B&Q

B&Q plc

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Retail
Founded	1969 (Southampton)
Founder	Richard Block & David Quayle
Headquarters	Eastleigh, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom
Number of locations	320 stores (2016)
Key people	Michael Loeve (CEO) & Damian McGloughlin (Retail Director)
Products	DIY Home improvement tools Gardening Supplies and Plants
Revenue	£3.8 billion (2015/16)
Net income	£220 million (2015/16)
Number of employees	25,000 (2016)
Parent	Kingfisher plc
Website	B&Q UK website B&Q China website B&Q Ireland website

B&Q plc is a British multinational DIY and home improvement retailing company, headquartered in Eastleigh, England, United Kingdom and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingfisher plc. Founded by Richard Block & David Quayle in 1969 originally as Block & Quayle, the retail chain offers over 40,000 products across their 300 stores and through their online presence.

Since 2015, B&Q have been closing a number of stores in favour of converting some to Screwfix outlets; B&Q's parent company believes this strategy can help increase profits, although could cost up to £1billion to fully implement the changes.

Outside of the United Kingdom, B&Q have outlets in Ireland and previously in Taiwan and China prior to terminating those interests in 2007 and 2015 respectively, due to poor sales and low embracement from the Chinese public. Reports in 2007 suggested it was the second largest in Europe and the fourth largest in the world (behind the Home Depot, Lowe's & OBI).

B&Q was founded in March 1969 in Southampton, England, by Richard Block & David Quayle following the purchase and fitting out of a former furniture warehouse in the Southampton suburb of Portswood. 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 60 hour, 6 day weeks, they were able to repay their bank overdraft within six months of opening, with turnover reaching £1million within the first five years of operating. Following the departure of co-founded Block in 1976, the chain quickly expanded and by 1979, there were twenty six stores across the United Kingdom.

B&Q grew rapidly through a combination of mergers, acquisitions and expansions, such as the acquisition of Hampshire-based company Dodge City in 1980. The chain was itself acquired by the F. W. Woolworth Company for £16.8m in the early 1980s, co-inciding with David Quayle selling his share, who by that time had a personal wealth of £4million. Two years later, F. W. Woolworth's United Kingdom subsidiary (Woolworth's Ltd.) and B&Q were purchased by Paternoster, now known as Kingfisher plc and is still B&Q's parent company.