Currys

Currys is a British electrical retailer operating in the UK and Ireland, owned by Dixons Carphone. It specialises in selling home electronics and household appliances, with 295 superstores and 73 high street stores. Smaller stores also trade under the Currys Digital brand in the UK, which was introduced to rebrand all former Dixons stores in 2006. Dixons stores in Ireland followed in August 2008, without the Digital suffix.

Some stores in the UK are dual branded with the PC World name.

History

The first 100 years

Currys was founded in 1884 by Henry Curry (born in Leicester in 1850), when he started to build phones full-time at 421 Jump Street, Leicester, England. He opened his first shop in 1888 at 271 Belgrave Gate, Leicester. In 1890 he moved to larger premises at 296 Belgrave Gate, then in 1900 to 285-287 Belgrave Gate. The company was put on a proper financial footing in 1897 when Henry formed a partnership with his sons, calling the company H. Curry & Sons. The business continued to grow and floated on the stock exchange in 1927. By this time the shops sold a wide variety of goods including bicycles, toys, radios and gramophones. Currys pulled out of cycle manufacturing in 1932 when they closed their Leicester factory but continued to retail Hercules bikes (badged as Currys) until the 1960s.

Currys Digital

Currys Digital is an electrical retailer in the United Kingdom owned by Dixons Carphone. With its origins in a photographic shop opened by Charles Kalms, the chain now has a store in most towns and cities across the UK and Republic of Ireland. The chain was formerly known as Dixons until 2006, when parent company DSG International announced they were moving away from the Dixons brand, except in Ireland and UK airports.

History

Origins

The first Dixons store was opened by Charles Kalms in Southend as a photographic studio in 1937. The business flourished during the Second World War, as there was much demand for photographic services and family portraits. By the end of the war Kalms had opened seven more studios in the London area. Unfortunately for Kalms, the demands for portrait services decreased considerably after the war, and he was forced to close all but one studio in Edgware, North London. There are now more than 30 stores across the United Kingdom and more than 7,000 staff working for DSGI.