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Homebase
Homebase was a British Home improvement center, home improvement and garden centre retailer that operated across the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was founded by British supermarket chain Sainsbury's and Belgian retailer GIB Group, GB-Inno-BM in March 1981, as Sainsbury's Homebase. By the end of the 1980s, it opened its fiftieth store, making it the UK's fourth biggest home improvement retailer. The retailer purchased rival Texas Homecare in January 1995, which helped grow its market share to third place, behind B&Q and Focus DIY, Focus-Wickes. In 1999, it was renamed to Homebase, and then sold to Schroder Ventures in December 2000. In November 2002, it was sold to Argos Retail Group, which later became Home Retail Group in October 2006. In January 2016, Wesfarmers purchased Homebase in a botched attempt to convert the stores to its Bunnings, Bunnings Warehouse format, ultimately losing £1 billion in total. In August 2018, Homebase was sold to restructuring firm Hil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
CDS Superstores
CDS (Superstores International) Limited (trading as The Range) is a British variety store and garden centre retailer, originally founded as Chris Dawson Superstores in 1989 as a single store in Plymouth. In the 1990s, it became a chain and was rebranded to 'The Range', establishing a presence across the South West by the end of the decade. In the 2000s, it engaged in rapid nationwide expansion and became one of the UK's fastest growing retailers. In September 2023, it acquired the Wilko brand and website from administration, and returned Wilko stores to the high street in December of that year. In November 2024, it acquired the Homebase brand and up to 70 of its stores from administration, rebranding these stores as The Range. The company also refocused its garden centres and kitchen showrooms as Homebase-branded concessions, as well as acquiring the Bathstore brand and relaunching Homebase.co.uk. History In 1966, Chris Dawson left school with no qualifications, and sta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Texas Homecare
Texas Homecare was a British home improvement retailer that traded across the United Kingdom and Ireland. The firm operated from 1972 until 1999. History Texas Homecare was first established in 1972 by Manny, Sydney and Gerald Fogel, who had previously founded the high street specialist paint and wallpaper chain Home Charm. Using an American business model as inspiration, they revolutionised the UK's DIY market. Texas specialised in higher-volume, lower-margin DIY products. However, in the 1980s the company was adversely affected by the recession and depressed housing market, and was acquired first by Ladbrokes and later by J Sainsbury plc, before merging with and being replaced by Homebase. Acquisition Having acquired Texas Homecare in 1986, Ladbrokes sold the business to J Sainsbury in 1995. At the time of the purchase, Texas had more than 11,600 staff, while Homebase had c. 4,500. As part of the acquisition, 26 Texas stores closed and Sainsbury's converted the remaining sto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wesfarmers
Wesfarmers Limited is an Australian conglomerate, headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. It has interests predominantly in Australia and New Zealand, operating in retail, chemical, fertiliser, industrial and safety products. With revenue of A$43.5 billion in the 2023 financial year, it is one of Australia's largest companies by revenue. Wesfarmers is also one of the largest private employers in Australia, with approximately 107,000 employees. Wesfarmers was founded in 1914 as a co-operative to provide services and merchandise to Western Australian farmers. It was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 1984 and grew into a major retail conglomerate. History Westralian Farmers Co‐operative Limited was formed in 1914 as a cooperative company by the Farmers' and Settlers' Association of Western Australia, to acquire the assets of the West Australian Producers' Union, to be focused on the provision of services and merchandise to the Western Australian rural communi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bunnings
Bunnings Group Limited, trading as Bunnings Warehouse or Bunnings, is an Australian hardware and garden centre chain. The chain has been owned by Wesfarmers since 1994, and has stores in Australia and New Zealand. Bunnings was founded in Perth, Western Australia in 1886, by brothers Arthur and Robert Bunning, who had emigrated from England. Initially, a limited company focused on sawmilling, it became a public company in 1952 and subsequently expanded into the retail sector, purchasing several hardware stores. Bunnings began to expand into other states in the 1990s and opened its first warehouse-style store in Melbourne in 1994. As of 2022, the chain had 381 stores and over 53,000 employees, with a 68% market share in the Australian do it yourself hardware market; competing chains include Mitre 10, Home Hardware and various independent retailers around Australia. Bunnings had the title of Australia's most trusted brand until 2020. Bunnings runs community events outside or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sainsbury's
J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is a British supermarket and the second-largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury with a shop in Drury Lane, London, the company was the largest UK retailer of groceries for most of the 20th century. In 1995, Tesco became the market leader when it overtook Sainsbury's, which has since been ranked second or third: it was overtaken by Asda from 2003 to 2014, and again for one month in 2019. In 2018, a planned merger with Asda was blocked by the Competition and Markets Authority over concerns of increased prices for consumers. The holding company, J Sainsbury plc, is split into three divisions: Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd (Sainsbury's Local, including convenience shops), Sainsbury's Bank, and Argos (retailer), Argos. The group also owns and operates the Habitat (retailer), Habitat furniture retailer, Nectar (loyalty card), Nectar card, Tu (clothing), Tu clothing brand and Bush (brand), B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hilco Capital
