Sofa so bad as suite life turns sour for Stuart
FIRST it was Woolies closing down, now it's M&S. But first a word of clarification. That's not M&S as in Marks and Sparks but as in the world of second hand furniture.
"End of an era. Closing down sale," it says on big signs outside Stuart West's second hand furniture and office equipment shop on Abbeydale Road, Sheffield.
What it doesn't say is Last Second Hand Furniture Shop on the Strip, which it is but, first, Stuart, why is it M&S?
"I've been here 20 years and the local Asians know me as Mr Stuart," he grins.
In a world when we should all be going mad for recycling Stuart ought to be making a mint but instead he's found his markets have dried up.
"Nobody buys second hand furniture any more. It's as cheap to buy new from IKEA. A lot used to go for student flats but now there is so much official accommodation and all the stuff has to be new," he says glumly.
Behind him in the shop three piece suites from 125, a cabinet (caution: loose top) at 195 and office chairs on castors (from 10) await their fate.
If they can't find a good home by this Saturday "there's going to be a big bonfire," says Stuart, aged 49. Because he just can't give it away.
"There's no market any more. I've been subsidising the business out of my own pocket for the last 18 months. I'm the last because Neil's Corner and Remar, which gets its stuff given to it, have closed in the last six months."
When M&S goes Stuart, who once sold a coffin (unused), will have to find another job.
Just then the Second Last Second Hand Furniture Shop on Abbeydale Road walks into the shop in the shape of Neil Wiberg, late of Neil's Corner.
"It's a very enjoyable business to be in. You have free access to everyone's house. I like trams and I went to one house in Alderson Road to buy a stool and there were pictures of trams on the wall. I stayed two hours," says Neil.
Stuart, who started in the business at the age of nine, working for A D Moorhouse just around the corner from his home on Bramall Lane, originally traded as an antiques dealer when Abbeydale Road was Antiques Central for the north of England.
He then morphed gradually into used furniture (all antiques are second hand but not all second hand stuff is antique).
"I've sat here some days and not sold a thing," he says. Just then a man walks in, oblivious to the signs, who wants to sell him some furniture. Under the circumstances Stuart is the master of politeness.
"I've had lots of people come in and say they will miss me but they're not buying," he adds.
By the way, does he know what his old premises are going to be? "A new furniture shop," says Stuart.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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