Meet Henry Curry, who began making bicycles to earn an income to support his family and went on to found Curry's PC World. James Wilkinson sold household goods in a quiet neighbourhood street in Leicester, and always offered a fair deal. He founded the Wilko's chain of retail stores. Thomas Cook was a Baptist preacher strongly opposed to alcohol. He organised the first-ever rail excursion to take workers away to an alcohol-free event in Loughborough, from which the worldwide Thomas Cook travel empire developed. George Davies was a buyer of stockings and tights for Littlewoods Stores who launched Next before creating his own company, George, currently retailing through ASDA.

This book is a celebration of the people who, through self-belief and determination created the multi-million-pound retail businesses we use every day.