Company History

We began in the 1960s, with two brothers running a market stall in the West Midlands. Today, Atlantic Shopping, trading name V.N Britannic Warehouse Ltd, is the number one retailer of bar stools in the UK. We're still run by the same family, but on a much larger scale. Read our company history to discover more…

1961 – Where it all began

Atlantic Shopping started life as a family-run market stall in Smethwick, a small town in Birmingham whose market has been running since the 1920s.

1962 – 1963 – Our first shop

After success at the market, we were able to buy a shop in Aston. 252- 254 Lichfield Road, Aston became our new premises, then known as V.N Warehouse.

1971 – Becoming Britannic Warehouse

In 1971, we bought out another business on Summer Hill Road, and changed our name to Britannic Warehouse. The same year, we opened another shop on Warstone Lane, in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter.

1973 – The expansion continues

This year saw the acquisition of another property, this time an old bakery on Finch Road, Lozells.

1974 – Move to the heart of the city

We moved to Sandpits, our present location, in 1974. Close to the City Centre, this move was perfect for bringing our business closer to the heart of Birmingham, where it remains to this day.

1975 – Cash and carry declared open

In 1975 we began to build the first part of the warehouse that we operate from today. May 1975 saw the opening of our cash and carry. V. N & Britannic Warehouse Ltd was declared officially open by the Mayors of Birmingham, Dudley and Sandwell.

1980 – Expansion, importing and exporting

We expanded our warehouse considerably in 1980. While we remained a cash and carry, we began to import and export our products, allowing us to expand our product base even further.

1990 - Bought adjacent property

In 1990 we were able to purchase the land adjacent to the warehouse on Nelson Street. Combined with our existing land, this became the space that we occupy today.

2004 – It's time to go digital!

Our first foray into digital selling, we started to sell our products on EBay in 2004.

2007 – Atlantic Shopping is born

2007 saw the launch of the Atlantic Shopping. Selling all sorts of furniture, but specialising in bar stools, Atlantic Shopping was an immediate and unprecedented success!

2010 – Atlantic Shopping gets a brand new website

As the online side of our business expanded, and our range of products grew, we decided to create a brand new website. With a handy refined search (the first on the furniture market), this made finding the perfect stools even easier for our customers!

2012 – Everything goes online

In 2012 we closed our cash and carry, deciding to specialise solely in selling furniture through our trading name Atlantic Shopping. As our recognition grew, our products even began to be featured in kitchen design magazines! We also took on more warehouses around Birmingham, expanding our distribution capabilities even further.

2013 – Showroom opened

We refurbished our showroom in 2013, designing it specifically to display our furniture ranges. Open six days a week, people were now able to come and view our products at their convenience.

2016 – UK's Number 1 bar stool retailer

In 2016, remaining a family-run business but on a much larger scale, we launched a brand new website. New features included a fresh responsive design, our ‘Help Me Choose’ function, and updated content. Proud to be the number one retailer of bar stools in the United Kingdom, we now have four warehouses as well as a showroom in Birmingham City Centre.

2017 – Always improving and expanding

Following the success of our new website launch, 2017 has seen us continue to perfect our online store, providing our customers with an enhanced shopping experience. This year has also seen our largest influx of new product designs with the introduction of even more fabrics and finishes, as well as a revolution of new industrial lines.

2018 – More product information

In 2018 we made a lot of changes to our website, ensuring we comply with GDPR but also improving customer experience with an updated product page. This includes four new product images as you scroll down the page. The first aims to show the product in situ, so customers can imagine how it will look in their own home, or it may be a close up of the product to highlight a particular feature.

The final three images demonstrate the product when in use. The image that focuses on the seat gives a good idea of comfort and back support provided, while the close up of the frame shows the position of the footrest and the feet when seated. The final image indicates the size of the product in relation to a person.