Wilko

Wilko.com Limited (trading as Wilko) is a British variety retailer. It was founded as Wilkinson by James Kemsey Wilkinson and Mary Cooper in 1930 as a hardware retailer, opening its first store in Leicester. In 1972, Tony Wilkinson succeeded his father as chairman, leading the retailer through rapid expansion. By the end of the 1980s, the chain had 78 stores, and by the end of the 1990s, it had grown to 152 stores. In June 2005, Lisa Wilkinson and Karin Swann succeeded their father and uncle, refocusing the stores from hardware to variety retail, and from 2012 onwards, rebranded the chain to Wilko. In August 2023, Wilko Limited collapsed into administration, with the final stores closing on 8 October. In September, CDS Superstores purchased the Wilko intellectual property, re-launching Wilko.com on 12 October, and opening new physical stores from December 2023 onwards.