Rapid Discount Outlet
Coordinates: 53°24′28.1″N 2°59′21.3″W / 53.407806°N 2.989250°W
| Industry | Retail |
|---|---|
| Founded |
1971 Liverpool Renshaw Street |
| Headquarters | Liverpool, Basnett Street |
Number of locations | Liverpool |
Key people | Kim-Marie Doherty, Daniel Doherty and Martin Doherty |
| Products |
Home improvement tools |
Number of employees | 100 |
| Parent | Rapid Group Holdings |
| Website | http://www.rapiddiscountonline.co.uk/ |
Rapid Discount Outlet, formally known as Rapid Hardware, is a Liverpool local DIY and home improvement retailing company. The company is run by Martin Doherty and Daniel Doherty (directors) since it opened; [1]
The store has featured on the hit BBC TV seriesThe Apprentice.
History
1971 to 2010
Rapid Hardware was opened in 1971 with one small store on Renshaw Street by its founder Hugh Doherty, and grew to over 200,000 sq ft of retail selling space employing over 300 friendly people. In 2009 Rapid featured on the popularBBC TV Series The ApprenticeAll the candidates from the series had to pitch their ideas to store managers.[2]
In 2010 the retailer relocated to the former George Henry Lee store right in the heart of Liverpool City Centre, this was due to extensive growth of the company. In the new building Rapid greatly expanded its product range to include home and garden, kitchens, lighting, bathrooms, indoor and outdoor furniture and homeware and hardware products, and changed its name to Rapid Discount Outlet, sourcing massive deals and huge discounts from famous manufacturers and passing them onto their ever-growing customer base. The new building is spread over 5 floors totalling some 140.000 sq ft of pure bargain heaven, it also has a 200-seater café so very popular with its customers and is a regular meeting spot for friends and family to gather and socialise while enjoying their favourite foods in air conditioned comfort.
2013 Closure
In February 2013 Rapid hardware went into administration, the administration was handled by "Duff & Phelps" who sent a letter to employees 9 February 2013 informing them about their redundancy.[3] When the company went into administration it owed £2.97m[4]
2013 Reopen and restructure
The store re-opened in the same premises and renamed the company to Rapid Discount Outlet in May 2013. The company gave most of its former employees their jobs back.[5]
2016 - Web success
Liverpool-based Rapid Discount Outlet has taken the top spot in the table of the best performing retail websites in Q3, according to the latest quarterly testing undertaken by digital specialist Sitemorse on the websites of the UK's top 500 retailers.[6]
References
- ↑ "The return of Rapid?". diyweek.net. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ↑ "Liverpool's Rapid Hardware to feature on The Apprentice with Sir Alan Sugar". liverpoolecho.co.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
- ↑ Johnson, Daniel (11 February 2013). "100 staff at Liverpool store Rapid Hardware made redundant". Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ↑ "Liverpool firm Rapid Hardware collapsed owing £3m". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ↑ Hughes, Lorna (11 May 2013). "Rapid Hardware re-opens as Rapid Discount Outlet in Liverpool". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ↑ Davis, Glynn. "Homewares specialist Rapid Discount Outlet operates best retail website in Q3". The retail Bulletin. The retail Bulletin. Retrieved 22 August 2016.