B&Q was founded in March 1969 in Southampton, England, by Richard Block and David Quayle, following the purchase and fitting out of a former furniture warehouse in the Southampton suburb of Portswood. Originally called Block & Quayle, the duo soon shortened the brand to B&Q as stock delivery notes and invoices were already unofficially abbreviating the name. By each working over sixty hour, six day weeks, they were able to repay their bank overdraft within six months of opening, with turnover reaching £1million within the first five years of operating. Following the departure of co founder Block in 1976, the chain
Storehouse plc Retailing' comprising the group's brands Mothercare, Richard Shops, Blazer, Anonymous and Jacadi and 'Home Furnishing' comprising Habitat, Heals, and the Conran Shop Julien retired on health grounds in 1992 and was replaced by David Dworkin the Chief Executive of British Home Stores. In 1992 Habitat was purchased from Storehouse by IKANO and Richard Shops was sold to the British retailing giant Sears plc. The Company bought Children's World from Boots in 1996, and rebranded all of their superstores Mothercare World stores. In 2000, following several years of tough trading for all companies within the group, British Home Stores was sold