OKA Direct
{{Multiple issues|
{{puffery|date=May 2020}}
{{COI|date=September 2016}}
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{{short description|British luxury furniture and accessories retailer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox company
| name = OKA
| logo = OKA Direct Limited logo.png
| type = Limited Company
| genre = Retailer
| foundation = {{Start date|1999}}
| founder = Annabel Astor, Sue Jones and Lucinda Waterhouse
| location_city = London
| location_country = United Kingdom
| location =
| origins =
| key_people = Annabel Astor, Sue Jones, Lucinda Waterhouse, Peter Chappelow, Octavia Morley
| industry = Furniture, home accessories
| products =
| services =
| owner = Investindustrial
| slogan =
| homepage = {{Official URL}}
}}
OKA (also known as OKA Direct) is a British furniture and home accessories retailer founded in 1999 by Annabel Astor, Sue Jones, and Lucinda Waterhouse. It is owned by Investindustrial.{{cite web|title=Current portfolio: OKA|url=http://www.investindustrial.com/our-business/portfolio-overview/current-portfolio/OKA.html|website=Investindustrial}} OKA has 14 shops{{cite web|title=OKA store locations|url=https://www.oka.com/shops/|website=OKA}} across the UK, and British and American websites and a catalogue business.
History
OKA started as a mail-order company in 1999, before opening its first shop in 2000. Annabel Astor, her sister-in-law Sue Jones, and friend Lucinda Waterhouse sold products primarily from East Asia. The initial product range was 'rattan' for the first OKA catalogue – which was photographed in Jane Churchill and Bruce Oldfield's homes – followed by painted wooden furniture, alongside replicas of 18th-century blue and white porcelain and a range of Chinoiserie furniture.{{cite web|title=OKA rules, ok yah! How Annabel Astor is catering for the middle classes|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/oka-rules-ok-yah-how-annabel-astor-is-catering-for-the-middle-classes-6503363.html|website=London Evening Standard|date=10 April 2012 |accessdate=4 July 2014}}
OKA has two flagship shops in the UK: Froxfield, an 8,000 sq. ft showroom and a smaller garden room is between Hungerford and Marlborough; and London's three-floor Fulham Road, OKA's largest shop as of its opening in 2010.{{cite web|title=Oka: Lady Astor's new flagship furniture store|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/interiorsandshopping/8034231/Oka-Lady-Astors-new-flagship-furniture-store.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101002110410/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/interiorsandshopping/8034231/Oka-Lady-Astors-new-flagship-furniture-store.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 October 2010|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=4 July 2014}}
In September 2011, OKA opened a concession in the department store Selfridges on Oxford Street in London, but it closed in February 2013.{{cite web|title=Furniture Retailer OKA arrives at London Selfridges|url=http://www.retailgazette.co.uk/articles/22033-furniture-retailer-oka-arrives-at-london-selfridges|website=Retail Gazette|accessdate=4 July 2014}} In May 2016, OKA opened a concession in Hoopers Department Store, Tunbridge Wells.{{cite web|title=OKA Direct celebrates new store openings|url=http://www.directcommercemagazine.com/news/bricks-mortar/oka-direct-celebrates-new-store-openings|website=Direct Commerce|date=6 May 2016 |accessdate=10 May 2016}}
In 2009, OKA’s warehousing facilities moved from Berinsfield to a larger facility of over 100,000 sq. ft in Milton Park, Oxfordshire,{{cite web|title=OKA Moves to Milton Park|url=http://www.mepc.com/parklife/miltonpark/News/OKAMovestoMiltonPark.aspx|website=MEPC|accessdate=4 July 2014}} where their head office is also based.
In May 2014, Peter Chappelow was appointed as non-executive chairman, replacing Graham Frost.{{cite web|title=Lady Astor's OKA appoints retail veteran|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/10855376/Lady-Astors-OKA-appoints-retail-veteran.html|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=4 July 2014}} In October 2014, Octavia Morley was appointed as CEO.{{cite web|title=Oka Direct appoints Octavia Morley as chief executive|url=http://www.retail-week.com/people/oka-direct-appoints-octavia-morley-as-chief-executive/5065415.article|accessdate=22 October 2014}}
OKA reported a 23% rise in online sales and a 17% rise in overall profit for 2013, taking their annual turnover to £19.9m.{{cite web|title=Lady Astor's OKA posts profit surge after wooing younger shoppers|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/sales/11094637/Lady-Astors-OKA-posts-profit-surge-after-wooing-younger-shoppers.html|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=17 September 2014}}
The company was bought by Italian investment firm Investindustrial in January 2018.{{cite news|title=Aston Martin owner buys Oka, founded by Samantha Cameron's mum|url=https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/article/aston-martin-owner-buys-oka-founded-by-samantha-camerons-mum-r5mzj6s29|website=The Times|access-date=7 January 2018|last1=Collingridge |first1=John }}
OKA made its first acquisition, US-based Wisteria, in September 2018.{{cite news |title=Founders sell Wisteria, the Dallas grown home furnishings retailer, to a well-heeled London brand |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/retail/2018/09/21/founders-sell-wisteria-the-dallas-grown-home-furnishings-retailer-to-a-well-heeled-london-brand/ |work=Dallas News |date=21 September 2018 |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
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Category:Furniture retailers of the United Kingdom