Sarah is Arighi Bianchi’s new M.D.

Sarah Bianchi has been appointed the new Managing Director of Arighi Bianchi.

With a heritage that dates back to 1854, Arighi Bianchi – famed for its iconic grade II listed building in the heart of Macclesfield – is one of the longest running family-owned furniture businesses in the UK.

The company sells a range of contemporary furniture and accessories for the home, as well as carpets, flooring, blinds, curtains and fitted kitchens.

Commenting on her appointment, Sarah says, “After a period of time in London working for City Corp and as Private Secretary to the Rt Hon Edward Heath MBE MP, I joined the family business aged just 23 and have since been responsible for running the carpet division, setting up the gift shop, HR, buying and now I’m taking the reins as Managing Director.

“It’s an extremely exciting time to be starting my new role, as we look forward to bolstering all areas of the business – from continuing to invest in our physical retail experience to expanding our online site and digital presence.

“It’s undoubtedly been a challenging time for our Macclesfield store due to the lockdowns, in fact it was the first time ever that we had to close our doors for this length of time – we didn’t even close during the war! But having already firmly established our online presence prior to the pandemic we have managed to continue to trade well and, in fact, we’ve had a record year online.

“One of my priorities as Managing Director is to build our national brand. We’ve already made some great progress here attracting a younger audience and gaining coverage for our online products in national home interest media. As such an established business in the North West, we’re extremely well known among the older generations – but we want to communicate the breadth of our offer and showcase the contemporary furniture and accessories we stock that appeal to fashion conscious buyers.

“We are very active on social media and are continuing to invest in our digital services. Most recently we launched an online sofa design visualisation tool and offer video design consultations, Live Chat and an exceptional e-commerce experience.

Sarah added: “I’m also proud that Lucy, my daughter, has joined us to support our digital progression. Lucy is helping us to utilise the latest digital techniques to reach our audiences nationwide, through the site, social and PR.”

Arighi Bianchi caters for all types of interior styles – from stylish, bright contemporary furniture to more traditional looks. It has designer ranges as well as a wide range of products from independent makers, with a focus on quality and provenance. The business also offers an interior design service and its store has a popular Café Bar within its 70,000sq ft interiors emporium.

The business expanded beyond its physical store by launching a transactional site six years ago and has gone from strength to strength establishing itself as a national brand. It’s now on track to more than double its online sales in the coming year.

It has also been working with many social media influencers to expand its reputation among younger audiences. Its quirky home accessories are also firm favourites for journalists in the home interiors and design sector, with the brand appearing in national media.

It was Sarah’s great Grandfather Antonio Bianchi who founded the business, alongside fellow Italian craftsman Antonio Arighi. Employing 150 people, the business is still owned and run by members of the Bianchi family.