Big change at one of Stoke-on-Trent's oldest furniture stores

Updated by October ,19, 2021

A family-run furniture manufacturer has returned to its original home after 42 years.

Grays of Fenton has been based on Victoria Road, Fenton, since it was set-up by Stephen Gray in 1979.

p:nth-of-type(2)","sizes":[[8,8]],"hideOnSensitiveArticle":true,"relativePos":"after","additionalClass":"in-article","name":"div-gpt-ad-vip-slot","type":"VIP","bidders":{"ozone":"1420432319"}}" data-gpt-placeholder="" data-response-start="3261.900000035763" data-type="gpt" data-requested="7933.5" data-google-query-id="CK-ov_Oh1vMCFegcBgAd1mIMAQ" data-timer-slot-rendered="13879.300000011921" data-rendered-width="8" data-rendered-height="8" data-response-end="18491.900000035763">

Over the years, the company has expanded into two neighbouring units which kept its showroom and manufacturing workshop separate.

But now Grays of Fenton has brought its business together under one roof after moving back into its original building.

Colin Hardy, who has worked at Grays of Fenton for 10 years, said: "We have always manufactured our own products, but we also used to buy a lot of furniture from overseas.

p:nth-of-type(6)","type":"performPlaceholder","relativePos":"after"}" data-placeholder-placeholder="" data-response-start="3263.5" data-type="placeholder">

"So during lockdown, and with all of the problems with the supply chain and the rising shipping costs, we decided that we would stick to manufacturing our own products.

"That decision meant we no longer needed the big unit up the road for our showroom and could bring everything together into one."

Colin added: "Manufacturing all of our own products on site means our lead times are much shorter than other retailers. We are telling customers we can manufacture, deliver and install their furniture within about six weeks."

Grays of Fenton – which has 12 staff – sells a range of handmade wood and painted furniture for bedrooms, dining and living, with different tops and handles.

It also supplies its own products to new nursing homes across the UK, an area of business which it hopes to grow in the coming years.

The unit which housed its former showroom has now been sold to removal storage company Move My Stuff.

Colin said: "Steve Gray started the business more than 40 years ago, and he is now at the stage where he is preparing to handover to his son, Robert, who will be taking the business forward for the next four decades."

Robert Gray – whose father Steve started the business – added: "We have built up a good reputation in Staffordshire and Cheshire over the last 40 years and today a lot of our business comes from recommendation.

"We still get a lot of repeat business from customers who have been with us for over 30 years, and now we get their relatives and children coming to us as well.

"The majority of our employees have been with us for most of their working lives too, which says a lot about the type of business we are."

Comments System WIDGET PACK