The rise of kids stationery chain Smiggle

Brightly coloured children’s stationery chain Smiggle, the profit powerhouse ready to roll into Europe, has grown rapidly in just 14 years.

* The first Smiggle store opened in Melbourne by founders Stephen Meurs and Peter Pausewang in 2003

* Apparel retailer the Just Group, the company behind Just Jeans, bought Smiggle in 2007.

* Solomon Lew’s company Premier Investments bought the Just Group in 2008 and at the time, Smiggle was making $19 million from 35 stores.

* In that same year, Smiggle opened its first New Zealand store.

* Smiggle expanded into Singapore in 2011, then in the UK in 2014, followed by Malaysia and Hong Kong in 2016.

* It now has 300 stores across Australia and overseas and in the 2017 financial year, made $238.9 million in sales.

* Premier plans to expand Smiggle into the Netherlands and Belgium in 2018.

Original article can be found here.