Hilco Capital Limited is a British financial investment and restructuring advisory company, operating in the UK, Western Europe, Canada and Australia. History Hilco Capital was founded in London in 2000 as a joint venture between its management team and Hilco Global. In April 2013, Hilco Capital rescued entertainment retailer HMV/ Fopp from administration, saving 141 branches. In February 2019, the retailer was sold to Sunrise Records, but with Hilco Capital retaining and licensing the trademarks for HMV/Fopp and His Master's Voice as Mermaid (Brands) Limited. In May 2018, Hilco Capital rescued the home improvement chain Homebase for a nominal £1 from Wesfarmers, following a botched attempt to convert the stores to their Bunnings Warehouse format. In August 2018, Hilco Capital announced a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) for Homebase, closing 42 of its 249 stores in an attempt to return it to profitability. In February 2020, the retailer returned to profitability earlier ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Focus DIY
Focus was a British do-it-yourself and home improvement retailer, founded in 1987. The retailer grew by acquiring rival retailers such as Payless, Do It All and Great Mills; by its peak in 2002, it was the second-largest home improvement retailer in the United Kingdom with 178 stores and over 3,000 employees, behind B&Q. However, Focus would be overtaken by rivals Homebase and Wickes in the mid-2000s. The company began running losses every year from 2007. In the year up to 2011, the company had a loss of £25 million.Ernst & Young. Administrators' Statement of Proposal. 24 June 2011 Focus entered administration on 5 May 2011, with Ernst & Young appointed as administrators. The administrators sold 55 stores to B&Q, Wickes and B&M to be rebranded. The remaining 123 stores were all closed by 22 July 2011. The defunct Focus brand is owned by AHK Designs Ltd, who also own the defunct Land of Leather and MFI brands. History The company had its origins in the beginni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Argos Retail Group
GUS plc was a FTSE 100 retailing, manufacturing and financial conglomerate based in the United Kingdom. GUS was an abbreviation of Great Universal Stores, the company's name before 2001, while it was also known as the ''Glorious Gussies'' amongst stockbrokers. The company started out as Universal Stores, a mail order business created by the Rose family. In 1931, Isaac Wolfson joined the mail order company and would, through a series of takeovers, turn it into a retail, manufacturing and financial conglomerate, becoming Europe's biggest mail order firm and with over 2,700 physical stores. His son, Leonard Wolfson, followed him as chairman, to be succeeded by his nephews David Wolfson (1996–2000) and Victor Barnett (2000–2002). During the 1980s, the business divested much of its physical retail and manufacturing subsidiaries under Leonard Wolfson to concentrate on mail order, property and finance. In October 2006, the company was split into two separate companies: Experian w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Mills (DIY)
Great Mills was a British DIY retailer, consisting of around 98 stores across the United Kingdom. The business was bought by Focus DIY in December 2000 for £285m, who had also previously acquired Payless DIY and Do It All. History Originally known as Clapton Building Supplies, the first store at Paulton, Somerset in 1972 was officially opened by Tony Blackburn, an unwell Dulux Dog and a staff of four. The store had a modest turnover of £50,000 but within six months, the turnover had doubled. In the beginning of the 1990s, Great Mills launched Bay6 (Basics). These stores were identical in size, look and layout to those of rival retailer Wickes. Wickes bought the six Bay6 stores in 1995 from Great Mills' parent company, RMC. Four were already trading, and two were under construction. An important step forward for the company came in 1992, with the introduction of a new central distribution method of delivering products to its stores. This saved many motorway miles as deliv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Purley Way
Purley Way is a section of the A23 trunk road in the London Borough of Croydon The London Borough of Croydon () is a London borough, borough in South London, part of Outer London. It covers an area of and had a population of 397,741 as of mid-2023, making it the most populous London borough. It is London's southernmost ..., in the areas of Purley, London, Purley, Waddon and Broad Green, London, Broad Green, and has given its name to the out-of-town shopping area alongside it with a catchment area (human geography), catchment area covering most of South London. It was designed as a Bypass (road), bypass for Croydon, and opened in April 1925. It was formed from improvements to pre existing local roads: from north to south, Waddon Marsh Lane, Waddon Court Road and Coldharbour Lane. (Thornton Road, the northern section of the bypass, was not renamed.) In 1932, Purley Way became the first road in the United Kingdom to be lit with Sodium vapor lamp, sodium lights. Industrial h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leslie Ash
Leslie Ash (born 19 February 1960) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles in '' Quadrophenia'' (1979), ITV series '' C.A.T.S. Eyes'' (1985–1987), the BBC sitcom '' Men Behaving Badly'' (1992–1998), drama '' Where the Heart Is'' (2000–2003), and medical drama ''Holby City'' (2009–2010). Early career Ash was born in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, and first appeared on British television in 1964 at the age of four asking "Mummy, why are your hands so soft?" in an advertisement for the washing-up product Fairy Liquid. She was educated at the independent Italia Conti Academy stage school and then started a career as a fashion model, appearing on the cover of a number of teen magazines, including ''Pink'' and '' Jackie''. Having appeared with her sister Debbie in the 1978 British slapstick comedy '' Rosie Dixon – Night Nurse'', her first major film role was playing the romantic lead in '' Quadrophenia'' in 1979. In 1980, Ash appeared in the Iron Maiden ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
