Burnley F.C..[10][11][12] They sacrificed their shirt sponsorship space at the Burnley FC v Leeds United fixture, on 9 April 2016, in place of Burnley FC in the Community - Burnley FC's official charity.[13]

Oak Furniture Land received an outstanding achievement award at the 19th annual Sunday Times Fast Track 100 awards in July 2016, and was included in the list for the fifth year, the only company to ever be so.[14]

On 29 July 2016, Oak Furniture Land won three Lovedbyparents awards for their Nursery products.[15] These were Platinum award for Best Cot Bed, Gold award for Best Nursery Furniture Set and Silver for Best New Product to Market 2016.

October 2016 the company was named in the Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table for a third consecutive year.[16]

Retail Week ranked Oak Furniture Land 15th in the UK's top 30 retailers by proportion of online sales.[17]

Stores

Oak Furniture Land products are sold exclusively through its own retail outlets - online.

On Boxing Day 2015, Oak Oak Furniture Land opened its first store in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of stores to 68.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Swindon-based retailer Oak Furniture Land to take on new staff". Swindon Advertiser.
  2. ↑ "Online retailer to mogul/". The Daily Telegraph.
  3. ↑ "Online shops move into the High Street/". BBC.
  4. ↑ "Oak Furniture Land reports record sales and profits". Retail Week.
  5. ↑ "£22m property investment deal puts Oak Furniture Land centre under new ownership". Swindon Business News.
  6. ↑ "Dining Sets for Christmas from Oak Furniture Land | Don't Do This To Nan". YouTube.
  7. ↑ "Oak Furniture Land launch Christmas ad campaign". thedrum.com.
  8. ↑ "How I Made It: Jason Bannister, founder of Oak Furniture Land". The Sunday Times.
  9. ↑ "Swindon bosses join the battle for Britain's top entrepreneur award". Swindon Business News.
  10. ↑ "Burnley's Sean Dyche looks to new season in Championship". ITV News.
  11. ↑ "Dyche: Exciting start for fans". Sky Sports.
  12. ↑ "Oak Furniture Land is Clarets new shirt sponsor". Burnley Express.
  13. ↑ "Change of sponsor for Leeds United game in aid of Burnley FC in the Community". Burnley Express.
  14. ↑ "Oak Furniture Land receives business award". Furniture News.
  15. ↑ "Lovedbyparents Award Winners 2016". Lovedbyparents.
  16. ↑ "Oak Furniture Land named in Sunday Times Top Track table". Cabinet Maker.
  17. ↑ "Data: The top 30 retailers by the proportion of online sales". Retail Week.
  18. ↑ "Furniture retailer opens first Northern Ireland store". Insider Media Limited.
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