A family business has said goodbye to its long-standing premises to focus on its second branch.
Andy’s Aerials and Electricals was first established by Andy Mildren in 1984 who was working as an aerial rigger in Stowmarket.
It expanded into a unit on the Charles Industrial Estate a few years later where it began selling electronics such as TVs, fridges, freezers and washing machines — while continuing the service of installing equipment and helping customers to set up aerials and satellite dishes.
The team at Andy’s Aerials and Electricals and Dawns Tack Box have said goodbye to their premises in Stowmarket to focus on the branch in Bury St Edmunds. Picture: Nif Ashwell
The family business continued to grow to include Andy’s wife, Dawn, and their children Paul and Marie, and they opened a second shop in Bunting Road, Bury St Edmunds, around 15 years ago.
Now, the family has decided to close the Stowmarket store and focus entirely on their Bury location.
Paul Mildren, 36, engineer and Andy’s son, said: “We’re definitely going to miss seeing our Stowmarket customers.
“It’s mainly due to staffing issues, but this will hopefully streamline things as we won’t be across two shops anymore.
“Our main effort now is just letting customers know that we’re not closed down, we’re still offering the same service — we’ve just moved, really.”
Dawn’s Tack Box was established from the same shop in Stowmarket which sells a wide range of equestrian goods.
Paul said that closing the Stowmarket shop for the final time on Christmas Eve was a bittersweet moment as one loyal customer stayed until the very end to be the store’s last-ever customer.
“My dad has worked for years building up this business,” Paul said. “So I think it was quite hard for him to say goodbye to the shop, to be fair.
“Even in his early 60s, you’ll still find him up on the roofs around Suffolk and working just as hard as he always has.”
The business serves a wide area across Suffolk and South Norfolk — spanning from Newmarket to Felixstowe and Long Stratton to Sudbury, providing services and deliveries.
In addition to aerial and satellite installations, Andy’s Aerials and Electricals offers assistance with fixing network issues and installing CCTV.
Customers can visit the Bury shop at Unit 14, Bunting Road, IP32 7BX and new and returning customers are encouraged to reach out using the existing phone numbers: 01449 674881, 01379 788165 or 01284 718686.