Editing WHSmith (section)

==History==
===Formation===
[[File:WHSmith1.png|thumb|The WHSmith logo until the early 1990s, featuring the then-familiar cube of letters. This was briefly revived on special bags and merchandise to mark the firm's 225th anniversary in 2017.]]
In 1792, [[Henry Walton Smith]] and his wife Anna established the business as a news vendor in Little Grosvenor Street, London.<ref name="history3">{{cite web|url=http://www.whsmithplc.co.uk/about_whsmith/history_of_whsmith/|title=History of WHSmith|work=whsmithplc.co.uk|access-date=3 April 2015}}</ref> After their deaths, the business — valued in 1812 at £1,280 ({{Inflation|UK|1280|1812|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}) — was taken over by their youngest son [[William Henry Smith (1792–1865)|William Henry Smith]], and in 1846 the firm became '''W. H. Smith & Son''' when his only son, also named [[William Henry Smith (1825–1891)|William Henry]], became a partner.<ref name=history1>{{cite journal |author= Richard Cavendish |title= The First W H Smith Railway Bookstall |journal= History Today |volume= 48 |issue= 11 |date= November 1998 |url= https://www.historytoday.com/archive/months-past/first-wh-smith-railway-bookstall |access-date= 2025-05-19 }}</ref> The firm took advantage of the [[History of rail transport in Great Britain#1830–1922: Early development|railway boom]] by opening news-stands on [[railway station]]s, beginning with [[Euston Station|Euston]] in 1848.<ref name=history1/> In 1850, the firm opened depots in [[Birmingham]], [[Manchester]] and [[Liverpool]].<ref>Walbank, Alan. 1960. "Railway Reading."''[[The Book Collector]]''. 9 no.3 (Autumn): 285-291.</ref><ref name=history1/> It also ran a [[lending library|circulating library]] service, from 1860 to 1961, and a publishing business based at the Steam Press, [[Cirencester]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lange |first1=Ernst Philipp K. |title=The madman of St. James', tr. from the Germ. of Philip Galen, by T.H. |date=1861 |publisher=C. H. Clarke |location=London |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G8wNAAAAQAAJ |access-date=27 April 2018 |chapter=W. H. Smith & Son's Subscription Library (advert) |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G8wNAAAAQAAJ&pg=PP3}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |publisher = John Murray |location = London |title = Handbook to London as It Is |date = 1879 |chapter=Circulating and Lending Libraries |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ugEWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA63 }}</ref> The younger W. H. Smith used the success of the firm as a springboard into politics, becoming a [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) in 1868<ref name=history1/> and serving as a minister in several [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] governments.<ref name=history1/>

After the death of W. H. Smith the younger in 1891,<ref>{{cite DNB|last=Maxwell|first=Herbert Eustace|wstitle=Smith, William Henry (1825-1891)|display=Smith, William Henry (1825–1891) |volume=53 |pages=157–160 |short=x}}</ref> his widow was created [[Viscount Hambleden|Viscountess Hambleden]] in her own right;<ref name=history1/> their son inherited the business from his father and the [[viscount]]cy from his mother. After the death of the second Viscount in 1928, the business was reconstituted as a [[limited company]], in which his son, the third Viscount, owned all the ordinary shares.<ref name="history3"/> On the death of the third Viscount in 1948, the death duties were so large that a public holding company had to be formed and shares sold to WH Smith staff and the public.<ref name="history3"/> A younger brother of the third Viscount remained chairman until 1972, but the Smith family's control slipped away, and the last family member left the board in 1996.<ref name="history3"/>

[[File:Horsted keynes station W H Smiths stall.jpg|thumb|Stall on [[Horsted Keynes railway station|Horsted Keynes station]] platform, Sussex, preserved by the [[Bluebell Railway]]]]
[[File:WH Smith, Huntingdon (geograph 3723249).jpg|thumb|right|WHSmith bearing the former logo in Huntingdon, England, in 1986]]
In 1966, WHSmith originated a nine-digit code for uniquely referencing books, called Standard Book Numbering or SBN. It was adopted as international standard [[ISO 2108]] in 1970, and was used until 1974, when it became the [[ISBN]] scheme.<ref name="Book identifier">{{cite web|url=http://www.isbn.org/ISBN_history|title=History|publisher=ISBN|access-date=3 April 2015}}</ref>

