Arighi Bianchi
Encyclopedia
Arighi Bianchi is a furniture shop in the town of Macclesfield
, Cheshire
, England. It was founded in 1854 by Italian immigrants Antonio Arighi and Antonio Bianchi who originated from the village of Casnate on the shores of Lake Como.
It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building. It has a cast iron
and glass frontage, and stands close to Macclesfield Station
and Tesco
. The four-storey shop front was inspired by Paxton
’s Crystal Palace
of 1851. It was the work of a local builder George Roylance. The building has much in common with the steel frame
buildings of Lower Manhattan
. It was saved from demolition in 1973 after a campaign supported by the Victorian Society, the Architectural Review
magazine and Sir John Betjeman
.
It was in 1854 that Antonio Arighi set off from the tiny silk-weaving town of Casnate near Lake Como to escape the ravages of the Italian civil war. After crossing the Alps by toboggan of all things, Antonio A eventually pitched up in Macclesfield, Cheshire.
Antonio was soon joined in the town by his nephew Antonio Bianchi and the two men swiftly set up in business as cabinet makers, with Arighi’s sharp business sense and Bianchi’s sharp saw making for a formidable partnership.
The 19th century progressed not without incident, with Arighi’s bold intervention helping to save the town from flooding in 1872 and the momentous decision to move to the current site, the Grade 2* listed old silk mill, in 1883. This building has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building. It has a cast iron
and glass frontage, and stands close to Macclesfield Station
and Tesco
. The four-storey shop front was inspired by Paxton
’s Crystal Palace
of 1851. It was the work of a local builder George Roylance. The building has much in common with the steel frame
buildings of Lower Manhattan
. It was saved from demolition in 1973 after a campaign supported by the Victorian Society, the Architectural Review
magazine and Sir John Betjeman
.
In the early 20th century, as well as treating its customers like royalty, the store began serving royalty too, in the form of prestigious orders from Marlborough House and Sandringham, on behalf of Edward the Seventh, Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary. Now in its third century of trading, Arighi Bianchi pioneered and continues to offer many customer service innovations including convenient delivery times, try before you buy, mail order, product recycling, in-home assembly, free interior and in-home advice service and comprehensive aftercare, and remains at the forefront of progressive and independent British retailing.
For the store’s full history download a free copy of the One Amazing Journey. One Great Destination e-book at https://www.arighibianchi.co.uk/story/
The Café Bar offers delicious light bites, hearty mains, a superb wine list and traditional favourites with an inventive twist.
A full menu can be downloaded here https://www.arighibianchi.co.uk/media/medialibrary/2011/04/Cafe_Bar_Arighi_Menu.pdf
Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/arighi.bianchi and on Twitter @arighi_bianchi
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. It was founded in 1854 by Italian immigrants Antonio Arighi and Antonio Bianchi who originated from the village of Casnate on the shores of Lake Como.
It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building. It has a cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
and glass frontage, and stands close to Macclesfield Station
Macclesfield railway station
Macclesfield railway station is a main line station serving the Cheshire town of Macclesfield. It lies on the Stafford to Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line, in the United Kingdom....
and Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
. The four-storey shop front was inspired by Paxton
Paxton
-United Kingdom:* Great Paxton, England* Little Paxton, England* Paxton, Scottish Borders, UK* Paxton House, Berwickshire, Scotland* Paxton's Tower, near the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, Wales-United States:* Paxton, California...
’s Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
of 1851. It was the work of a local builder George Roylance. The building has much in common with the steel frame
Steel frame
Steel frame usually refers to a building technique with a "skeleton frame" of vertical steel columns and horizontal -beams, constructed in a rectangular grid to support the floors, roof and walls of a building which are all attached to the frame...
buildings of Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
. It was saved from demolition in 1973 after a campaign supported by the Victorian Society, the Architectural Review
Architectural Review
The Architectural Review is a monthly international architectural magazine published in London since 1896. Articles cover the built environment which includes landscape, building design, interior design and urbanism as well as theory of these subjects....
magazine and Sir John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
.
History
Arighi Bianchi has been part of the furniture in Britain, quite literally, for over 150 years.It was in 1854 that Antonio Arighi set off from the tiny silk-weaving town of Casnate near Lake Como to escape the ravages of the Italian civil war. After crossing the Alps by toboggan of all things, Antonio A eventually pitched up in Macclesfield, Cheshire.
Antonio was soon joined in the town by his nephew Antonio Bianchi and the two men swiftly set up in business as cabinet makers, with Arighi’s sharp business sense and Bianchi’s sharp saw making for a formidable partnership.
The 19th century progressed not without incident, with Arighi’s bold intervention helping to save the town from flooding in 1872 and the momentous decision to move to the current site, the Grade 2* listed old silk mill, in 1883. This building has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building. It has a cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
and glass frontage, and stands close to Macclesfield Station
Macclesfield railway station
Macclesfield railway station is a main line station serving the Cheshire town of Macclesfield. It lies on the Stafford to Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line, in the United Kingdom....
and Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
. The four-storey shop front was inspired by Paxton
Paxton
-United Kingdom:* Great Paxton, England* Little Paxton, England* Paxton, Scottish Borders, UK* Paxton House, Berwickshire, Scotland* Paxton's Tower, near the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, Wales-United States:* Paxton, California...
’s Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
of 1851. It was the work of a local builder George Roylance. The building has much in common with the steel frame
Steel frame
Steel frame usually refers to a building technique with a "skeleton frame" of vertical steel columns and horizontal -beams, constructed in a rectangular grid to support the floors, roof and walls of a building which are all attached to the frame...
buildings of Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York...
. It was saved from demolition in 1973 after a campaign supported by the Victorian Society, the Architectural Review
Architectural Review
The Architectural Review is a monthly international architectural magazine published in London since 1896. Articles cover the built environment which includes landscape, building design, interior design and urbanism as well as theory of these subjects....
magazine and Sir John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
.
In the early 20th century, as well as treating its customers like royalty, the store began serving royalty too, in the form of prestigious orders from Marlborough House and Sandringham, on behalf of Edward the Seventh, Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary. Now in its third century of trading, Arighi Bianchi pioneered and continues to offer many customer service innovations including convenient delivery times, try before you buy, mail order, product recycling, in-home assembly, free interior and in-home advice service and comprehensive aftercare, and remains at the forefront of progressive and independent British retailing.
For the store’s full history download a free copy of the One Amazing Journey. One Great Destination e-book at https://www.arighibianchi.co.uk/story/
Café Bar Arighi
Café Bar Arighi is the perfect spot to pause for a refreshing pitstop as you ponder your purchases. But its growing reputation has also made it a destination in its own right for ladies who lunch, and business folk seeking a relaxing retreat in its Wi-Fi zone.The Café Bar offers delicious light bites, hearty mains, a superb wine list and traditional favourites with an inventive twist.
A full menu can be downloaded here https://www.arighibianchi.co.uk/media/medialibrary/2011/04/Cafe_Bar_Arighi_Menu.pdf
Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/arighi.bianchi and on Twitter @arighi_bianchi