Harvard Mills are celebrating their 10th anniversary this month. Tucked just off Kirkstall Road, once discovered it’s a place that customers find hard not to re- visit as there are ever changing bargains to be had to decorate or complement any home.In the ten years they have been open, the business really has gone from strength to strength, always offering what the public want and need at incredible value. Having been in the wholesale business for many years, supplying traders, husband and wife team Laurence and Audrey Manley originally opened Harvard Mills to the public just on a weekend. A couple of years on, they were inundated with requests by customers for this ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ to be open every day, and as they say ‘the rest is history’!
Of course, things have changed a little since the beginning but the ethos has remained the same – low prices, excellent value and customer respect. The emphasis there is on variety, selection, quality and competitiveness. A decade ago, textiles such as bedding sets and towels were the most popular products on offer at Harvard Mills. While they are still much sought after by customers, other departments have expanded to offer a wider selection of DIY, kitchen and stationery items. Paints and wallpapers are also incredibly popular with Harvard Mills selling top quality wallpaper you would expect to buy at around £20 a roll, for just £3 or £5 each! Another area that has been introduced since opening is clothing, with an especially good range of baby clothing along with nursery accessories. Perhaps the biggest change of all though has been the addition of the furniture store where you can find sofas, beds, and other large furniture items. Of course, over the ten years, the advent of internet shopping has grown, but Harvard Mills firmly believe that if people can see and feel the products available in person, they like that, as they can instantly appreciate the quality and value.
Laurence and Audrey have used their 40 years in the industry to build up excellent contacts, buying in bulk and passing the savings on to their customers. The saying goes with Harvard Mills “Imagine everything you could possibly want at prices you can actually afford.” Unassuming on the outside, Harvard Mills really is a building that you need to step inside to fully appreciate what is on offer. This 20,000sqft ‘Tardis’ is packed to the rafters with thousands of great products at the low prices it is famous for with regular customers.
Special anniversary promotions that will be running this month include Flossy Shoes at just £4 per pair which Laurence says “ you won’t get them anywhere else for that price.” Also there will be lots of special offers running on paints with Crown paint at just £5 per tin. With these and many more specials and a few spot gifts to be handed out to some lucky shoppers there is no better time to visit the store.
Thrilled to be celebrating the 10years milestone, Laurence tells us that some regular customers have been visiting the store for the full ten years and you can set your watch by some of them, “ We have some lovely people that come in 2-3 times a week, as we are constantly getting new things in and you never know what you are going to find. As a local business we have built up excellent relationships with long-standing customers and I would like to thank them for all their support over the years, and we are looking forward to many more years, welcoming new customers and will continue to do our best for everyone.”
For a chance to win a shopping voucher worth £100 to spend at Harvard Mills go to our competitions page
