The Inner West Becomes The Furniture Hotspot Of Sydney

The Inner West has become the official hot spot of the furniture industry in Sydney. On Tuesday 19^th November a Hardwood Designs factory was engulfed in destructive flames. The property on Brompton Street Marrickville was totally destroyed, and nearby factories had to be evacuated. Over 60 firefighters were required for over two hours to control the blaze, with ongoing monitoring required over the night. Hardwood Designs owner Juliet Barr, an active member of the Marrickville community, has confirmed that all furniture and manufacturing equipment was destroyed in the fire. Initial investigations have reported that an electrical fault started the blaze. The Hardwood Designs factory was locally renown for producing high quality outdoor furniture from rare and unique hardwood using traditional techniques. Local residents are expressing sympathy for the unfortunate loss to a local icon. The The fire captured media attention not only because of the severity of the blaze, but also the timing and traffic ramifications. The fire started at 3:30 pm, and caused the afternoon peak hour traffic to grind to a halt. Major roads in the area, including Victoria Road were shut down.

The Inner West has been in the furniture news repetitively during the last 12 months. There any many outdoor furniture factories in the industrial region of the Inner West, and the retail strip on King Street houses many furniture shopfronts. But these have paled in significance to the empire that is Ikea. The Southern Hemisphere hub for Ikea opened it's doors in Tempe on November 3^rd 2011. In the year since, interior designers, property owners, renovators and interested individuals have flocked into the 39,000sqm flagship store. The size of the store has generated attention from all aspects in the furniture industry, and has garnered the Inner West as the hotspot of the Sydney furniture scene.

Not to be outdone are some of the boutique furniture warehouses and shopfronts in the area. Countering the mass advertising from Ikea, the boutique stores are using social media and local advertising to build up interest in the small retailers. This increased competition has created great deals for consumers, as retailers fight to gain the attention of the public. The public has seized upon the deals, and furniture tours have started frequenting the area, not only to Ikea but also visiting the smaller retailers.

Mamagreen is one of the retailers based in the Inner West of Sydney that is enjoying the increased exposure. Stocking a wide range of outdoor furniture and contemporary home-wares, Mamagreen is providing consumers with ranges to compete with Ikea, but with the small retailers customer service and personality. Regular sales and promotions on their teak furniture are encouraging customers to keep returning through the Mamagreen doors on Alice Street Newtown.

The Inner West has long been regarded as the artistic heartland of Sydney, but now it is also clearly the furniture hotspot in the region. From furniture factories catching headlines, to flagship stores of international companies reaching one year anniversaries, to furniture tour groups frequenting local furniture stores, the furniture industry in area is abuzz with excitement.