Editing B&Q (section)

==History==
===1969 to 1979: Early growth===
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]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://shopping.guardian.co.uk/household/story/0,1587,1262065,00.html |newspaper=The Guardian |title=Fear of diy-ing |first=Miranda |last=Sawyer |date=17 July 2004 |access-date=26 April 2010 |location=London}}</ref> 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 £1&nbsp;million within the first five years of operating.<ref name="1969_foundation">{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/finance-obituaries/7598702/David-Quayle.html |title=David Quayle Obituary |work=The Telegraph |date=16 April 2010 |access-date=13 February 2017}}</ref> The chain quickly expanded, and by 1979, there were 26 shops across the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/content_lookup.jsp?content=/aboutbandq/2004/company_information/history.jsp&menu=default |title=B&Q Online: From Kitchens & Bathrooms to Sheds & Paving; plus planning tools |publisher=Diy.com |access-date=29 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310144610/http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/templates/content_lookup.jsp?content=%2Faboutbandq%2F2004%2Fcompany_information%2Fhistory.jsp&menu=default |archive-date=10 March 2012  }}</ref>

Co-founder Block left the company in 1976.

===1980s: Buyout and further expansion===
B&Q grew rapidly through a combination of mergers, acquisitions and expansions, such as the acquisition of a [[Hampshire]] based company Dodge City at the beginning of the 1980s. The chain was itself acquired by the [[F. W. Woolworth Company]] for £16.8&nbsp;million at the beginning of the 1980s, coinciding with Quayle, who by that time had a personal wealth of £4&nbsp;million, selling his share.<ref name="1969_foundation"/> This would result, for a time, in B&Q being an indirect sister company to [[Foot Locker]], another F. W. Woolworth subsidiary.

Two years later, F. W. Woolworth's United Kingdom [[subsidiary]] ([[Woolworths (United Kingdom)|Woolworths Group]]) and B&Q were purchased by Paternoster Stores, which became [[Kingfisher plc]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?PageID=107&subsection=mainnews&Year=2002&NewsID=314 |title=Kingfisher plc : Home – Investors – Press releases |publisher=Kingfisher.com |date=30 October 2002 |access-date=29 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310094215/http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?PageID=107&subsection=mainnews&Year=2002&NewsID=314 |archive-date=10 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and is still B&Q's parent company {{As of|2023|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web | title=Our retail banners | publisher=Kingfisher Corporate | url=https://www.kingfisher.com/en/about-us/what-we-do/brands.html | access-date=18 February 2023}}</ref>

B&Q developed two new trading formats: HomeCentres, retailing furniture, bathrooms, soft furniture, flooring and lighting; and AutoCentres, being similar to a [[Halfords]], the first launch taking place at [[Cribbs Causeway]], [[Bristol]], at the end of the 1980s. The concept being to have a HomeCentre, AutoCentre and DIY Superstore with one communal car park.

The forays into these new markets were relatively short lived, and the various sites were sold on a couple of years later. The AutoCentres becoming in the main 'Charlie Browns', the HomeCentres being sold off individually.

===1990s===
[[File:Interior of B&Q, Glasshoughton, Castleford, West Yorkshire (8th January 2023).jpg|thumb|right|Interior of B&Q, [[Castleford, West Yorkshire|Castleford]]]]
In the mid 1990s, B&Q opened a new format of shop known as the Depot (later changed to B&Q Depot), a forerunner of a new class of shop known as the B&Q Warehouse.<ref>{{cite web | title=History of B&Q| website=bqsuperstore.co.uk | date=17 January 2007 | url=http://bqsuperstore.co.uk/?page_id=4 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929070629/http://bqsuperstore.co.uk/?page_id=4 | archive-date=29 September 2007 | url-status=dead}}</ref> This new store format was almost identical to that of the US chain [[Home Depot]], where the stores were built on a much bigger scale with a larger floor area, merchandise presented on two storey, industrial-style shelving and an enhanced range of product lines which now extended to bulk building materials. For the branding of these new stores B&Q also moved to a new corporate colour style of orange (away from the previous black/red) which again was almost the same as Home Depot. For this reason, it is often erroneously believed that there is a formal connection between the two compainies. The company also began to expand outside the United Kingdom. In 1995, the retailer opened their first overseas subsidiary in [[Taiwan]], and in January 1996, the first overseas large home improvement centre in [[Taoyuan City]], Taiwan.<ref name="taiwan_windup">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7147942.stm |title=B&Q owner to sell Taiwan shops |work=BBC News |date=17 December 2007 |access-date=13 February 2017 }}</ref>

In September 1998, it acquired NOMI, Poland's leading chain of DIY shops,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0VCW/is_12_25/ai_55013616 |title=Western influx underscores potential &#124; Find Articles at BNET.com |publisher=Findarticles.com |access-date=29 April 2012}}</ref> and later that year, merged with France's [[Castorama]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0VCW/is_8_25/ai_54556196 |title=Top 10 dealers on Earth grow 21.7% &#124; Find Articles at BNET.com |publisher=Findarticles.com |access-date=29 April 2012}}</ref>

===2000s===
In December 2000, Kingfisher plc acquired 28 development sites, intended to house future shops of rival chain [[Homebase]] from [[J Sainsbury plc|Sainsbury's]], who sold the chain.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1082731.stm |title=Sainsbury's sells Homebase |work=BBC News |access-date=30 September 2013 |date=22 December 2000}}</ref> The development sites instead housed shops of B&Q. In August 2001, B&Q opened its first shop in [[Shanghai]], when it hoped to increase outlets from four to 58 by 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1480233.stm|title=B&Q opens Shanghai megastore|publisher=news.bbc.co.uk|date=8 August 2001|access-date=4 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0VCW/is_15_27/ai_78236946 |title=B&Q sets its sights on ambitious shop roll-out - Shanghai B and Q Building Material Supermarket Co - International Pages - Brief Article &#124; Find Articles at BNET.com |publisher=Findarticles.com |date=6 August 2001 |access-date=29 April 2012}}</ref>

