Sign Posts

We have been asked so many times to put up signs directing people to our store.  Unfortunately we are not, by law, able to put up our own signs and Bristol City Council can not put up signs that advertises one store.  Therefore we have come up with a compromise.

All around the store there are now signs to Willway Street Business Park… which is in fact, Us!  They are on the Bath Road Roundabout by Fowlers, all along York Road, East Street outside Asda, Philip Street outside the Baptist Church and on Whitehouse Street.  Hopefully nobody will ever get lost coming to us again.

www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

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Parson Street Primary Wins £400 at Park Furnishers

Parson Street Primary School beat off stiff competition from Knowle DGE to win £400 in the first ever Park Furnishers Snowman Competition.  Customers at the Park Furnishers Christmas Party were asked to vote for their favourite and the Parson street entry polled a massive 181 votes.

The winning snowman, shown above on the left, was created by eight gifted and talented children and took narrowly beat a snowman featuring a chest of drawers as a hat from Knowle DGE.

The winning snowman came complete with a poem.

I keep my snowman in the freezer, just behind the pies

He likes it there, he told me so, I can see it in his eyes.

I made him on a cold, cold morning when snow was fresh and deep

Now he sits in the freezer by the fish we got so cheap.

I keep my snowman in the freezer, I look at him each day.

If I left him in the garden he would simply melt away.

But now he’s like my grandma, living somewhere safe and nice.

He’s in a frosty snowy place on a throne of coldest ice.

I keep my snowman in the freezer near a lump of frozen beef.

And I’ve got a treat for him in August: I’m taking him to Tenerife!

Having invited over 100 primary schools in the Bristol area to take part, it was slightly disappointing when only two decided to take up the challenge.  However, the snowmen were so appreciated by customers that we decided to award Knowle DGE £400 as well as Parson Street as an appreciation of their creativity and fantastic efforts.

Park Furnishers’ Marketing Manager Paul Marshall presenting a cheque for £400 to children of Parson Street Primary School in Bedminster.

 

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Customer Christmas Party

The Park Furnishers Customer Christmas Party was a great success.  Approximately 1500 people attended over the 2 day event and it was thoroughly enjoyed by customers and staff alike.

Customers were greeted at the entrance by giant snowmen.

And then treated to free turkey rolls, champagne, bucks fizz, mince pies and mulled wine.

Between six o’clock and eight we were entertained by the award winning Great Western Chorus…

And even Elvis put in an appearance.

The front of the store was decorated as a snow scene and to add to the magic, the lift entrance was turned into a fireplace so that customers could ride up and down the chimney.

Even local schools took part with Parson Street Primary and Knowle DGE entering snowmen into the Park Furnishers Snowman Competition.

With free prize draws throughout the day and an extra 5% off sale prices, the Park Furnishers Customer Christmas Party was a fantastic way to start the Christmas celebrations.

www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

 

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The Summer Garden Party

This year we thought it would be fun to hold a Garden Party to preview the Summer Sale.

We turned the front of the store into a garden, organised some drinks, strawberries and a hog roast and invited some customers to come and join in the fun.

We thought a few would come.

However, we were completely overwhelmed by the number of customers that turned up and made the event such a major success.

We estimate, by the amount of strawberries and cream that disappeared (And a thousand servings of hog roast), that between three and four thousand people came to the Garden Party over the two days.  The sheer volume of people turned Bristol’s largest furniture store  into what appeared to be Bristol’s largest social club.  We’re still not quite sure why the Garden Party captured the imagination of our customers to the extent it did, but it was a pleasure to give a little back to all those customers that continue to support us through difficult times.

The feedback we had back from customers was so positive that we are now considering making it an annual event.

And then. to cap it all…

Our balloon did a fly past.

A really big thank you to everyone who turned up and made the event so special.  And another big thank you to the friends of Park Furnishers who were press-ganged at the last minute to help serve food and drinks to the unprecedented number of people. And finally, an apology to anyone who had to wait a long time for food and drink or couldn’t find anywhere to park.  Next time we’ll be better prepared.

www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

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Renovation Game

A film crew from RDF Television were in store recently filming for the new Channel 4 TV show, The Renovation Game.

The show is hosted by Jonnie Irwin who is best known for his role on Place in the Sun.

The Renovation Game is the show where a crack team of builders and a designer put their own fees on the line if they fail to raise a property’s value.  They have just £3,000 and 3 days to work their magic and increase the value of the property by a whopping £15,000.  Succeed and they are paid handsomely for their work – fail and they leave with nothing (except their tool box!).

Before the team get to work three local estate agents value the property, returning after the work is complete to put the new value on it. Will the team have managed to hit that £15,000 target with their big ideas or will they be out of pocket?  Either way the homeowners are guaranteed winners!

The film crew came to Park Furnishers to choose a mirror from over 100 on display in the mirror gallery.

The five 60 minute shows are sheduled to be aired sometime this month (July 2011).

www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

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Kylie Minogue draped across our beds!

