Lancashire-based golf apparel retailer Function18 is celebrating a milestone 20 years in business and looking back on a journey that has seen the brand go from a basement office to showcasing exclusive designs from some of the world’s leading golf designers.
Founded in a small warehouse basement in Windermere, the retailer has navigated the shift from high street to online commerce with confidence, expanding from its original space to now occupy three large units at Hawkshaw Business Park in Clayton Le Dale, all manned by a growing team of 15 staff.
At launch, the small team worked with just six brands. Fast forward two decades and there are 36 different brands to choose from on the company’s website, including ranges from world-renowned brands such as Ralph Lauren, Nike and Hugo Boss.
In 2020, Function18 set about growing its brand partnerships and that year inked a deal with luxury sportwear designer J. Lindeberg. In the three years since, Function18 has become the Swedish firm’s leading online retailer worldwide.
Now entering its third decade, Function18 has its sights set on additional expansion with a custom-built warehouse in the pipeline for 2025. This ambitious project will see all operations coming together under one roof, while also future-proofing the business as it continues to grow its professional brand relationships and inventory.
Looking back on the company’s development, Function18 founder Ben Slaven said: “It feels like a huge achievement to pass our 20-year anniversary. It is even greater given that when we started the process, we knew nothing about the online space. Our journey has been interesting, and certainly never short of challenges. There have been mistakes along the way – which is a bit like learning to play golf – but we are proud of where we are today and are even more excited about what the future holds.”