Business is all about collaboration and relationships – and it’s those vital connections that are behind the success of a growing Huddersfield interiors company.
Feature Interiors Ltd, trading as Feature Flooring & Blinds, has two showrooms in Milnsbridge and Lindley and is about to open a third in Holmfirth.
The company, which supplies carpets, blinds, flooring and curtains, is run by three directors Antony Nixon, Dave Shackleton and Paul Golden.
The two stores are about to become three as the company has taken over the Rug & Carpet Shop in Holmfirth, run by John and Sally for the last 18 years.
The new shop in Woodhead Road will be officially opened by Mayor of Kirklees Clr Cahal Burke at 12 noon on Good Friday (March 29).
Company managing director Antony has been on an amazing journey since starting out as an apprentice. He said: “Success in business is all about relationships and working together.
“Our journey shows how the people you meet throughout your career can help you achieve your goals. Collaboration really is the key to success.”
Antony’s journey in business began as an apprentice floor layer in 2002 straight from school.
Antony started working for Paul’s company in 2003 and served the rest of his apprenticeship there before going self-employed three years later.
By 2012 Antony had started contracting for United Carpets in Huddersfield and Batley where he got to know store manager Dave, who later took on a Hillary’s Blinds franchise.
Antony said: “I had seen a demand for blinds from my customers after fitting their carpets and had discussed with Dave whether there was an opportunity to work together. I started supplying blinds alongside carpets and flooring.
“A very helpful sales rep called Barry from Amo Blinds taught me the basics and put me in touch with some good contacts which led to the beginning of our blinds department.
“Fast forward to 2016 and I had too much work to handle myself and had to start sub-contracting the fitting out.
“It was then that Paul, my old boss from AJB, now Axis Flooring, had a unit with a showroom that wasn’t getting much use.
“They concentrated mainly on commercial flooring and a lot of their work is out of town so customers didn’t come in.
“He offered me a very generous deal to use their warehouse and showroom and offered to help me grow and develop the business.”
That was the end of 2016 and Antony’s business really started to take off. He came ‘off the tools’ and employed his first member of staff in 2017, rebranding as Feature Flooring & Blinds.
In 2019 the company employed its first apprentice and started looking for another shop. Coming out of lockdown in August 2020, the company opened its Lindley store.
Antony added: “It was around that time that I reconnected with Dave from Hillary’s and he agreed to start doing some blinds sales appointments for us.
“Business at Lindley was booming and we took on another fitter, Jason. Dave also came on board full-time and took over the window covering department.
“In 2021 Dave Jessop, of First for Carpets decided to sell the business. He had sold the shops a few years before and been working from a warehouse and doing mobile visits. We did a deal to take over First for Carpets and he carried on working for us part-time.
“The company continued to grow and Paul and Dave Shackleton became directors and partners in the company in 2022.
“Our apprentice qualified and we took on another who is also just about to qualify as a floor layer. Our fitting team is now four full-time employed fitters.
“It’s been an amazing journey and it’s all about connections in business and helping each other along the way. We’re excited to see what the future holds.”
The new Holmfirth shop at 2A Woodhead Road is open from 12noon-4pm on Good Friday and there will be competitions, drinks and canopes on the day. Everyone is welcome.
More on Feature Flooring & Blinds can be found on their website https://feature-interiors.co.uk/
