Wilko
Wilko became known for practical household goods and affordable everyday essentials.
The story of Wilko
Founded by James Kemsey Wilkinson in Leicester in 1930, Wilkinson developed into the nationwide retailer later branded wilko. Its shops sold cleaning supplies, DIY goods, stationery, gardening products and household essentials.
The original operating company entered administration in 2023 and its stores closed. The brand and intellectual property were subsequently acquired, leading to a revival of the wilko name; the 2023 closure refers to the original chain.
Historical business dossier
Founders and origins
James Kemsey Wilkinson opened his first household-goods shop in Leicester in 1930. The Wilkinson family built the business into a national discount and homewares retailer, later rebranded wilko.
Ownership through the years
The chain remained family-controlled until its 2023 collapse. CDS Superstores, the company behind The Range, acquired the wilko brand and intellectual property from administrators in September 2023, rather than the original store chain as a going concern.
Decline and administration
The administrators cited difficult trading during and after the pandemic, cost-of-living pressures, deteriorating cash flow and mounting financial strain. Wilko entered administration on 10 August 2023 and its original store network closed.
Financial performance and scale
At administration the group operated about 400 stores and employed approximately 12,500 people, according to PwC. These are operating metrics, not revenue.
Who owns the brand today?
The wilko brand was acquired by The Range/CDS Superstores and has been used for revived retail operations. Exact trademark-holder entities should be verified against the register.
Research sources
Branding through the years
Historical images and clearly identified reconstructions.
Former Wilko store in Telford, photographed February 2024
Archival photograph of the brand at this point in its history.
Image: TCExplorer · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Original source ↗Historical image archive
Image: TCExplorer · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Original source ↗
Brand timeline
First Wilkinson shop opens in Leicester
Original retail chain enters administration
Community memories
Personal recollections from visitors. These are not independently verified historical facts.
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