Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Lifestyle
Freddie Bennett & Lucy Farrell

B&M shoppers are just learning what name stands for - and even store boss 'didn't know'

B&M is one of the largest value stores in the UK, with thousands of branches scattered across the country. Their large Warehouse walls are stacked with an enormous selection of home items, foods, DIY tools and much more - all at discounted prices.

But have you ever wondered what the retailer's initials actually stand for? There are 77 B&M locations in Scotland alone and the household name has been ingrained into peoples' memories.

This means we don't really give them a second thought, but there's an interesting story surrounding the chain's name and its meaning. Some big brand names like to go with titles that are completely unique, while others like to incorporate some business history into their monikers - and B&M falls into the latter group, the Mirror reports.

You might be initially thinking that the name stands for Bargains & More, which makes sense considering the chain's low prices. But the true meaning of B&M lies with its original founders.

The current billionaire CEO of the store recently stated that he was not even sure what the name stood for but was told it was Bargains & More. As it turns out though, the actual name stands for Billington & Mayman, after the founder of the chain Malcolm Billington and Mayman, a partner in the store.

The discount superstore is full of stock at bargain prices (Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)

The store was initially founded in 1978 but it did not get off to the best of starts. But when their current owner, Cambridge law graduate Simon Arora, bought them in 2004, he turned it into a huge chain worth billions.

In 2018, Mr Arora announced his intentions to make B&M the equivalent of Aldi and Lidl in the home store world - he wanted to make them a staple chain for anyone's furniture needs.

This is not the only time in recent weeks when a store has had its true name uncovered. ASOS is another which has quite the story behind its own name.

Unlike B&M, ASOS does not relate to the founders of the huge online store but to their original selling point which was that they sold clothes As Seen On Screen, so people could look like the celebrities they saw on the tele.

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here .

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.