S IS FOR STERLING,
TILLICOULTRY, NEAR STIRLING
You all know the line, but when did you last visit Scotland’s most famous furniture store? If you haven’t visited recently, you may be more than a little surprised at what you’ll discover. For over 40 years Sterling’s flagship store has been constantly evolving to offer those in the know the largest and most unique collection of furniture anywhere in Scotland. But how did the largest independent furniture store in the UK come about? Sterling was born in Tillicoultry, only 10 miles from Stirling and under and hour’s drive from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Initially occupying only a small part of an old mill complex, even Sterling’s visionary founder George Knowles wouldn’t have been able to foresee the success of his pioneering furniture business. As the years passed and the reputation of Sterling grew, so did the store. Over time, each of the mill’s floors were filled with new furniture ranges and brands from around the world. Before long, every inch of the complex was developed to create a furniture store like no other. However, Sterling’s ambition for their flagship store now stretched beyond simply offering the largest and finest collection of furniture in Scotland. Major developments have included the addition of a huge ‘Homestore’ department; from cookware and bedding to accessories and lighting, you’ll be able to find those finishing touches that make a house a home. There’s also a full outdoor living and garden centre for the green fingered. Their flooring department displays all types of flooring for every room in the house and if you are looking for help with an interiors project, you can seek out their in-store interior design service. The newest addition is a stateof-the art purpose built bathroom department with over 20 full bathroom displays. All sound a bit much? We’ll it’s just as well that there is a restaurant and a café if you need to take a break from all that shopping. If you haven’t visited Sterling Tillicoultry before, or it’s been years since your last visit, you may be surprised at what you will find.