The new boss of revived furniture retailer MFI has insisted the brand still has resonance.

Commercial director Adrian Storr, who worked for MFI for nine years under different ownership, said despite customers losing out on costly orders when MFI collapsed, there is still affection for the MFI name.

“There will be customers that were disappointed with what happened,” he said. “But overall the feeling is that they want to see it back.”

MFI.co.uk launched online on Wednesday. Storr, who was latterly merchandise director at MFI until July 2008, said he has learnt from the failure of the former MFI and from the burden of the numerous and costly stores it operated.

“MFI was saddled with stores. We don’t have that same burden,” he said.

However, he did not rule out some store openings in the future if customers demanded it. He said other advantages to the new incarnation include “very keen prices”.

MFI collapsed into administration in November 2008, almost three years to the day of the relaunch, which comes after plumbing group Walker Capital bought the rights to the brand last year.

Storr acknowledged the current torrid big-ticket trading environment, but said: “People are still looking to buy furniture. We can offer good value with low overheads. Most consumers are happy to buy our type of product online.”

MFI offers 2,500 “aspirational” SKUs aimed at the midmarket. Sofa prices, for example, will range from £249 to £1,500.

It also sells bedroom and bathroom furniture. Storr said MFI will focus on service, including customers being able to track delivery.

Topics