The Kylie Minogue range of linens is now available at Park Furnishers.  The range is in subtle shades and looks very classy.  But then what would you expect from a world-wide mega star.

The three ranges available are detailed below.

Sequin Wave

Rada

Audrey

www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

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It’s Curtains for Everyone

Made to measure curtains are now available at Park Furnishers.  Our staff are on hand to offer expert help and advice and a measuring service is available for a small fee which is refundable when an order is placed.  It’s quick too.  With the Express service your curtains are ready to be hung within just seven working days.

www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

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It’s about time

Park Furnishers now has a dedicated clock area of around 60 clocks.  Whether you’re looking for something traditional, contemporary or little quirky, there’s a clock to suit all tastes.  What’s more, with prices starting at just £15, you’ll find they’ll suit your wallet too.

www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

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Park Furnishers open for the Royal Wedding

A reduced number of staff will be ensuring that Bristol’s largest furniture store will be open and celebrating the Royal Wedding in style.  The flags are up, the champagne is on ice and the event will be shown on the big screen.  The store will be open for business as usual between 10am and 5pm with Royal Wedding souvenirs available to purchase.

Then on Saturday, to continue the celebrations, there’s a free barbecue for all customers between 12 and 2:30.

Come and join us in wishing William and Kate good fortune and a long and happy marriage.

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Looking After Soft Upholstery

Soft upholstered furniture gets just as dusty and dirty as cabinet furniture – the difference is you can’t always see it. Upholstery should be viewed in a similar way to clothing, i.e. it needs regular cleaning, ideally by a reputable cleaning company.

Regular, Easy-Care Maintenance

Try to keep pets off the upholstery and be careful of sharp objects such as belt

buckles, toys and watch straps snagging the fabric. If snags do occur, carefully cut off the loose ends with scissors or tuck back in – do not pull them under any circumstances.

Discourage lively children from using your new suite as a climbing frame if you want to prolong its lifespan.

Use protective arm caps where possible as this is the area most likely to show wear.

Reversible seat and back cushions should be turned regularly and plumped up to maintain their shape. As a guide these cushions should be attended to at least on a weekly basis, but may require daily attention dependant upon type of filling and usage.

Upholstery can be lightly vacuumed or gently brushed to remove dust, but take care if vacuuming delicate fringe and braid details.

Strong sunlight can cause fabrics to fade.

Sitting on the front edges of cushions or on the arms of furniture may cause distortion or damage.

Velvet and chenille fabrics have a raised surface texture which is prone to flattening and shading. It is important that you understand this characteristic.

Wood or decorative facings require minimal maintenance, and should be occasionally wiped with a damp cloth to remove dust. Do not use spray polishes or solvent cleaners, as these can have a damaging effect on both the facings and adjoining fabric.

Fringes and ruching should be treated with care, especially when vacuuming.

Caster cups are useful to reduce indentations on carpets and wood flooring.

Stop Spills Becoming Stains

Do not use detergents.

Do not try to wash or rub minor spills.

To avoid damaging your upholstery, if you spill something on it, simply act quickly and mop up excess liquid with a clean white cloth.

Soft upholstered furniture gets just as dusty and dirty as cabinet furniture – the difference is you can’t always see it. Upholstery should be viewed in a similar way to clothing, i.e it needs regular cleaning, ideally by a reputable cleaning company.

Variations And Markings

Vacuum or brush clean your upholstery weekly to remove accumulated dirt, which can cause colours to look faded or dull. Plump the cushions at the end of every day of use, particularly those filled with feather or fibre, and also smooth out the surface to prevent permanent creases being formed. Where you can, turn the cushions regularly to equalise wear.

Cleaning

Always follow your manufacturer’s cleaning and care label instructions. Clean your upholstery at least once a year and before soiling becomes ingrained. Clean all parts of a suite together as slight colour changes can sometimes occur.

Motion Furniture

Motion furniture has many different designs and functions, and it is very important that the manufacturer’s operating and care instructions are correctly followed.

Loose Cover Upholstery

Loose covers should be cleaned regularly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Some slight shrinkage may arise on initial cleaning, but sufficient tolerance will have allowed for this. When removing and particularly when replacing loose covers, always take care with the carcase and cushion cover zips.

Your covers are tailored to snugly fit the carcase, therefore identify the shapes prior to fitting. If washed, replace the covers when just slightly damp to ensure a better fit and less shrinkage or creasing.

Do not replace covers if they are wet, as this could damage other materials.

Allow the covers to settle on the furniture for a day or so. Ironing should not be necessary, but if this is required, iron the covers on the furniture using a damp cloth.

General Tips For Fitting

1.         Locate the zip fastener

2.         Fit the wing or rear of arm nearest the zip

3.         Fit the arm front

4.         Repeat on the opposite arm fixing

5.         Tuck covers on the inside of the arms and back of the seat

6.         Fit the valance stiffeners where applicable

7.         Close the zip, pulling the outside arm and back covers tightly to remove pressure from the zip itself.

www.parkfurnishers.co.uk

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