===Expansion===
From the 1970s, WHSmith began to expand into other retail sectors. WH Smith Travel operated from 1973<ref name="history3"/> to 1991. The [[Do It All]] chain of DIY shops originated with an acquisition in 1979,<ref name="history3"/> becoming a joint venture with [[Boots UK|Boots]] in 1990;<ref name=history3/> Boots acquired WHSmith's share in June 1996.<ref name=history3/> The bookshop chain [[Waterstone's]], founded by former WHSmith executive [[Tim Waterstone]] in 1982, was bought in 1989<ref name="history3"/> and sold in 1998.<ref name=history3/>

The expanding WHSmith group adopted a new "house style" or corporate identity in 1973, with a new logo and a change of name from W. H. Smith & Son to WHSmith. The new hexagon-shaped logo featured the initials of the group on the sides of a box employing a new orange and brown colour scheme, replacing a logo that had been in use since before 1830. This updated visual identity extended throughout the company's operations, specified by a design manual, covering everything from the appropriate use of the logo in retail environments, through the design of decorative elements on wrapping paper and promotional material, the layout of stationery, labels and forms, and even crockery, also informing the design of staff uniforms and packaging.<ref name="design197309_whsmith">{{ cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/sim_design_1973-09_297/page/24/mode/1up | title=A new face for WH SMITH | magazine=Design | issue=297 | date=September 1973 | access-date=1 March 2022 | pages=24 }}</ref>

In 1986, WHSmith bought a 75% controlling share of the [[Our Price]] music retail chain;<ref name="history3"/> in the 1990s it also bought other music retailers including the [[Virgin Group]]'s smaller (non-[[Virgin Megastore|Megastore]]) shops. The 75% share of Virgin Our Price was sold to Virgin Retail Group Ltd in July 1998 for £145m.<ref name=history3/> WHSmith also owned the American record chain The Wall,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Christman|first=Ed|date=17 May 1997|title=With peluso to exit, The Wall's future remains a question mark|magazine=Billboard|pages=54–55|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pA8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22W+H+Smith%22+%22the+wall%22&pg=PA54}}</ref> which was sold to [[Camelot Music]] in 1998.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hoovers.com/company/WH_Smith_PLC/cyfrif-1-1njhxk.html|title=WHSmith|work=Hoovers|access-date=25 October 2014}}</ref>

In March 1998, the company acquired [[John Menzies]]'s retail outlets for £68m, which for many years had been the main rival to the company's railway-station outlets. This purchase also cleared the way for WHSmith's retail expansion into Scotland. Prior to the takeover, Menzies's larger Scottish shops (carrying a very similar range of products to High Street WHSmith shops elsewhere) dominated the market, and the latter's presence was minimal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_company_file/102800.stm|title=John Menzies takeover gets all-clear|work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=3 April 2015}}</ref>

===Restructuring===
For several years, the company's retail arm had difficulties competing with specialist book and music chains on one side and large supermarkets on the other. This led to poor financial performance, and a takeover bid in 2004 by [[Permira]], which fell through.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stevenson |first1=Rachel |title=Permira drops £940m offer for WH Smith |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/permira-drops-acircpound940m-offer-for-wh-smith-554294.html |access-date=27 April 2018 |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent Digital News and Media Ltd |date=23 July 2004}}</ref> The company reacted to this by disposing of its overseas subsidiaries<ref name=overseas>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3652039.stm|title=WH Smith sells Australia business|work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=3 April 2015}}</ref> and its publishing business [[Hodder Headline]], in order to concentrate on reforming its core businesses.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/wh-smith-sells-hodder-headline-to-french-rival-555290.html|title=The Independent – 404|work=The Independent|access-date=3 April 2015}}</ref>

In August 2006, the company demerged the retail and news distribution arms of the business into two separate companies: WH Smith plc (retail) and [[Smiths News|Smiths News plc]] (newspaper and magazine distribution).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4901924.stm|title=WH Smith unveils separation plan|work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=3 April 2015}}</ref> In September 2010 WHSmith bought [[The Gadget Shop]] from [[The Entertainer (retailer)|The Entertainer]].<ref>[http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/general-merchandise/whsmith-buys-gadget-shop/5016889.article W. H. Smith buys Gadget Shop] ''Retail Week'', 7 September 2010</ref> That year, it also bought online greeting card retailer Funky Pigeon.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Campbell|first1=Lisa|title=W H Smith 'eyeing Clinton Cards stores'|url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/w-h-smith-eyeing-clinton-cards-stores|access-date=23 August 2017|work=The Bookseller|date=11 May 2012}}</ref>

