A Swadlincote furniture store has expanded after just 12 months at its new premises as trade is booming, despite the pandemic.

Sam's Furniture For You, in Ernest Hall Way, in the town, now takes up two floors after expanding upstairs to allow customers to view more of the furniture it has on sale.

It comes after a hugely successful year, despite being forced to close the actual store for lockdowns due to the covid pandemic.

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Owner Sam Watson explained that she even have to sell her own suite at home as they had so many orders during lockdown that she had to use her living room as storage.

The upstairs part of the premises it is based in was previously owned by another business, but when this firm moved out, she thought it was the perfect time to keep growing.

The 50-year-old said: "It's onwards and upwards and we'll keep going. The first two weeks when we went into lockdown last year was like a novelty as we really slowed down and it was breakfast in the garden and little things like that you don't get round to doing.

"Then I woke up and thought, 'I'm going to do something or I'll go under', so I put an advert on Facebook and went with a few new lines.

Sam's Furniture For You
Upstairs at Sam's Furniture For You

"We had a lot of people get in touch and had so many orders we had to sell our own suite and give up the lounge as we had no room for the boxes. The garage and shop were already full as we had so many orders.

"I think it was because people started to realise they couldn't do anything other than do the garden or their home. They were locked up and that's the be-all and end-all of it."

Before moving to the town centre, the shop was based in Church Street for four-and-a-half years, having started life in Alexandra Road as a second-hand shop in 2013.

She opened up in the current premises this time last year, when the first lockdown had eased.

Mrs Watson, who runs the business with husband Tony, said: "It went manic after the first lockdown as everyone felt like they had been caged up for so long. We were busy in the run up to Christmas and then it went manic after Boxing Day to December 30.

"People came in and said they knew there was a possibility of a lockdown so they said get the order to us when we can. Our customers have been so understanding.

"We started as a small business and have just grown and people have grown with us. I am grateful.

"I would like to say a massive thank you to my customers. It is through their support and believing in us as a small, independent business.

"I don't think thank you covers the gratitude I feel. I do get really nervous about change, whereas Tony is like we're going to do this and make it work. I always think are we doing the right thing?

Sam's Furniture For You
Sam's Furniture For You, in Swadlincote, has expanded

"I'm very proud of the business but I never take it for granted. When going into retail you have to listen to customers, don't tell them what they want to buy. You need to know where it's going to go and what they want in their home. You have to empathise with their needs.

"I'm going to strive to make people's home a happy and comfortable home."

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