Clas Ohlson company was founded in 1918 by the technically minded Clas Ohlson (1895–1979), as a mail order business based in the Swedish village of Insjön, Dalarna. Initially, only manuals and technical literature were sold, thus allowing people who lived in rural communities to obtain literature that would otherwise be unavailable. He opened his first shop in Insjön in 1926, but it was not until 1989, when the company opened a store in a shopping centre in central Stockholm, that it expanded into the retail business. The first store outside Sweden was opened 1991 in Oslo in Norway and in 1999, the
Great Mills (DIY) Great Mills (DIY) Great Mills was a large DIY chain, consisting of around 98 stores across the United Kingdom. In December 2000, the business was bought by Focus DIY, which in turn entered administration in May 2011, with all stores closing by July 2011. Most Focus DIY stores have been bought, some by B&Q, Wickes and B&M Bargains (B&M Homestore). However, some stores, such as Rogerstone and Paulton, the latter being the first Great Mills, have been left empty. At its height, Great Mills had approximately 3,500 employees, 90 stores nationwide, and 20,000 products in range. Originally known as Clapton