Dixons Electrical Shop

In the early years Dixons started out as a photographic studio in Southend on the south coast of the UK. It was a partnership between by Michael Mindel and Charles Kalms established in 1937. The business quickly expanded opening seven photographic studios with the demand for portrait photography growing. During the war years this contracted and by the end of the war was back to one studio in Edgware London.
In the 1950’s Charles Kalms son Stanley who had joined the business in 1948, convinced his father to start selling cameras and accessories. This was the true beginning of Dixons electrical sales. Over the years Dixons has been very active in buying out many competitors and expanding into Europe.
They started by acquiring two of their competition in the 60s, Ascotts and Bennetts. Dixons continued the takeovers and buyout though the 70s when they bought Wallace Heaton. A major acquisition in 1993 was when they bought the Vision Technology Group (VTG) who traded under the brand PC World. At the time of buying PC World there was only four PC World Superstores this began to grow enormously. With the internet age PC World also made great profits on the sale of printer consumables like toners, inks and ribbons.
The biggest merger of Dixons history came in August 2014. This is when Carphone Warehouse and Dixons agreed a £3.8 billion “merger of equals” to form an electrical retail giant selling mobile phones to washing machines, and offering service and support together with a host of gadgets.
Dixons Carphone plc was born the new enterprise was an incorporation of the names Dixons and Carphone, and brings the well-known names of Currys, PC World and Carphone Warehouse under one business.