30 Years of Style and sustainability
An interview with Mark from A World of Furniture
This year marks an incredible milestone for A World of Furniture, one of Dorset and South Wiltshire’s most enduring independent furniture retailers. Founded by husband-and-wife team Mark and Lucy back in 1995, the business has evolved from a small pine-furniture shop into a thriving name known for quality, style and sustainability. We sat down with Mark to chat about the journey, the challenges, and what’s next for this family-run success story.
Let’s start at the beginning — how did A World of Furniture come to be?
Lucy and I came from completely different professional backgrounds, but we saw a real opportunity. Pine furniture was incredibly popular, and we spotted a gap in the market for a proper pine-furniture superstore in South Wiltshire. So, in February 1995, we opened our first shop.
From there, things grew quickly – more stores, more products, and a growing team. When pine furniture began to fall out of fashion, we re-branded in 2006 as A World of Furniture, expanding into oak and painted furniture, sofas, beds and mattresses. It was the start of a whole new chapter.
Has your role changed much since those early days?
A little, yes. Now that I’ve reached 60, I try to make more space for family life and our love of the outdoors. I’m still hands-on in the stores during the week, but I’m lucky to have a fantastic team who take the reins at weekends.
In those early days, Lucy and I really threw ourselves into the business — 80-hour weeks, no holidays, and every penny reinvested. There were no frills or flashy cars, just the pride of building something from scratch together. Lucy was incredible — she kept working right up until the day our first daughter was born, still helping unload furniture!
You now have two huge super-stores. How do you manage so much stock?
It’s a bit of a logistical dance! Between our Salisbury and Blandford stores, we’ve got over 30,000 square feet of wall-to-wall furniture display. That’s supported by large warehouses at both locations, along with five delivery vehicles that take our furniture far and wide.
You stock some major brands — what makes you different from online retailers?
We like to think we offer something more personal and eclectic. People want furniture that’s not only trusted and well-made, but also unique. Our mix of brands like G Plan, La-Z-Boy, Alstons, Sherborne and Silentnight gives customers choice and confidence.
But the real difference is that we care. We’ve always been a proactive, hands-on retailer. Everyone can “talk a good story,” but we’ve spent three decades proving ours.
You’ve also become known for your environmental efforts. How did that start?
Sustainability has been at the heart of our business for over 20 years. We launched our “Furniture for Trees” scheme back in 2004, and since then we’ve helped plant over 80,000 trees.
We’ve also supported projects for bees, cardboard recycling, and we run an outdoor-education programme called Countrylore Bushcraft. Those efforts have earned us recognition as business environmental leaders — something we’re very proud of.
Do you try to keep your furniture production local as well?
Absolutely. A big portion of our furniture is made right here in the UK. Our sales director Simon and the whole team really value the idea of “home-made” quality. Of course, we still source from Europe and Asia when it makes sense, but our sofas and mattresses come from British factories that keep traditional skills alive.
For us, the heart of great furniture retail is the perfect balance of quality and value.
Thirty years on, you’re still going strong. What’s the secret to your success?
Without question — it’s our people. Our locations, loyal customers, and fantastic products all play a part, but our staff are the backbone of the business. We have over 25 amazing team members, and they’re the reason A World of Furniture continues to keeps going strong.
Looking back, how has 2025 been for the business?
It’s a challenging environment, but we’re stronger for it. The internet has been a blessing and a curse – great for marketing and online sales, but we’ll never lose our love for in-person shopping. We want every customer to come in and “Discover More.”
There’s just no substitute for sitting on a sofa, lying on a bed, or touching the craftsmanship of a piece of furniture. That personal connection is what we’re all about.
Finally, what’s next for A World of Furniture?
Lucy and I are incredibly grateful for everything this business — and our family — has given us. We’ve faced our share of hurdles, but we’re as committed as ever.
Looking ahead, we’ll be introducing more furniture brands, expanding our mattress collection and developing our recycling service. If 2025 is even better than last year, we’ll be thrilled. Here’s to the next 30 years!
After three decades, A World of Furniture remains a shining example of what passion, adaptability and integrity can build. Here’s to Mark, Lucy and the entire team — still helping Dorset and South Wiltshire “Discover More” after 30 remarkable years.
SALISBURY SHOWROOM
Dairy Meadow Lane, Southampton Road, Salisbury, SP1 2TJ
BLANDFORD SHOWROOM
Holland Way, Blandford Forum DT11 7TA
CONTACT
Salisbury 01722 413532 | salisbury@aworldoffurniture.co.uk
Blandford 01258 458011. |. blandford@aworldoffurniture.co.uk
