Timpson (retailer)

The Timpson Group is a British and Irish service retailer that has a number of different brands across its portfolio of 2,100 stores, including Timpson, Max Spielmann, Johnsons The Cleaners, Snappy Snaps, Jeeves of Belgravia, The Watch Lab and Flock Inns.

The business is based in Wythenshawe, Manchester and is owned by Sir John Timpson.

Timpson was founded in 1865 by shoemaker William Timpson and his brother-in-law Walter Joyce, selling shoes at 298 Oldham Road, Manchester. It expanded into shoe manufacturing in 1884 at factories in Kettering, and repairs in 1903. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1929. In the 1950s, turnover was around £10,000,000 and profits £900,000. The company moved its headquarters to Wythenshawe in 1964.

In the early-1960s, family member and graduate of the University of Nottingham John Timpson returned from a post-graduate management training scheme to join the family-owned business, becoming director responsible for buying in 1970. In 1973, after John's father Anthony was ousted as chairman by his uncle Geoffrey, the company was acquired for £28,600,000 by United Drapery Stores. John stayed with the firm, became managing director of leather and fur retailers Swears & Wells, and then, in 1975 was appointed managing director of the former family business, William Timpson Ltd.

In 1983, John led a £42,000,000 management buyout of William Timpson from then-owners Hanson Trust plc. To raise funds, £30,000,000 came from selling the freeholds of the firm's stores and leasing them back, the rest via debt financing from venture capitalists. After four years of poor trading, to reduce debt on the balance sheet, the company sold the loss-making shoe retail business for £15,000,000 to rival George Oliver, and focused on building the shoe repairing and key cutting business.

After diversifying into engraving, watch repairs, dry cleaning and other services, John Timpson bought the other three shareholders out in 1991. The business has since grown through a series of acquisitions, with the notable purchases of Automagic and Mister Minit expanding the number of Timpson shops from 145 to 600 by 2003.

In June 2008, the Timpson Group acquired 40 Persil Service concessions located in Sainsbury's stores, then bought Max Spielmann out of administration later that same year. This marked the business's first real involvement in the photo printing industry, and was followed by the purchase of Snappy Snaps chain in 2013, Tesco Photo in 2014, and a partnership deal with Asda Photo in 2018.

Timpson agreed a partnership with Morrisons in May 2016, taking over the dry cleaning operations in 116 stores, before acquiring the dry cleaning business of Johnson Service Group in January 2017, which included Johnsons The Cleaners and Jeeves of Belgravia. In 2018, the business celebrated the opening of the Timpson Group's 2000th shop, and purchased The Watch Lab in April 2021.