When Vernon became ill and the store's business deteriorated, Richard stepped in to help, but decided to close the store and instead invested in a new concept he had seen in America, a DIY superstore. Named Dodge City “for a special reason”, the first store opened in Glasgow in 1974, with smaller high street stores providing competition in their own right. The large initial costs were all covered by bank loans, and business went from strength to strength, even though Northcott was not keen on his DIY hobby.
Eventually there were more than 30 Dodge City stores on suburban lots with expansive parking lots, and he was able to sell the chain to Woolworths in 1981. It was rebranded as part of B&Q, which was also recently acquired by Woolworths from its founders.
Northcott went on to invest in Select, a London modeling agency with a high glamor quotient, and started a furniture store group, Brown Bear, which he sold to jeweler Gerald Ratner, who promptly sold it. He handed it over to Carpet King Phil (later Lord Lord). ) Harris.
After a six-year adventure in Los Angeles that was “a bit like the Wild West,” Northcott returned to buy agricultural land on the Hampshire-Sussex border and build an American-established pet supplies warehouse. He became chairman of the Pet City chain. He is a former Dodge City manager.
When the business was sold in 1996 to an American buyer for £150m, he decided to pool another stash of money and invest in the business of jeweler Theo Fennell, whom he had met at a golf event. With stores from Dubai to Marbella, we've created a luxury international brand with a loyal following among celebrities and wealthy Asian shoppers.
In later years he was a partner in a number of pub ventures and VQ, a 24-hour brasserie chain in London.
Richard Northcott married Kirsten Rand, the daughter of a Canadian shipping magnate, in 1985, but she eventually broke up with him and went on to marry former cricketer Mark Nicholas. He is survived by three sons with Kirsten and his late partner Joanna Karpiers.
Richard Northcott, born September 24, 1946, died January 7, 2024
