About Us
Since 1946 Glasswells philosophy has been to provide quality furniture through an amazing service, a service that stands out from the crowd and one that is true and trusted. Today, we continue with this philosophy and continue to exceed customer expectations by offering a huge range of exceptional furniture and accessories for your entire home. We also continue to focus on our customers, listening to their feedback and providing choice and value with a wide range of fresh designs that inspire and appeal to all.
Our vision…
Glasswells strives to be the shopping destination for home furnishings throughout East Anglia.
Our mission…
To deliver stylish and creative home furnishings products.
Our values…
To exceed customer expectations by offering quality, choice and value through great service.
Our focus…
Inspiration, Quality & Value, Service & Commitment, Heritage:
Inspiration
Creating the perfect showpiece – We want our customers to be inspired and find designs that reflect their own individuality. We dedicate time to finding the right products whether they are the latest trends or classic styles.
Quality & Value
We ensure Glasswells customers can buy quality products whilst being reassured that they are at affordable prices.
Service & Commitment
We constantly invite feedback to ensure we continue to provide outstanding service. Our teams are knowledgeable and committed to helping customers find what they are looking for.
Heritage
Glasswells is a family business established in 1946 in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk by Jerry and Leslie Glasswell. With an emphasis on listening to our customers to create a personal shopping experience, the business proved successful and soon grew from one town centre shop into larger premises.
When Jerry passed away his son, Leslie Glasswell became Managing Director and continued the success they had started. He then passed the business to his son, Paul, who is Managing Director today.
We are proud of our heritage and apply everything we have learnt over the years to offer a shopping experience that is second to none. We continue Jerry’s legacy of keeping our customers at the forefront of our business and ensure we offer the right products and designs to keep our shopping experience aspirational, exciting, fresh and unique.
Today, our Bury St Edmunds store is the largest home furnishings store in East Anglia; we also have a large store in Ipswich and smaller stores in Haverhill and Saffron Walden.
Our History...
It all started in May 1946 when Jerry Glasswell opened the very first furniture shop in Brentgovel Street, Bury St Edmunds, this was to become the foundation of the biggest family run home furnishings company in East Anglia. This was Jerry’s proudest moment. Since, the store has also been under the direction of Leslie, Jerry’s son and later, his grandson Paul, who is the managing director today.
Glasswells timeline: Landmark dates in the history of Glasswells
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2011 |
65th anniversary |
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2008 |
New Ipswich store opened Extension to Kempson Way warehouse completed Robert Hawkins becomes Operations Director Kevin Robertson appointed to Sales Director |
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2006 |
Diamond anniversary celebrations by giving away a diamond ring and a 1940’s revival weekend For the staff, there was an evening meal with music and comedy from Jasper Carott |
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2005 |
Refurbishment of Haverhill store |
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2003 |
Rest of the interior of Bury store refurbished, restaurant added |
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2002 |
Extension to the World of Furniture adds 40,000 sq ft. All departments expanded to increase ranges. New extension to warehouse doubles floor space Robert Hawkins appointed as Sales Director |
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1999 |
New warehouse at Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds opens |
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1996 |
50th anniversary of Glasswells |
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1995 |
Opening of the World of Furniture at Martlesham Heath, Ipswich |
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1994 |
The World of Furniture extended to total 60,000 sq ft |
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1992 |
Four-and-a-half acre Fiat site acquired in Newmarket Road, Bury St Edmunds where the World of Furniture store was opened the same year |
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1990 |
Refurbishment schemes at Saffron Walden, Haverhill and Braintree |
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1989 |
Leslie Glasswells retires as Managing Director. Paul Glasswell becomes Managing Director with Leslie as Chairman New carpet shop at Saffron Walden |
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1987 |
Terry Glasswells becomes Finance Director |
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1986 |
Leslie Glasswell elected to the board of Associated Independent Stores |
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1985 |
Complete re-building of Brentgovel Street premises at a cost of £400,000. Opened in September, with three other shops to let. Opened Union Jacks Discount Warehouse, Bury St Edmunds |
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1984 |
New 11,000 sq ft store opened in Norwich, with two other shops to let |
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1983 |
Work starts on new store at Norwich |
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1982 |
Glasswells joins Associated Independent Stores group |
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1981 |
Acquired Slaters at Braintree |
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1980 |
Taskers bought at Norwich |
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1979 |
Acquired Alstons of Sudbury |
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1978 |
New Haverhill branch opened |
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1977 |
Major development at Haverhill with new Glasswells store and seven other shops |
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1976 |
Kingsbury warehouses sold to Combined English Stores |
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1975 |
Kingsbury warehouses now total seven branches. Glasswells buy St Andrew’s and Brentgoval Street properties |
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1974 |
Kingsbury grows to five branches |
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1973 |
Kingsbury has four branches |
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1972 |
Kingsbury warehouses have grown to three branches |
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1971 |
First Kingsbury warehouse opened in Bury St Edmunds |
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1970 |
Extended Tollgate warehouse to 30,000 sq ft |
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1968 |
St Andrew’s Street South, Bury St Edmunds shop extended and opened |
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1967 |
Started work on new £68,000 store extension in St Andrew’s Street South, Bury St Edmunds |
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1966 |
Tollgate warehouse extended to 20,000 sq ft |
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1965 |
Carpet shop opened in Queen’s Square, Haverhill |
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1964 |
Brentgovel Street, Bury St Edmunds premises refurbished and opened at Bury Bedding Centre. Added mezzanine floor to Corn Exchange shop. Additional shop opened at Haverhill |
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1963 |
Glasswells’ staff totals 84 |
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1962 |
Glasswells opens store in Stowmarket |
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1961 |
Number of removals vans reaches seven, including three at Stowmarket |
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1960 |
New store opened at Queen’s Square, Haverhill |
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1959 |
Tollgate warehouse extended to 15,000 sq ft |
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1957 |
Corn Exchange showroom opened in Bury St Edmunds |
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1956 |
Completed first 10,00 sq ft of Tollgate warehouse |
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1955 |
Building started on Tollgate warehouse, Bury St Edmunds |
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1954 |
Built and opened St Andrew’s Street South shop |
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1953 |
Saffron Walden branch opened in King Street |
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1952 |
Exhibitions at Saffron Walden and Bury St Edmunds Corn Exchange |
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1951 |
Opened first shop at Haverhill. Exhibition in marquee at the Suffolk Show, Rougham. First exhibition in Bury St Edmunds Corn Exchange. |
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1950 |
First furniture exhibition at the Old Town hall, Bury St Edmunds |
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1949 |
First furniture exhibition at Haverhill and Bury trade fairs |
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1948 |
First furniture van built |
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1947 |
Second shop opened at 36 Brentgovel Street |
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1946 |
First shop opened at 35 Brentgovel Street, Bury St Edmunds |
