THE HISTORY OF ARIGHI BIANCHI HAS BEEN INEXTRICABLY LINKED WITH THE TOWN OF MACCLESFIELD FOR 150 YEARS. YET ITS STORY BEGINS FAR AWAY IN THE ANCIENT VILLAGE OF CASNATE ON THE LUSH SOUTHERN SHORES OF LAKE COMO IN ITALY.

Emigration And Settlement
Like Macclesfield, Casnate was renowned for silk weaving. So it’s no wonder that when in 1854, Antonio Arighi left behind the turbulence of the civil war to create a new life in England, and headed straight for Macclesfield.

We can only imagine the hardships Arighi endured during his 1535km journey on foot over the Alps and across central Europe – and the culture shock he must have experienced on arriving in the North West of England. For in Macclesfield, the Industrial Revolution was at its height; the town dominated by the Silk Mills thundering with Jaquard’s automated silk looms. It was a far cry from the medieval piazzas of Northern Italy.

Building A Business
Undeterred, Antonio Arighi quickly set up in business from premises in Waters Green. There he began making clocks and barometers, which he hawked around the countryside in search of customers. His technique, which involved leaving a barometer with every farmer for two weeks, by which time they had become dependent upon it, is now hailed as the inception of try before you buy!

Despite initial resistance from tough local farmers reluctant to part with their hard-earned cash, Arighi's craftsmanship and charm eventually won them over. Before long, the business began to offer picture framing too and Arighi's reputation continued to grow.

A decade later, cabinet making had become the main concern. So it was timely that in 1868 Antonio Bianchi - a fellow Casnate man and cabinetmaker - joined the firm. They were obviously a great team and, a few years on, Arighi and Bianchi made their partnership official. By then, orders were coming in from as far afield as the Potteries, Buxton and Manchester. With upholstery and soft furnishings expanding their range of goods on offer, Arighi Bianchi could now fit out an entire home in one visit.

A New Era
As customer demand increased, so did the demand for new premises. In 1883, Arighi Bianchi moved into the old Silk Mill on Commercial Road. But it wasn’t long before the partners set their sites even higher. They commissioned local builder, George Roylance, to build a brand new four-storey building next to the existing structure.

With its many windowed façade, inspired by Joseph Paxton’s famous Crystal Palace built for the Great Exhibition in 1851, the new store had an immediate impact on the town and its inhabitants when it opened in 1892 - and the same building remains as a proud landmark to this day.

Now fully fledged, the company had an enviable reputation nationwide for offering goods ‘to suit all classes’. By the end of the Century, Antonio's nephew, Francis Arighi, had arrived from Italy to join the firm, and in 1900 Arighi, Bianchi & Co. was established as a Limited Company.

The era saw many exciting milestones for Arighi Bianchi: the opening of two more stores, one in Buxton and the other
in Wilmslow; the introduction of home removals by horse drawn vans; and ownership of the first motorised commercial vehicle in Macclesfield.

The firm could now provide free delivery within thirty miles – and respond to postal orders worldwide. News of this remarkable Company soon reached Royalty and orders were received from Marlborough House and Sandringham when Edward VII was Prince of Wales.

Surviving The War

In the aftermath of World War I, the whole world changed - and so did the business. Antonio Bianchi had died in 1911, and Francis Arighi was now Chairman.

Nevertheless, during the short years of peace between the world wars, Arighi Bianchi developed a fine reputation for their vast range of fabrics imported from all over Europe, including tapestries, damasks, cretonnes, lace and velvet.

Son of Antonio Bianchi, Enrico Bianchi complemented this range with his own line of original fabric designs. In fact, by 1933 when he became Chairman, the wholesale fabric division had become so successful that it almost overwhelmed the furniture business.

But with the outbreak of World War II, everything was to change once again. The wholesale business was destroyed when one final consignment of fabric was sunk on a ship bound for South Africa.

Antonio Bianchi had seven children, five sons, two daughters. One of the sons, John Bianchi had two sons, John Anthony and Robert Paul - which is the line in existence today.

Business was at an all time low after World War II, and so Antonio Bianchi’s sons, John and Enrico Bianchi, lost no time in building up the Company once more. They leased the old mill premises to WK Lowe Knitwear Ltd and opened a small shop in Chestergate to capture passing trade.

When Enrico died in 1956, John succeeded as Chairman, a role he held until his death in 1992 aged 96. John's sons, Anthony and Paul had already joined the family business and knew all too well that the once famous business badly needed an injection of new capital and vigour.

To fund this, the original Silk Mill premises were sold to WK Lowe. The main store was then treated to major refurbishments. And as goods became more available and new suppliers were established, the business grew steadily throughout the swinging sixties.

A Local Landmark
Having survived two centuries, two great world wars, the great depression and years of rationing, Arighi Bianchi came under threat once again! The store was served a compulsory purchase order; it was to be demolished to make way for the new relief road.

Advised it was impossible to stop the scheme from going ahead, Anthony and Paul decided to take matters into their own hands. They petitioned to save the store, gaining hundreds of signatures and raising recognition of the building’s architectural importance.

Without official listing to protect the building, hopes of a reprieve were fading fast. But at the eleventh hour, a Government Office granted Grade II* Listing and the building was saved from demolition in 1973.

Having achieved this crucial victory, Arighi Bianchi flourished and before long a new generation began to expand its ranks. From the early 80’s onwards, Antonio Bianchi’s great grandchildren Richard, John, Robert, Nick and Sarah all joined the family firm – and they began to improve the store once more.

New storage space was acquired, more delivery vehicles took to the roads and new departments were added, all in response to a renewed customer enthusiasm for the complete shopping experience.