Much-loved Coventry business to close after more than 50 years

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The business opened in 1969 when Harry and Dot Green began trading as Barn Antiques



A long standing family-owned Coventry business is set to close after trading for more than 50 years.

Greens Home & Garden, based on Rugby Road, in Binley Woods, has become the latest victim of the retail demise.

Greens has been trading for over 50 years, initially as antiques dealers and latterly as a home, garden and lifestyle outlet store.

The business opened in 1969 when Harry and Dot Green began trading as Barn Antiques.

Greens will close at the end of April but it will be business as usual for furniture showroom Paul Edwards Interiors and The Barn Kitchen, which will both remain open at the Rugby Road site.

The business told customers it was the "end of an era".

They said costs had risen and prices had plummeted, which had "squeezed margins to the point of no return".

Greens was famously known for its life-size giraffes, dragons and dinosaurs displayed on the fence line by the A46.

In recent years the business has hosted dozens of independent traders in a 10,000 sq ft, two-storey warehouse selling a wide range of sought-after and eclectic products.

Outside it sold an array of garden products - including gazebos, furniture, patio sets, stone features and resin animal and bird ornaments.

The business also had an on-site coffee shop and was known for being a regular location on the popular BBC television programme Antiques Roadshow.

In a statement Greens said the business was calling it a day as it had become a victim of the changing retail landscape and had suffered “a dramatic reduction in footfall over the past two years”.

A Greens spokesman said: “Whilst costs have risen prices have plummeted, particularly with the trend for discounting and this has squeezed margins to the point of no return.

“We tried to embrace online selling with an e-commerce website, but even that did not offset the falling sales at the centre.

“The coffee shop has also moved on to a new era of running children’s events, but that has not helped either.

“We thought very long and hard about closing the business, due to the effects it will now have on our loyal traders and staff, but in the end had no option.

“So we are closing on April 30 and this really is the end of an era.”

The spokesman thanked loyal customers, adding: “We would like to thank all our customers, especially those who have returned time and again over the years, for their custom, loyalty and support.

“There will of course be lots of price reductions as traders sell off their stock.”

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Much-loved Coventry business Greens which closed after more than 50 years has reopened



A long-standing family-owned Coventry business, which closed after trading for more than 50 years, has reopened its doors.

In March 2020 CoventryLive reported that Greens Home & Garden, based on Rugby Road in Binley Woods, had been a victim of the retail demise.

Greens closed at the end of April 2020 prompting an outpouring of grief from Coventrians who had grown up with it as a popular feature of the city's retail landscape.

Greens was famously known for its life-size giraffes, dragons and dinosaurs displayed on the fence line by the A46.

Now the business has relaunched in a scaled-down form at the same site and locals will be delighted to know the giraffe is still in place.

When Greens closed its doors, it remained business as usual for furniture showroom Paul Edwards Interiors and The Barn Kitchen, which both remained open at the Rugby Road site.

The Barn Kitchen later closed but in November a new coffee shop opened its doors run by another independent company called Caffeine Project.

Speaking about the new relaunched Greens, a spokesman for the business said: "The showroom next to the coffee shop is now a smaller Greens offering a unique range of vintage, industrial and contemporary furniture, and accessories.

"And due to high demand, the giraffes, dinosaurs and animals have returned. A fantastic 18ft giraffe is already in pride of place at the site entrance."

The spokesman added: "It has been an extremely challenging time to relaunch the business during Covid with the lockdowns and supply chain problems, but Greens Home & Garden are delighted to welcome back old and new customers for that unique experience.

"We are especially excited for the new garden season when we will be completely restocking our outside areas.

"Greens Home & Garden is open throughout the A46 Binley Flyover project, which is due for completion in the spring to provide a superb local road infrastructure.

"And with a huge free car park, customers can be assured that they will be accommodated for a pleasant and unique shopping experience."