===Since 2011===
[[File:Funky Pigeon.com shop, Leeds railway station (19th July 2014).JPG|thumb|upright|A WHSmith-owned Funky Pigeon shop at [[Leeds railway station]]]]
In April 2011, WHSmith agreed a deal with the legal services provider [[QualitySolicitors]] under which QualitySolicitors would place representatives in up to 500 of its UK branches.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thelawyer.com/qualitysolicitors-to-put-desks-in-500-whsmith-branches/1007577.article|title=QualitySolicitors to put desks in 500 WH Smith branches|access-date=3 May 2012|publisher=The Lawyer|date=7 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/29/business/selling-pieces-of-law-firms-to-investors.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2|title=Selling Pieces of Law Firms to Investors|access-date=3 May 2012|work=The New York Times|date=28 October 2011|first=John|last=Eligon}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/qualitysolicitors-whsmith-tie|title=QualitySolicitors in WH Smith tie-up|access-date=3 May 2012|publisher=Law Society Gazette|date=7 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121122632/http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/qualitysolicitors-whsmith-tie|archive-date=21 January 2012}}</ref> [[Past Times]] went into administration in January 2012, and the brand name was bought by WHSmith in March 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://internetretailing.net/2013/04/past-times-website-taken-down-as-wh-smith-buys-the-brand/|title=Past Times website taken down as WH Smith buys the brand|work=InternetRetailing |date=12 April 2013|publisher=Internet Retailing|access-date=3 April 2015}}</ref>

In October 2013, WHSmith announced that it had bought the [[ModelZone]] brand and would sell products under this brand through existing WHSmith shops.<ref name=WHSmith-profit>{{cite web|last=Holland|first=Tiffany|title=WHSmith reveals full-year profit ahead of expectations|url=http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/general-merchandise/whsmith-full-year-profits-ahead-of-expectations/5053847.article|work=Retail Week|access-date=3 November 2013|date=10 October 2013}}</ref><ref name=WHSmith-Clarke>{{cite web|last=Creevy|first=Jennifer|title=WHSmith boss Steve Clarke: "Our numbers speak for themselves"|url=http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/general-merchandise/whsmith-boss-steve-clarke-our-numbers-speak-for-themselves/5053873.article|work=Retail Week|access-date=3 November 2013|date=10 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="twitter 13/11/13">[https://twitter.com/ModelZone/status/400607584123514880 Tweet by @ModelZone on 13/11/13], ''Twitter''. "9 more to open by 23/11/13 in the following locations- CARDIFF, CROYDON, GATESHEAD METRO, GLASGOW SAUCHIEHALL..."</ref> In October 2014, WHSmith announced as part of its preliminary statement that it was planning on extending its greetings card offering by launching the low-price brand ''Cardmarket'' on a trial basis. According to the statement, these trial shops would be in low rent areas and let to WHSmith under short-term leases.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/oct/16/whsmith-budget-greetings-cards-chain-cardmarket|title=WHSmith to launch standalone budget greetings cards chain|work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London|date=16 October 2014|access-date=3 April 2015}}</ref> The company announced in late 2018 that the trial of Cardmarket would be wound up, with the closure of the Cardmarket stores. This was in addition to the announcement of the closure for at least six WHSmith stores which were deemed economically unviable following a strategic business review.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rigby |first=Chloe |url=https://internetretailing.net/strategy-and-innovation/strategy-and-innovation/wh-smith-reviews-its-high-street-presence-and-closes-six-stores-18545 |title=WH Smith reviews its high street presence, and closes six stores – Strategy and Innovation |date=10 October 2018 |publisher=InternetRetailing |access-date=3 January 2019}}</ref>

Late in 2017, the company purchased Cult Pens, a UK-based online retailer of specialist pens, for an undisclosed amount.<ref>{{cite web |title=WHSmith buys Cult Pens |url=https://www.stationerymatters.news/home/news/whsmith-buys-cult-pens-54371 |website=Stationery Matters|date=31 January 2018 |access-date=4 September 2022}}</ref>

In 2018, WHSmith acquired the brand InMotion, the largest airport-based electronics retailer in the US. InMotion expanded to operate stores within UK airports including [[Heathrow Airport|Heathrow]], [[Manchester Airport|Manchester]] and [[Birmingham Airport|Birmingham]], as well as overseas in Spain and Australia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WH Smith acquires InMotion for USD198m |url=https://www.privateequitywire.co.uk/2018/10/30/269999/wh-smith-acquires-inmotion-usd198m|publisher=Private Equity Wire|date=30 October 2018|access-date=4 September 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231124233056/https://www.privateequitywire.co.uk/wh-smith-acquires-inmotion-usd198m/ |archive-date= Nov 24, 2023 }}</ref>

