CORNISH electrical retailer, HBH Woolacotts, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month.
The business started following a management buyout of a larger electrical retail chain, Woolacotts, with the new directors taking on the existing shops in Bude and Launceston.
A store in Holsworthy followed three years later, after the acquisition of Pengellys, and in 1990 the Panasonic Technics Centre was opened as the UK’s first solus Panasonic shop, starting as a nationwide ‘chain’.
The Wadebridge shop opened in 1994, and in 2003 the acquisition of Robin Wotton meant new HBH Woolacotts stores opened in Liskeard and Bodmin.
The Sony Centre in Plymouth was opened in 2006, and in 2007 a move to a dedicated 25,000 square feet warehouse and service centre in Bude meant the company’s stock, distribution and logistics operations were dramatically revamped and improved.
The latest additions have seen the opening of a flagship Electrical Superstore in St Austell in 2012, and most recently the acquisition of Bernard Smiths in June 2015 has given HBH Woolacotts a presence in Barnstaple and North Devon.
Today HBH Woolacotts remains a family run independent company and at the age of 90, Ted Hemmerle still has an active role in the business.
Martin Hemmerle is now the MD and has been joined by his son and daughter, Chris and Lizzy. The business has been built on providing unrivalled customer service and going above and beyond to ensure that customers get the best support possible including free delivery and basic installation on most major appliance purchases.
Over the years HBH Woolacotts has built up strong relationships with some of the top brands in the industry. Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Bosch, Miele, Sky, Yamaha and Apple are just some of brands you can find in an HBH Woolacotts branch, which brings a comprehensive range of the latest electrical products to Cornwall and Devon, all at competitive prices.
Looking back 40 years it’s amazing to see the technological advancements in consumer electronics and how this has affected the day to day lives of everybody; in 1976 mobile phones, flat screen TVs, portable computers and even the internet were completely unheard of, the latest technologies included a portable cassette player.
Celebrations will run throughout July with a variety of promotions, competitions and giveaways for customers and staff.