In this bonus episode of Out of the Woodwork Podcast, we mark 50 years of Axminster Tools. 

Sean talks to Axminster Tools' Managing Director, Alan Styles, and his predecessor and uncle, Ian Styles, to find out how it all began.


More about Alan and Ian Styles

Axminster Tools began life 50 years ago in the rural market town of Axminster in East Devon. 

Ian Styles, and his brother Bernie, enjoyed tinkering with radios and other machines as young boys. They went on to join their father to open a high street tool shop and a family business was born.

A passion for great craftsmanship and a job well done got them through and before long, the family business earned a reputation as a trusted tool shop run by friendly and knowledgeable experts, with a service second to none. With Ian taking on the role of Managing Director and Bernie running the product development side, they worked alongside each other for over forty years to bring you the Axminster Tools of today.

Alan's journey with Axminster Tools started while at school, working in the shop and in the warehouse, helping wherever he could to earn pocket money. 

Today, the company has grown from a small independent high street tool shop, to a global mail order and online retailer, with 8 stores UK wide, with Ian’s nephew Alan now taking the reins as MD. 

How to listen

Get the latest episodes from Out of the Woodwork straight to your phone. Out of the Woodwork can be found on all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts , Amazon Music. Simply search ‘Out of the Woodwork’ and hit follow or subscribe. For more places to listen and subscribe, go to our podcast website for more listening platforms.

You can read about our guests each week on our dedicated podcast page right here on The Knowledge and watch our podcast interviews on YouTube, simply subscribe to our YouTube channel to find the latest episodes and keep up to date on new video releases.


Get in touch

We would love to hear from you. If you love our new podcast, join the conversation online on our social media page. Search @Axminstertools on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and say hello!