M and M Direct

MandM Direct is an online clothing store in the United Kingdom. It sells its products over the Internet and is the second largest online fashion retailer in the UK.[1] It specialises in buying clearance stock from manufacturers and selling at discounted prices. MandM Direct stocks nearly 200 brands including Adidas, Timberland, Diesel and Puma.[2]

MandM Direct
Private
IndustryClothing retail
Founded1987
HeadquartersLeominster, United Kingdom
Key people
Mike Tomkins, Chairman
Number of employees
470
Websitehttps://www.mandmdirect.com/

History

The company was started as M and M Sports in 1987 when Mark Ellis and Martin Churchward were introduced by their Nike representative Ken Mallender. The two founders started their careers with retail shops in Hereford and Stourbridge and joined forces to buy end-of-line clearance sports products.

The success of this led the pair to venture off into off-page advertising, with the first advert appearing in Shoot magazine in 1987. National press adverts followed in 1990 specifically offering clothing and footwear. As both men lived in the area a site in Leominster was purchased and the company was born.

In 1994 the business was transferred from Stourbridge to its current base in Leominster, Herefordshire. Following a buy-out by private equity group ECI Partners in 2004 the company’s identity changed to MandM Direct in order to reflect their move into selling fashion and lifestyle brands.

In 2007 US private equity group, TA Associates completed major investment and the logistics operation moved to new warehousing at Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire. 2009 saw expansion into Europe which led to German language and later French language sites being created.[3] In 2014, according to the reports, Danish fashion group Bestseller purchased MandM Direct Ltd for £140 million ($235 million)[4]

The company was a back-of-the-shirt sponsor for Hereford United.

Location

The company headquarters is in Leominster, Herefordshire, with the main warehouse facility being based at Moreton-on-Lugg just off the A49.[5]

Brands
  • Ben Sherman
  • Asics
  • Jack and Jones
  • Board Angels
  • Kangaroo Poo
  • Mad Wax
  • Penguin
  • Onfire
  • Diesel
  • Trespass
  • Adidas
  • Bench
  • Voi Jeans
  • Converse
  • UGG
  • Fred Perry
  • Firetrap
  • Animal
  • Puma
  • Lyle and Scott
  • Levi Strauss & Co
  • New Balance
  • Jack Wills
  • Hunter
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References
  1. Leroux, Marcus (18 January 2010). "MandM prepares for German expansion". The Times.
  2. Craven, Neil (6 June 2009). "Online store is all the fashion in a downturn". The Mail on Sunday. p. 46.
  3. "News Roundup". Direct Commerce. 2 July 2010.
  4. "Bestseller to buy MandM Direct for up to 140 million pounds". Reuters. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  5. "M&M's massive investment is a vote of confidence in county". Hereford Times. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
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