King's Lynn furniture store closes its doors
This week sees the end of an era in Lynn High Street with Artertons furniture store finally closing its doors after 30 years.
The showroom is empty and Colin and Amanda are getting ready for a well earned rest.
But first they say they would love to see customers and friends there on Monday or Tuesday for a glass of sparkling wine to say goodbye – or au revoir!
And although the shop doors will shut, they will still be using their warehouse and will deliver customers’ orders right up until the end of August.
“I will be contacting everyone before we leave the store and the phone number will divert to my phone,” said Amanda.
The couple say they worked well together with Amanda on the sales side on the ground floor and Colin two flights up at the top of the building taking care of admin and adverts.
“Never the twain shall meet,” they said “unless resetting furniture - then sparks might fly”.
Colin has been in retail since 1974 and Amanda since 1977. Amanda’s management career started at Discount for Beauty in Broad Street, then to Pitlochry Knitwear and immediately before Artertons at Laura Ashley, opening all three as new stores to Lynn.
Colin started at Maples Furniture, then Queensway and then he decided to go it alone and open Artertons 30 years ago. Amanda then joined him.
They said: “We have seen many furniture stores in and around Lynn that have gone by the wayside but Artertons have weathered ups and downs and somehow made it to 30 years. Now we feel we need a rest!”
Colin will follow his love of steam trains, theatre and film making. Amanda says she has a few years left to be useful in sales so, after a short rest, she might appear somewhere else with a shorter working week.
They said: “Over 30 years our customers have been very loyal.
“We have served three generations of the same families and once they knew we were finishing they flocked back to order their upholstery, beds, bedroom furniture and occasional pieces, for which we are very grateful.”
Time to put their feet up: Pictured left are Amanda and Colin Arterton at the High Street store in King’s Lynn which will soon be closing...the last bed remaining in the shop.
Picture: Paul Marsh
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