B&Q opened its first shop in [[Hong Kong]] on 1 June 2007,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?pageid=55&newsid=528 |title=First B&Q store to open in Hong Kong |publisher=Kingfisher.com |date=1 June 2007 |access-date=13 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214003512/http://www.kingfisher.com/index.asp?pageid=55&newsid=528 |archive-date=14 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> but was scheduled to close it on 13 September 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=15345&icid=1&d_str= |title=Kingfisher to close B&Q store in Kowloon Bay |work=The Standard |access-date=28 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015163934/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking_news_detail.asp?id=15345&icid=1&d_str= |archive-date=15 October 2012 }}</ref> In December 2007, Kingfisher sold its 50 per cent stake in B&Q Taiwan to its joint venture partner. The $106.5&nbsp;million (£51.6&nbsp;million) sale, producing a profit of £25&nbsp;million, was used to reduce debt.<ref name="taiwan_windup"/>

In March 2009, B&Q closed 22 of its then 63 shops in China, blaming the housing slump.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wood |first=Zoe |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/mar/26/kingfisher-bandq-china |title=Kingfisher makes deep cuts in B&Q's Chinese chain &#124; ''The Guardian'' |work=The Guardian |access-date=28 April 2012 |location=London |date=26 March 2009}}</ref>

===2010s===
In May 2011, B&Q agreed to acquire 31 shops in the United Kingdom, from the administrators of [[Focus DIY]] for £23&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13315837 |title=B&Q owner Kingfisher buys 31 Focus DIY shops |access-date=16 November 2012 |work=BBC News |date=6 May 2011}}</ref> During 2011, B&Q opened a new regional distribution centre, at G.Park in [[Swindon]].<ref>[http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/8323891.Huge_B_Q_distribution_centre_gets_the_go_ahead/ Swindon Advertiser, accessed 31 March 2015]</ref>

===2020s===
In 2020, B&Q announced a sales increase of 17.6pc to £3.5&nbsp;billion for the quarter to 31 October, caused by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] during which people spent money on home improvements.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pandemic helps drive sales at B&Q owner|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/world/pandemic-helps-drive-sales-at-b-and-q-owner-39765258.html|access-date=22 November 2020|website=independent|date=19 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2021, B&Q announced the launch of its new website in [[Republic of Ireland|the Republic of Ireland]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=B&Q launch new Irish website with more services available nationwide |url=https://www.independent.ie/business/irish/bandq-launch-new-irish-website-with-more-services-available-nationwide/41028138.html |access-date=21 February 2024 |website=Independent|date=8 November 2021 }}</ref>

In 2022, B&Q opened its first two shops in Saudi Arabia, in the capital, [[Riyadh]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Vaimal |first=Rahul |title=B&Q Stores expand to Saudi Arabia through Al-Futtaim Group |publisher=GCC Business News |date=3 July 2022 |url=https://www.gccbusinessnews.com/bq-stores-expand-to-saudi-arabia-through-al-futtaim-group/}}</ref>

In May 2023, B&Q opened new distribution centre in Bassetlaw.<ref>{{Cite web |title=B&Q opens new distribution centre in Bassetlaw and creates 100 jobs |url=https://www.worksopguardian.co.uk/business/bq-opens-new-distribution-centre-in-bassetlaw-and-creates-100-jobs-4159589 |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=Worksop Guardian|date=26 May 2023 }}</ref> Later, in August, B&Q opened in Sutton, the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brand new B&Q opens its doors in Sutton |url=https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/23742969.brand-new-b-q-opens-doors-sutton/ |access-date=30 January 2024 |website=Your Local Guardian|date=24 August 2023 }}</ref>

In January 2024, B&Q unveiled its plan to open its tenth local store on Staines high street.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New B&Q Local Staines store celebrates upcoming opening with a special community makeover |url=https://retailtimes.co.uk/new-bq-local-staines-store-celebrates-upcoming-opening-with-a-special-community-makeover/ |access-date=30 January 2024 |website=Retail Times|date=22 January 2024 }}</ref> Later in February, B&Q announced its increase of its hourly rate of pay for its UK employees to £12.21 and up to £13.55 in London.<ref>{{Cite web |title=B&Q becomes 'highest-paying major retailer' after pay boost |url=https://www.retail-week.com/people/bandq-becomes-highest-paying-major-retailer-after-pay-boost/7045574.article |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=Retail Week}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=B&Q moves to its most competitive hourly rate of pay ever |url=https://retailtimes.co.uk/bq-moves-to-its-most-competitive-hourly-rate-of-pay-ever/ |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=Retail Times|date=12 February 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=B&Q ups hourly rate as it claims to be UK's highest paying retailer |url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2024/02/bq-minimum-hourly-rate/ |access-date=12 February 2024 |website=Retail Gazette|date=12 February 2024 }}</ref> Also in 2024, B&Q reported the opening of its new store in [[Staines-upon-Thames|Staines]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=New B&Q store coming to Surrey town |url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/new-bq-store-coming-surrey-28497731 |access-date=29 February 2024 |website=Surrey Live|date=23 January 2024 }}</ref>

In January 2025, B&Q announced they would acquire five [[Homebase]] locations from the administrators; they had previously announced they would rescue three Homebase stores in the Republic of Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morgan |first=Aoife |date=2025-01-06 |title=B&Q acquires 5 Homebase UK stores - Retail Gazette |url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2025/01/bq-uk-homebase-stores/ |access-date=2025-02-04 |language=en-GB}}</ref>