Loaf opens Britain's most laid-back store!
Posted 01 October 2015
British homeware brand Loaf builds on their online success with the opening of their first store today. The large 8,000 sq ft retail destination called the 'Loaf Shack' is located in London's fast-developing Battersea.
British homeware brand Loaf builds on their online success with the opening of their first store today. The large 8,000 sq ft retail destination called the 'Loaf Shack' is located in London's fast-developing Battersea. Having started out with a select offering of just 12 beds and one perfect mattress in 2008, today Loaf covers the entire home with sales of £27m (inc. VAT) for 2014/15. The retail expansion for one of the UK's fastest growing companies (Fast Track 100) is expected to help achieve forecasted sales of £100m over the next few years.
Founder, Charlie Marshall made it his mission to open "the most laid-back store in Britain". So much so that the new space is being described as "a slowroom, not a showroom". On their migration to multi-channel retailing Marshall comments:
"Our aim has been to make shopping for furniture online as simple and as hassle-free as possible. But there are still a large number of customers that want to see and touch the product before they buy. To respond to that demand we've created a seriously beautiful, bells and whistles store that we've filled with things to make people smile."
In keeping with their mission of making comfy, handmade furniture for people to live happier, more relaxed lives, the Loaf Shack has plenty of treats on offer. Customers can laze around and play old school games in the chill-out areas, there's a Little Loafers corner to keep kids busy and you can even tuck into some ice cream from a traditional-style parlour.
Along with their Derbyshire-made beds and sofas, for the first time Loaf is offering a cherry-picked collection of takeaway gifts and accessories including organic candles, bath smellies, tableware, cashmere blankets and other essential loafing supplies that are available just in-store.
The new Shack will run alongside Loaf.com and aims to give customers an enriched customer journey. As Marshall says, "Our main focus right now is on getting the brand magic absolutely spot on. Our move to bricks and clicks is all about reaffirming our core values and giving customers a fantastic shopping experience."
There are plans to roll out a further ten Loaf Shacks in the next few years.
- NOTES TO EDITOR -
- Having lost a whole Saturday trying to buy a bed, Charlie Marshall saw an opportunity to make the shopping experience as quick and hassle-free as possible. So two years, 187 mattress and bed factories later, Loaf was born in December 2008. The previously predominantly online store launched with a select range of 12 beautifully made beds and just one perfect mattress. Today they cover the entire home. While most were waiting for the financial markets to improve, entrepreneur Marshall saw the downturn as the ideal time to launch a business. The fuss-free formula worked and having covered the bedroom they launched sofas in 2012 - now making up a significant part of the business
- The comfy sofas and upholstered beds are hand-produced in Long Eaton, Derbyshire - the heart of British upholstery making. And the mattresses are handmade in Wiltshire
- In October 2012 Loaf rebranded from their original name of The Sleep Room. A new name was needed to communicate the extended offering for the whole home. Everything else remained the same. Same company. Same people. Same customer service. Just a hop across to Loaf.com
- In January 2014 Peter Simon, the founder of Monsoon and Accessorize, took a significant minority stake in Loaf for an undisclosed sum
- Loaf's team is now 80+ strong having more than doubled in size over the last year
LOAF.COM
Loaf Shack, 259 Queenstown Road, London, SW8 3NP
Press contact: Sally Flower at Loaf
[email protected] / 020 3141 8372
British homeware brand Loaf builds on their online success with the opening of their first store today. The large 8,000 sq ft retail destination called the 'Loaf Shack' is located in London's fast-developing Battersea.
British homeware brand Loaf builds on their online success with the opening of their first store today. The large 8,000 sq ft retail destination called the 'Loaf Shack' is located in London's fast-developing Battersea. Having started out with a select offering of just 12 beds and one perfect mattress in 2008, today Loaf covers the entire home with sales of £27m (inc. VAT) for 2014/15. The retail expansion for one of the UK's fastest growing companies (Fast Track 100) is expected to help achieve forecasted sales of £100m over the next few years.
Founder, Charlie Marshall made it his mission to open "the most laid-back store in Britain". So much so that the new space is being described as "a slowroom, not a showroom". On their migration to multi-channel retailing Marshall comments:
"Our aim has been to make shopping for furniture online as simple and as hassle-free as possible. But there are still a large number of customers that want to see and touch the product before they buy. To respond to that demand we've created a seriously beautiful, bells and whistles store that we've filled with things to make people smile."
In keeping with their mission of making comfy, handmade furniture for people to live happier, more relaxed lives, the Loaf Shack has plenty of treats on offer. Customers can laze around and play old school games in the chill-out areas, there's a Little Loafers corner to keep kids busy and you can even tuck into some ice cream from a traditional-style parlour.
Along with their Derbyshire-made beds and sofas, for the first time Loaf is offering a cherry-picked collection of takeaway gifts and accessories including organic candles, bath smellies, tableware, cashmere blankets and other essential loafing supplies that are available just in-store.
The new Shack will run alongside Loaf.com and aims to give customers an enriched customer journey. As Marshall says, "Our main focus right now is on getting the brand magic absolutely spot on. Our move to bricks and clicks is all about reaffirming our core values and giving customers a fantastic shopping experience."
There are plans to roll out a further ten Loaf Shacks in the next few years.
- NOTES TO EDITOR -
- Having lost a whole Saturday trying to buy a bed, Charlie Marshall saw an opportunity to make the shopping experience as quick and hassle-free as possible. So two years, 187 mattress and bed factories later, Loaf was born in December 2008. The previously predominantly online store launched with a select range of 12 beautifully made beds and just one perfect mattress. Today they cover the entire home. While most were waiting for the financial markets to improve, entrepreneur Marshall saw the downturn as the ideal time to launch a business. The fuss-free formula worked and having covered the bedroom they launched sofas in 2012 - now making up a significant part of the business
- The comfy sofas and upholstered beds are hand-produced in Long Eaton, Derbyshire - the heart of British upholstery making. And the mattresses are handmade in Wiltshire
- In October 2012 Loaf rebranded from their original name of The Sleep Room. A new name was needed to communicate the extended offering for the whole home. Everything else remained the same. Same company. Same people. Same customer service. Just a hop across to Loaf.com
- In January 2014 Peter Simon, the founder of Monsoon and Accessorize, took a significant minority stake in Loaf for an undisclosed sum
- Loaf's team is now 80+ strong having more than doubled in size over the last year
LOAF.COM
Loaf Shack, 259 Queenstown Road, London, SW8 3NP
Press contact: Sally Flower at Loaf
[email protected] / 020 3141 8372