DO IT YOURSELF CENTRE LTD.

Registered Company in England No. 5410873

Vat No. 703 9614 40

Recent history:

In November 1997 Edwin and Susan Miller took over the Do It Yourself Centre as a going concern. At the time the business had been established for approximately 30 years and had had several owners.

Edwin and Susan progressively extended the range of stock items according to customer demand, as the business grew it became necessary to purchase a van for the transportation of stock in March 1998.

During the summer of 1998 Edwin and Susan employed their first member of staff, shortly after, in the autumn, they realised they needed another member and subsequently found someone with experience in the hardware trade.

Edwin and Susan joined the SupaValue marketing group and started with a Christmas promotion in 1998, this has continued bringing great value to our customers ever since.

After a year in the hardware trade, Edwin and Susan were proud and satisfied with their efforts. The opportunity arose to increase the selling space and ultimately more stock lines. Paint and decorating products were introduced, as well as merchandised stands from C.K. Tools.

In 1999 Edwin and Susan approached the owners of Parbold Stores, a Hardware shop for sale approximately eight miles south of the Tarleton shop. On Christmas Eve of 1999 Edwin and Susan took possession of the Parbold shop, by the New Year they had the shop reorganised and replenished.

Lack of space at the new shop called for an increase in the selling area and provision of a storage and office area and toilet facilities. The alterations took place during late 2000. and with the cooperation of the builders, the works were completed without loosing a day of trade.

In the run up to Christmas 2000 an Electronic Point of Sale system was introduced into both shops in an attempt to improve stock control.

In 2001 the Tarleton branch was extended further when the opportunity arose to take over the premises adjacent to the shop. This basically doubled the shop frontage, after major reorganisation it allowed the shop to have a designated house-wares section. This allowed increased lines in the rest of the shop.

The shop joined the British Hardware Federation.

Tarleton shop was expanded again in late 2003 taking the selling space right back into the store, allowing more products to be stocked and displayed more clearly.

Tarleton changed its entire range of cleaning products to the HG Brand in the summer of 2004.

Edwin and Susan gained recognition for their achievements when they were nominated and went on to win the title and well deserved accolade of Britain’s Best Hardware Retailer 2004.

A huge boost for the shop, the staff and obviously the owners the accolade of Britain’s Best doesn’t go unnoticed. Customers made a point of congratulating Edwin and Susan on gaining the award and the shop has gone from strength to strength ever since.

Parbold branch had a face lift in the form of a new uPVC shop front at the end of 2004.

Edwin and Susan’s daughter, Jane joined the company as a Company Director in March of 2005. She brings her marketing expertise to the business after completing a degree in Marketing Management last year.

In April 2005 another major event in the life of the business began to unfold with the take-over of another shop, this time in Eccleston, near Chorley, approximately eight miles east from the Tarleton ‘Head Office’ branch.

At the beginning of July 2005 Do It Yourself Centre Limited officially gained branch number three, previously Eccleston Home and Garden. Like Parbold branch the shop needed restructuring. Within 10 days the shop was emptied, re-decorated, a new floor laid, an EPOS system and PDQ machine installed, re-stocked and ready.

After being open a year at Eccleston the opportunity arose to take on a larger unit in the shopping centre. The opportunity was taken with both hands and the unit was stripped re-decorated, new floor laid and stock transferred.

Also in 2006, the original part of Tarleton was renovated, with a new ceiling, new flooring and some new shelving and Key Cutting was introduced at Parbold.

As we approach the end of 2006 the future is looking good for the Do It Yourself Centre Limited. Employing nine staff with both full and part time positions and modernised stores a large proportion of everything you need can be found in your local hardware store.

SUPPORT YOU LOCAL HARDWARE STORE