Currys.digital
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about Currys.digital, the UK electrical retailer formerly known as Dixons. For the parent company, formally known as Dixons Group plc, see DSG International plc.
| Currys.digital | |
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| Type | DSG International plc subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Founded | 27 October 1937 (as Dixon Studios Limited) |
| Headquarters |  Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom |
| Key people | Nick Wilkinson (Managing Director, UK & Ireland Electricals since April 2004), Sir John Collins (Group Chairman since September 2002), John Clare CBE (Group Chief Executive since 1994) |
| Industry | Retail |
| Products | White goods, Telecommunications, Information technology |
| Revenue | n/a (see DSG International plc for group revenue.) |
| Employees | 4,169 (2005) |
| Website | http://www.dixons.co.uk/ |
Currys.digital is an electrical retailer in the UK, and is owned by DSG International plc. 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 Ireland. It was known as Dixons until April 5, 2006, when the company announced they were moving away from the Dixons brand, except in Ireland and UK airports.
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[edit] History
[edit] Origins
The first Dixons 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. The company was taken over by his son Stanley Kalms, who was chairman until 2002, and remains president for life.
[edit] 2006 Dixons rebranding to Currys.digital
On April 5, 2006, Dixons announced that they were removing their brand from the high street and would only be using the Currys brand, Dixons rebranded as Currys.digital an extension of Currys.Currys.digital markets itself as a specialist division of Currys aimed at the technology-focused consumer with product ranges such as cameras, personal computers, audio and video equipment - as Dixons had in the past - while offering a small range of large and small domestic appliances that the traditional Currys stores sell.
Dixons stores would still be retained in Ireland, and other locations such as airports, whilst also retaining its website.
The Dixons stores in The Netherlands had been sold off years before the rebrand and also still carry the Dixons brand.
Before the Dixons rebranding, the Currys chain contained only a few small town-centre high-street stores compared with its much greater number of large out-of-town superstores.
[edit] Store format
The large out-of-town Currys superstores are generally split into four main departments - Computing, Home Entertainment, Major Domestic Appliances and Small Domestic Appliances. While the Currys.digital format generally is similar to its larger sister stores (Currys) the layout tends to give more floor space to Computing and Home Entertainment while having a small selection of Major Domestic Appliances and Small Domestic Appliances
