Ryman
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | London (1893) |
| Headquarters | Crewe, England, UK |
| Key people |
|
| Products | Stationery |
| Revenue | £123.4 million (2009/10) |
| Website | www.ryman.co.uk |
Ryman is a British stationery retail company. It was historically based in London and is now based in headquarters in Crewe, Cheshire.
History
Formation
It was founded in 1893 by Henry J Ryman who opened the first store on Great Portland Street, London and was successfully owned and managed by the Ryman family until the 1970s. After it was sold, it had a chequered history for a couple of decades, changing hands several times and experiencing some periods of poor performance.
Theo Paphitis
Theo Paphitis, who was formerly a 'Dragon' on BBC's Dragons' Den, acquired Ryman in 1995 and has since turned it into successful and profitable businesses comprising 236 stores with a group turnover of more than £120m.
Expansions and take-overs
Sponsorship
Developments by Paphitis have included sponsorship of the English football Isthmian League. He introduced the 'Ryman Direct' mail order catalogue in 1996, the Ryman website in 1998, and has utilised promotional campaigns in the London press.
Takeovers
In 2001, Paphitis negotiated the acquisition of the Partners chain, and in 2007 further established his presence with the purchase of 61 stores from The Stationery Box, which were consequently re-branded "Ryman" in October 2008.[1]