Texas Homecare
Encyclopedia
Texas Homecare was a chain of DIY
stores in the United Kingdom
and the Republic of Ireland
, that operated from 1972 until 1999.
Texas specialised in higher volume, lower margin DIY products. The company had been adversely affected by a recession and depressed housing market.
With its acquisition, Homebase hoped to hold around 10% of the total DIY market in the UK. In May 1995 it was announced that only 26 Texas stores were to close, with limited redundancies. Sainsbury's found that full conversion to the Homebase format was an investment worth making and allowed £50 million for the task.
These stores were rebranded and redesigned to the Homebase format, the first to be converted being in Longwell Green in Bristol
in February 1996. A few other stores were sold off to other retailers; including the Merry Hill
store in the West Midlands
, which closed in 1995 and was split between PC World
and Currys
.
The last 60 Texas stores were converted to Homebase in 1999 and the Texas name vanished from high streets, shopping malls and retail parks.
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
stores in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, that operated from 1972 until 1999.
History
Texas Homecare was established in 1972 by Manny, Sydney and Gerald Fogel, who had previously founded the high street specialist paint and wallpaper chain Home Charm. Taking their lead from America, they revolutionised the UK DIY market, with the introduction of the 'DIY shed' style outlet. Mervyn Fogel, Co-founder and Managing Director for over 25 years had a vision of turning the small family business into a DIY retail empire.Texas specialised in higher volume, lower margin DIY products. The company had been adversely affected by a recession and depressed housing market.
With its acquisition, Homebase hoped to hold around 10% of the total DIY market in the UK. In May 1995 it was announced that only 26 Texas stores were to close, with limited redundancies. Sainsbury's found that full conversion to the Homebase format was an investment worth making and allowed £50 million for the task.
These stores were rebranded and redesigned to the Homebase format, the first to be converted being in Longwell Green in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
in February 1996. A few other stores were sold off to other retailers; including the Merry Hill
Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Westfield Merry Hill is a shopping centre in Brierley Hill near Dudley, West Midlands, England. It was developed between 1985 and 1990, with several expansion and renovation projects taking place since. The original developers and owners were Richardson Developments but the Centre has had a number...
store in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, which closed in 1995 and was split between PC World
PC World (retailer)
PC World is OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT one of the WHER MA MEMORY STICK ?!?!??! United Kingdom's largest chains of mass-market computer superstores. It is part of Dixons Retail plc. PC World operates under the brand name PC City in Spain, Italy and Sweden....
and Currys
Currys
Currys is an electrical retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland and is owned by Dixons Retail plc. It specialises in selling home electronics and household appliances, with 295 superstores and 73 high street stores...
.
The last 60 Texas stores were converted to Homebase in 1999 and the Texas name vanished from high streets, shopping malls and retail parks.