Editing B&Q (section)

===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.