About

What We Do

IMA is the largest furniture clearance specialist, serving both the trade and public for over 40 years from our Manchester warehouse. 

Currently, we specialise in sofas, armchairs and corner groups, as well as beds, headboards and mattresses. 

We have more than 40,000 sq. ft of storage. This means we’re able to hold massive quantities of stock from the UK’s favourite furniture brands, cheaper than anyone else.

History

Back in 1981, the furniture industry had no outlet for unwanted stock. But our founders, Mike and Laraine Goodman, had a vision. They wanted to run an auction house that could buy excess stock, seconds and customer returns, selling them under the hammer. 

So, in May of that year, Ian Michael Auctioneers Ltd. came to life, and quickly forged a prestigious reputation with some of the biggest brands of the day. 

Bed-makers such as Slumberland and Silent Night would send daily lorry loads off to auction. Soon, they were joined by major cabinet manufacturers such as Caxton, New Plan and Morris of Glasgow. We were selling millions of items a month to trade clearance retailers. 

Word spread. Although we were mainly trade suppliers, IMA would gladly sell a bed, mattress or any piece of furniture to regular people who walked into our warehouse looking for a good deal. So we courted that demand, selling thousands of discounted, designer furniture straight to the public - all without advertisements. 

As the 1990s dawned, Mike and Laraine brought their sons, Paul and Dave, into the business. More brands joined us, like Halo, along with suppliers to John Lewis, Next, DFS, Furniture Village, Bensons for Beds and Harveys. Manchester now had a name unlike any other for great furniture.

Today

We remain a family business, run by Dave and Paul Goodman. 

Although IMA is still a specialist for clearing manufactured and high street branded goods, we are clearing a space in the sofa sector, as wholesaler and distributor. 

Thanks to long-lasting partnerships with Europe’s best factories in Italy, Romania, Poland and the UK, we can bring beautiful, top-quality sofas to our buyers for very competitive prices. Whether they’re suites, armchairs or corner groups, that promise remains the same.