In July 2020, WHSmith announced more than 150 redundancies at its head office, representing approximately 18% of the head office workforce.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2020/07/150-office-jobs-whsmith-redundancy-consultation-bookstore-books/ |first1= Elias |last1=Jahshan |title=150 office jobs at risk as WH Smith begins redundancy consultations|date=2 July 2020|publisher=Retail Gazette|access-date=6 July 2020}}</ref> In November 2020, the company announced that, after a loss of £280 million, it had decided to close 25 stores in the country, noting that eight stores had been closed in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=WH Smith to close 25 stores after falling to £280m loss|url=https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-covid-19-wh-smith-2020-results-sales-loss-store-closures-081548320.html|access-date=12 November 2020|website= Yahoo Finance UK |first1=Oscar |last1=Williams-Grut |date=12 November 2020 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In August 2020, WHSmith launched a new flagship store in Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport, in collaboration with Well, which features an in-house pharmacy.<ref>{{Cite web|date=30 August 2020|title=WHSmith unveils flagship store at Heathrow T2|url=https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2020/08/30/whsmith-unveils-flagship-store-at-heathrow-t2/|access-date=9 September 2020|website=Business Traveller |first1= Mark |last1=Caswell }}</ref>

WHSmith announced in June 2023 that it would not be opening any more stores on [[High Street]]s in the UK and would instead add stores in airports, railway stations and in the United States and Europe.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 June 2023 |title=WH Smith won't open any more UK High Street stores |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66043903 |first1= Leanna |last1=Byrne |access-date=20 July 2023}}</ref> Also in June, toy retailer [[Toys "R" Us]] announced plans to open nine concessions in WHSmith stores, marking the return of the brand's physical presence in the UK after its own stores closed in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 Jun 2023 |agency= WHP Global  |title=WHSmith Set to Bring Toys"R"Us Back to the High Street for UK Shoppers This Summer |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/whsmith-set-to-bring-toysrus-back-to-the-high-street-for-uk-shoppers-this-summer-301839203.html |access-date=20 July 2023 |website=PR Newswire |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Morgan |first=Aoife |date=1 June 2023 |title=Toys R Us returns to the high street with WHSmith concessions |url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2023/06/toys-r-us-whsmith/ |access-date=20 July 2023 |website=Retail Gazette |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In December 2023, the logo was changed as part of a rebranding trial. The changed stores, which included those in [[York]], [[Canterbury]] and [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], dropped the word "Smith" in favour of "WHS".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Lucy |date=24 December 2023 |title=Kent WHSmith store changes logo - but people 'mistaking it for NHS' |url=https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/shopping/kent-whsmith-store-changes-logo-8996635 |website=Kent Live |url-status=live |archive-url= https://archive.today/20240207223240/https://www.kentlive.news/whats-on/shopping/kent-whsmith-store-changes-logo-8996635 |archive-date= 7 February 2024 }}</ref>

=== TGJones sell-off ===
{{main|TGJones}}
In January 2025, WHSmith was reported to be in talks to sell its high street business, with around 500 stores and the partnership with Toys "R" Us. The more profitable travel retail business (which has shops in railway stations, airports, ports, hospitals and on motorways), the brand and Funky Pigeon would be unaffected by this.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kleinman |first=Mark |date=25 January 2025 |title=WH Smith in secret talks to sell historic high street arm |url=https://news.sky.com/story/wh-smith-in-secret-talks-to-sell-historic-high-street-arm-13295955 |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Sky News |language=en}}</ref> The company said that, in the previous financial year, it had derived 85% of its revenues from its travel operations.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Sweney |first=Mark |date=2025-03-28 |title=WH Smith name to disappear from high street in agreed £76m sale to Modella |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/28/wh-smith-brand-to-disappear-as-76m-sale-of-stores-to-modella-agreed |access-date=2025-03-28 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

In March 2025, WHSmith announced that it was selling its high street business to Modella Capital. The stores are expected to be rebranded to [[TGJones]], whilst the current operator retains the WHSmith brand for its travel business.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Georgia |date=2025-03-28 |title=WHSmith sells UK high street arm for £76m to Modella Capital - Retail Gazette |url=https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2025/03/whsmith-sells-high-street/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |language=en-GB}}</ref> Following concerns from the [[Communication Workers Union (United Kingdom)|Communication Workers Union]] (CWU), representing [[Post Office Limited|Post Office]] and [[Royal Mail]] staff, that the sale may cause "postal deserts" given the large proportion of branches inside WHSmith stores, Modella insist they plan to make few changes, retaining Post Offices and Toys "R" Us sections within shops.<ref name=":0" />