It acts as an important reminder of JA Milton's heritage – a reflection of the past – while providing inspiration for the business moving forward.
Looking to earn an income, she created Whixall Wood Furniture and bought second-hand furniture from auctions, taking it home, repairing and improving it before returning it to the auction to resell it. "When Joan passed away, her husband , who had been a silent partner in the business kept it going," said Dave, who had worked alongside both in a managerial role."Dave knew how passionate Joan was about her staff and the business and the standards she set."But he decided he wanted to retire to Portugal and put the business up for sale and I decided to buy it in November 2021.""Things went crazy at that point," Dave recalls.
"We are feeling positive about the future. We have had a good start to 2023 and have lots of ideas on how to get more orders, and grow the business moving forward."