WE’RE off shopping today, to MFI’s half price autumn sale.

The furniture centre’s 1977 advert promised a big savings on a host of pieces at premises in King Street, Blackburn.

Open on August bank holiday, the customers’ ‘friend in the furniture business’ was offering continental dining sets for £39.95, with teak wall units, with shelf space, drawers and an album compartment for £58, Down from £116.

A large album compartment, drawers and cupboard, made a Cardinell storage cabinet, a must for the modern home, and was reduced from £49.95 to £24.95.

Desks were down in price to £24.95, a smoked glass coffee table was now only £8.50, while there were also wardrobes and six-drawer chests, both in satin white to bring elegance to any bedroom, reduced to £29.95 and £24.95 respectively.

Chair unit seating was popular among homeowners that year and MFI offered individual seats, in smart chocolate oatmeal, at the sale price of £18.50 and corner units at £23.95, so purchasers could create their own sofa seating to fit in their own lounge space.

Were you just setting up home that year and did you take the chance to buy furniture from this half price sale?

 

2. IT has always made good financial sense to offer products direct from the manufacturer to the customer and so cut out the middle man. 

And with East Lancashire’s prominence in the textile trade, Weaver to Wearer could give nothing but good value — and so this chain of shops was named. 

This 1959 advert shows a housewife very impressed with the price of her husband’s new jacket, which cost 79/6. 

The store’s policy of better clothes and lower prices, meant matching slacks were also available at 32/6. 

Weaver to Wearer in Blackburn was then at 5/9 Salford, but later there was a store, we think, in Ainsworth Street? 

Most of our local towns had branches, too, shoppers in Accrington, Burnley and Nelson, could also take advantage of these prices. Other in-store bargains were two piece suits, available ready tailored or made hand cut to measure, at £6 9s 6d, and made to measure ladies’ suits and coats also from £6 9s 6d. 

Cloudmaster silicone proofed raincoats, made with 65 per cent pure botany wool, were £6 17s 6d or customers could choose Barathea blazers, in navy and black, for £4 19s 6d.