The home of brands such as Prinz and Saisho.
Summary
Founded by Charles Kalms and Michael Mindel. Dixons started life in 1937 as a small photographic studio in the High Street in Southend. The company was branded Dixons Studios Limited a name reprtably picked at random from a telephone directory as it was deemed to be short enough to fit above a shop front.
The company grew to seven studios but by the end of WWII it had just one studio in Edgeware.
In 1948 Stanley Kalms son of one of the original founders joined the company. He began advertising the company’s services by direct sales in the press, offering postal ordering and delivery.
By 1950 Dixons were selling cameras, in 1957 the company was dealing with a large volume of mail order customers and so opened a head office in order to house the staff needed to deal with the business and to centralise buying.
In 1962 the company changed it’s name to Dixons Photographic Limited and listed on the London Stock Exchange and began a period of expansion that would see it buying out competitors and branching out into consumer goods such as hi-fi, computers.. In 1984 it acquired the Curry’s Brand who had 570 shops selling electrical and household goods
Further acquisitions and expansion continued earning them the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2006. Around the same time it was announced the Dixons Brand was to disappear off the High Street.
Where Did They Go?
Technically nowhere. Dixons stores were re-branded Curry’s Digital and that the Dixons brand would continue online only. Whilst even the Curry’s brand is not so visible on the High Street you ill find them on most major retail parks.
Commercial Break