The Range
The Range is a British variety-store and garden-centre retailer offering home, garden, leisure, DIY, furniture, toys, clothing, and everyday household products.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
The Range is a British value-oriented variety retailer and garden-centre operator owned by CDS (Superstores International) Limited. It began in 1989 when entrepreneur Chris Dawson opened a standalone store under the name Chris Dawson Superstores at Sugar Mill Retail Park in Plymouth. Dawson had previously worked as an open-air market trader and had operated cash-and-carry businesses in Devon. His retail concept was designed to offer a broad, low-price assortment across multiple household categories rather than focus on a single specialist department. During the early 1990s, Chris Dawson Superstores adopted The Range name. The business expanded first across south-west England and then accelerated its national rollout during the 2000s. Its growth was supported both by new store openings and by the availability of retail property and merchandise following the administrations of several British chains, including Focus DIY, T. J. Hughes, MFI, Woolworths, and Empire Direct. This helped The Range build a large-store format combining homewares, furniture, arts and crafts, DIY, gardening, outdoor living, toys, leisure products, seasonal merchandise, clothing, pet supplies, cleaning products, and selected grocery lines. The company developed a mixed retail model consisting of large physical stores, garden centres, concessions, and e-commerce. Distribution infrastructure was expanded through facilities at Thorne near Doncaster and Avonmouth near Bristol, while the company moved its Plymouth head office to Derriford in 2019. The retailer also added food and beverage concessions, including Dee Dee's and Café Eighty-Nine locations operated through a partnership with Compass Group, and later explored concession relationships with Iceland. The Range entered the Republic of Ireland in 2016 and Northern Ireland later that year. Its multichannel operation received recognition in UK and European Internet Retailing rankings in 2017. The chain attracted criticism during the first United Kingdom COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 because it remained open while many retailers closed. The company argued that its sales of toiletries, pet supplies, cleaning products, and food-related goods made it an essential retailer, although customers, staff, and local officials questioned the breadth of that justification and the adequacy of store safety measures. A major strategic phase began in 2023. CDS Superstores acquired the Wilko brand and website from administrators for £5 million, although it did not rescue Wilko's store estate. Wilko products were subsequently sold through The Range, and selected standalone Wilko locations were reopened. In 2024, CDS Superstores acquired the Homebase brand and 49 stores from administration, alongside the Bathstore intellectual property. The former Homebase locations were converted to The Range stores, generally incorporating a Garden Centre by Homebase concept, while the Homebase website was relaunched and kitchen and bathroom propositions were reorganised under the Homebase and Bathstore names. The resulting group is broader than the original variety-store chain: The Range remains the principal general-merchandise fascia, while Wilko, Homebase, Bathstore, garden-centre concessions, kitchen showrooms, and digital channels extend CDS Superstores' reach across value retail, home improvement, gardening, and household goods. The business remains privately held and is primarily focused on the UK and Ireland.
History
Chris Dawson began his commercial career as an open-air market trader in Plymouth after leaving school in 1966. During the early 1980s he operated cash-and-carry stores in Exeter and Newton Abbot. He sold those businesses toward the end of the decade and used the opportunity created by the property market to develop a new retail model. In 1989, Dawson opened the first Chris Dawson Superstores outlet at Sugar Mill Retail Park in Plymouth. The store was conceived as a broad variety retailer that could compete with established discount and general-merchandise chains by bringing together many product categories under one roof. The business proved successful, and additional stores followed. During the early 1990s the chain was renamed The Range, a name that became associated with its combination of home, garden, leisure, craft, DIY, furniture, clothing, and seasonal products. The business expanded across south-west England during the 1990s and moved into rapid national growth in the 2000s. The Range benefited from purchasing or occupying retail sites and acquiring stock made available by the failures or restructuring of other British retailers, including Focus DIY, T. J. Hughes, MFI, Woolworths, and Empire Direct. By 2009 it appeared in a national ranking of the UK's fastest-growing companies. A distribution centre opened at Thorne near Doncaster in 2012, supporting the growing store network and online operation. In 2013 the company announced plans for further store openings, and in 2017 it expanded its logistics capacity with a facility at Avonmouth near Bristol. The retailer diversified its store experience through food and beverage concessions. In 2014, Compass Group received a contract reported at £60 million to operate Dee Dee's coffee shops in The Range locations; some sites also used the Café Eighty-Nine name. The Range later developed a concession relationship with Iceland, including plans for Iceland Cafés in selected stores. The company entered the Republic of Ireland in 2016 and Northern Ireland later in the same year, while management also indicated an interest in possible mainland European expansion. Its online and multichannel operations were recognized in Internet Retailing rankings in 2017. In 2019, The Range announced a move of its Plymouth head office from Estover to a new Derriford building next to its flagship store. The move reflected the scale of the operation and was reported to involve more than 300 employees at the head office. In March 2020, the company's decision to stay open during the first COVID-19 lockdown generated substantial criticism. The Range maintained that it was an essential retailer because it sold toiletries, cleaning products, pet supplies, and, in some branches, frozen food. Critics argued that much of its assortment was non-essential and raised concerns about hygiene and staff protection. The group entered a new phase through acquisitions of distressed retail brands. In September 2023, CDS Superstores bought the Wilko name and website from administrators for £5 million. The acquisition did not save Wilko's stores, but it allowed Wilko products and digital activity to return through The Range. The company reopened selected Wilko-branded high-street locations beginning in December 2023. In November 2024, CDS Superstores acquired the Homebase brand and 49 stores from administrators. The acquired sites were progressively converted to The Range, generally with Garden Centre by Homebase facilities. The Homebase website was relaunched, while the company's kitchen propositions were consolidated under Kitchens by Homebase. CDS also acquired the Bathstore intellectual property and began developing Bathstore concessions in selected The Range locations. Further former Homebase units were reopened under The Range identity during 2025. The modern business therefore operates as a multi-brand retail group. The Range remains a large-format, value-led variety retailer, while Wilko supports a discount-household proposition and Homebase and Bathstore extend the group into gardening, home improvement, kitchens, and bathrooms. Its principal market remains the United Kingdom, with additional operations in the Republic of Ireland.
