Richard Block
& David Quayle founded the first
B&Q store in Southampton in March 1969 selling standard hardware
tools. B&Q expanded throughout the 70's to 26 stores. In the early
1980's B&Q merged with a Scottish DIY chain, Dodge City, before
B&Q was acquired by the Kingfisher Group (who also own Woolworths).
By the end of the 1980's B&Q had 280 stores. B&Q expanded internationally
in the 90's, merging with France's leading DIY retailer, Castorama,
to become the largest DIY retailer in Europe, with outlets also
in Canada and Poland. At the end of 90's B&Q opened the Shanghai
store - B&Q's first in mainland China.
In 2000 B&Q has 300 stores and more than 22,000 employees. B&Q
is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Kingfisher Group.
