Local businessman Mike Harper is opening a new furniture store in Ipswich between the town centre and the Waterfront.
Mike, who has been running his Home & Cane Living store at Stonham Barns since 1995, is branching out with a new 5,000 sq ft Ipswich store selling oak and rattan furniture.
Harpers is in Star Lane, next to Bear’s Bowling Centre, and opens to the public on March 15.
Mike, who has been selling furniture all his working life, said: “We have been looking for premises for quite a long time in Ipswich. We feel the time is right to do it now.
“This is ideally placed between Ipswich town centre and the Waterfront.”
Mike came to Ipswich to work for Fraser Maples in 1979, until that furniture store closed in 1984.
It gave him the impetus to open his first business, Martlesham Interiors. Nineteen years ago he opened at Stonham Barns, specialising in cane furniture and the store has expanded over the years.
He added: “I could see the growing appeal of conservatories and decided to specialise in cane and rattan.”
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