About Us
A little bit about us…
We’re a family business. In fact we’ve been around since 1970. Back then, the business revolved predominantly around buying and selling antiques, and a little later, that which was becoming fashionable at the time…pine furniture.
From the earliest days of trading, operations revolved around maintaining the careful balance between cost and quality, providing exceptional value for money and combining ease of delivery to the customer. It worked for us.
The pine furniture bandwagon was getting bigger and bigger, and with the influx of cheaper pine goods (both in build quality and price) from abroad, the market became oversupplied and we were seeing the same furniture on every high street.
Time for a change…
Like many things in life, fashion dictates trends and it was time to reaquaint ourselves with what our customers really wanted… furniture that they wouldn’t see in their neighbours home. At the turn of the century, we moved away from pine and focused more on furniture produced from hardwoods and leather….a combination of both.
From our early beginnings and passion for antiques, the use of hardwoods in furniture was no stranger to us and we knew what we wanted in terms of timber quality. Ironically, so did our customers.
Distinctly different furniture…
Quality wood alone is not enough. What more and more of our customers were looking for was furniture that was different…unique even in many cases.
Here’s where we focus, on buying from smaller UK manufacturers wherever we can, who are prepared to create furniture that has the look and feel that separates Whartons from the crowd. And because we are not a huge conglomerate, we can do what we like. And we do just that! There’s no big group buying for 20 stores, that’s why we sell furniture that’s different.
Customer care… yes, proper care!
Who’d think that a business would invest heavily in furniture delivery? Well, every one of the Whartons Team gets fully trained in every aspect of handling customers as well as sometimes very heavy furniture. To us, delivering is equally as important as selling. We treat our customers’ homes with respect. We understand that where you originally planned your new wardrobes to go might just change when we get them up and in your home. That’s fine with us.
We know how to negotiate staircases, without knocking chunks out of your dado rail, door architraves and walls. What’s more, our guys always wipe their feet…it’s not down to any cultural training, but it most certainly is a mark of respect!
And after you’ve ordered…..
At the point of ordering, we’ll advise you when your furniture will be made and delivered. It’s rare that we experience any slippage here. In fact, we’re extremely proud of our ability to hit dates. We keep our promises.
When your furniture is due for delivery, we call you to let you know so that you can make arrangements for accepting. And we’re pretty accurate with our timing on that special day too.
Aftersales care…
Should you have any problems with your furniture, however small, be sure to let us know. Maybe someone has caused some accidental damage, a tabletop for example, might get a hard life in a family environment and scratches can appear from nowhere. We have children too! Don’t ignore it, we can most likely help you put it right.