Currys facts for kids
The Currys logo used from 2021 following the revival of Currys as a sole brand
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| Industry | Retail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1884 |
| Headquarters | Waterloo, London, England |
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Number of locations
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 301 (2023) |
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Area served
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United Kingdom, Ireland |
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Key people
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Alex Baldock (Group Chief Executive) |
| Products | |
| Parent | Currys plc |
Currys is a well-known shop in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It sells many electrical items for your home. You can find things like washing machines, TVs, computers, and mobile phones there.
For a while, between 2010 and 2021, the shops were called Currys PC World. Before that, Currys started out selling bicycles. Over time, it grew to become a big name in household electrical goods. In 1984, another company called Dixons bought Currys. Later, Currys and PC World shops joined together. In 2021, all the shops went back to being called just Currys.
Contents
History
How Currys Started
Henry Curry began making bicycles in Leicester in 1884. His four sons later took over the business. In 1927, they officially formed a public company called Currys. They joined forces with another bicycle company at that time.
By the 1940s, Currys shops sold many different items. These included bicycles, toys, radios, and record players.
The company grew a lot between 1967 and 1984. This was when Henry Curry's grandson, Dennis Curry, was in charge. Currys became a major seller of TVs and large home appliances. These are things like fridges and washing machines, often called "white goods." By 1984, Currys had 570 shops. This was twice as many as the company that would soon buy them.
Joining with Dixons
In 1984, another big electrical shop chain, Dixons, bought Currys. However, Currys kept its own name. In 2006, many Dixons shops in the UK changed their name to Currys.digital. Later, they became Currys Digital. In Ireland, Dixons shops became Currys in 2008.
Before this, Currys mostly had large shops outside of town centres. There were only a few smaller shops in town centres. In 2007, the company said they would likely close these smaller town centre shops. They would not renew their leases when they ran out.
Currys PC World Shops
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In 2008, Dixons Retail started trying out a new idea. They combined Currys and PC World shops into one big store. This meant you could find both Currys products and PC World computers in the same place.
By 2015, the company decided to roll out this idea everywhere. They created "three-in-one" shops. These stores had Currys, PC World, and Carphone Warehouse sections all under one roof. This made it easier for customers to find all their electrical and phone needs in one place.
Back to Just Currys
After some changes in 2020 and 2021, the company decided to simplify things. They announced that all Currys PC World shops would change their name. From October 2021, they would all be known simply as Currys again.
What Currys Thinks
Currys' boss, Alex Baldock, has spoken about how the company pays its staff. He said that Currys believes in paying its team members well. He also mentioned that big increases in the minimum wage, along with other business costs, can be a challenge for shops. He felt that the government sometimes doesn't fully understand the difficulties faced by the retail industry.