- 2025
Homebase conversion programme completed
[1]The company reported completion of the conversion of 49 former Homebase locations to The Range, with Garden Centre by Homebase concepts.
- 2024
Homebase acquisition
[1]CDS Superstores acquired the Homebase brand and 49 stores, later converting the locations to The Range.
- 2023
Wilko brand acquired
[1]CDS Superstores acquired the Wilko brand and website from administrators and began bringing Wilko products back through its retail network.
- 2019
Plymouth head-office relocation announced
[1]The company announced a move from Estover to a new head office in Derriford.
- 2017
Avonmouth distribution centre opens
[1]A new distribution centre opened in Avonmouth, Bristol, while the online business received multichannel-retailing recognition.
- 2016
Expansion into Ireland and Northern Ireland
[1]The Range entered the Republic of Ireland in August and Northern Ireland in October.
- 2014
Compass Group coffee-shop partnership
[1]Compass Group received a contract to operate Dee Dee's coffee-shop concessions in The Range locations.
- 2012
Thorne distribution centre opens
[1]The company opened a distribution centre in Thorne, Doncaster.
- 2009
Recognized among fast-growing UK companies
[1]The retailer ranked 121st in a Sunday Times and PwC ranking of fast-growing UK companies.
- 2000
National expansion accelerates
[1]Store openings and acquisitions of sites and stock from failed retailers supported rapid growth during the 2000s.
Products and positioning
A broad-assortment, value-focused British retailer combining variety-store pricing with large-format home, garden, DIY, leisure, and seasonal merchandise.
General merchandise retail · 1989
The Range variety stores
The core store format combines a wide assortment of value-oriented merchandise. Typical departments include homewares, furniture, DIY, gardening, arts and crafts, toys, leisure, seasonal goods, clothing, pet care, cleaning products, and selected food lines. The large-format model is intended to provide one-stop shopping across household and lifestyle categories.
Gardening and outdoor living · 2025
Garden Centre by Homebase
Garden Centre by Homebase is the gardening proposition used alongside The Range in converted former Homebase locations. It extends the retailer's garden offer through plants, outdoor living products, garden equipment, and related home-improvement merchandise while retaining an association with the Homebase name.
Household and value retail · 2023
Wilko
CDS Superstores acquired the Wilko brand and website in 2023. Wilko products were introduced into The Range estate, and a limited number of standalone Wilko stores were reopened. The brand broadens the group's presence in everyday household, home, and value merchandise.
Kitchen retail and installation · 2025
Kitchens by Homebase
Kitchens by Homebase consolidates the former Jonas & James and The Range Kitchens propositions within the Homebase brand architecture. It is intended to provide kitchen planning, showroom presentation, and related home-improvement services in selected locations.
Bathroom retail · 2025
Bathstore
Bathstore is a bathroom-focused brand whose intellectual property was acquired by CDS Superstores in 2025. The group began developing Bathstore concessions within selected The Range stores, extending its home-improvement and bathroom offer.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018Iceland concession partnership
United Kingdom
The Range announced a concession partnership with supermarket chain Iceland, including plans for Iceland Cafés in certain locations.
Outcome. The partnership broadened the food and convenience elements available in selected stores.
- 2014Dee Dee's and Café Eighty-Nine concessions
United Kingdom
The Range expanded its in-store proposition through Compass Group-operated coffee-shop concessions using the Dee Dee's name, with some locations also known as Café Eighty-Nine.
Outcome. The concessions added food and beverage services to selected stores.
Brand decisions
2024
Acquisition of Homebase assetsM&ABackground
Homebase entered administration, making its brand and selected store estate available for acquisition.
Action taken
CDS Superstores purchased the Homebase brand and 49 stores, later adding the Bathstore intellectual property.
Aftermath
The acquired stores were converted to The Range, while Homebase continued through a relaunched website, garden-centre concessions, kitchen services, and related brand activity.
2023
Acquisition of Wilko brand and websiteM&ABackground
Wilko entered administration, creating an opportunity to acquire its intellectual property without rescuing the full store network.
Action taken
CDS Superstores acquired the Wilko brand and website for £5 million and subsequently sold Wilko products through The Range.
Aftermath
Selected Wilko high-street stores reopened, while new Wilko openings were later paused as the group concentrated on its Homebase programme.
Acquisition price. £5 million (September 2023)
2020
Decision to remain open during the first COVID-19 lockdownStrategyBackground
The Range continued trading while many UK retailers closed and while restrictions limited activity to essential retail.
Action taken
The company argued that toiletries, pet products, cleaning products, and selected food concessions made it an essential retailer. Some stores reportedly installed freezers to support continued trading.
Aftermath
Customers, employees, and local officials criticized the decision and questioned whether the wider product mix and store safety arrangements justified remaining open.
Recent events
Reported
The Range opens Watford store[2]
The Range welcomed its first customers into its new store at Watford Arches Retail Park.
Reported
The Range announces an Iceland section for its Bridgwater store[3]
The article reports that The Range's Bridgwater store will soon house a new Iceland section. The wording describes a forthcoming opening, not a completed launch.
Sources3 sources
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