Member Article

Cafe opening marks completion of store's £100,000 investment

OPENING OF CAFÉ MARKS COMPLETION OF STORE’S £100,000 INVESTMENT

The opening of a café in Home Interiors’ Sunderland city centre store has marked the completion of a £100,000 investment in the premises.

Michael O’Connor Furniture Group has given its store in Holmeside, Sunderland, a major makeover at a cost of £50,000. This has led to three extra sales staff being taken on bringing the total workforce to eight.

In addition, £55,000 now has been spent creating a high class 30-seat licensed café, which is being operated by well-known Wearside restaurant group, Amore.

The contemporary, comfortable Café Amore, which employs four staff, provides customers the opportunity to stop for refreshments while browsing the Home Interiors’ extensive collections.

The Amore family is well-known in the Wearside area as the owners of Amore Lounge Bar and Restaurant in the city’s Tavistock Place and Amore 2@Ashbrooke Sports Centre.

The restaurants’ talented and creative chefs prepare mouthwatering dishes inspired by flavours and influences from throughout Italy as well as using food sourced from local suppliers.

Rob Stevens, Michael O’Connor Furniture Group Joint Managing Director, said: “The opening of Café Amore takes the investment in our Home Interiors store to more than £100,000. As well as creating employment, the store’s modernisation and the opening of a café there will help widen Sunderland’s appeal to visitors and shoppers.

“Both businesses are committed to the Wearside area and we are proud to be making a significant contribution to the success and vibrancy of Sunderland City Centre.”

Kam Chera, from Amore Restaurant group, said: “This is an exciting project for us and we’re delighted that our two brands will be joined together with the opening of Café Amore in the Home Interiors premises. We share the same ethos for our businesses and complement each others’ vision for the future.”

The new-look store, which was previously called Michael O’Connor, was renamed Home Interiors when it reopened in December to reflect its bigger product range and the broadening of its customer appeal.

As well as the addition of a café, the store now includes:

The transformation of the fourth floor and basement, which had previously used for storage, into eye-catching retail space.

One floor dedicated to furnishings and ornaments aimed at the first time buyer market.

Alongside contemporary and modern furnishings, the store continues to stock traditional brands and ranges such as Bridgecraft and G Plan.

The Philip Thursby carpet concession also still has a presence in the store.

The aim of the store’s transformation has been to showcases furniture and accessories in ways that will inspire with the displays illustrating to customers how its ranges will work in their homes.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Recognition PR Business Team .