From humble beginnings(01 of06)
Open Image ModalFounder Steve Smith, 52, now a millionaire (pictured), hasn't always had it so good. The self-made businessman, who used to sleep in a box under his parents' stall, started his own company, known now as 'Poundland', selling assorted items for a low, fixed price on a Bilston market in the West Midlands.
Smiths' firm began with a £50,000 startup loan, borrowed from his parents in 1990, which was later to be paid back five hundred-times-fold. (credit:FlameFlynet.Uk.Com)
Baby steps(02 of06)
Open Image ModalHe opened his first store at just age 18 in Burton upon Trent, a success which paved the way for a succession of others -- 13 in total within just two years of Smiths' first cash injection.
Despite financial difficulties, including heavy profit losses following a 12,000-meter squared warehouse-building investment and high levels of stock theft, Smith steered the business to recovery and continued to expand store numbers. (credit:Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
International investment(03 of06)
Open Image ModalIn 1996, a Hong Kong office opened to support the UK operation, to capitalise on cheap product sourcing. It gave a much need injection to the company's trade, and caused the business' value to soar. It was worth £50 million to Smith when he finally sold it on in 2002. His parents received their £50,000 starter injection back, along with a cool £24.95 million
Just a year later, amidst the chain's insurgent popularity, 'Poundland' celebrated the opening of its 100th store in the West Midlands suburb of Shirley. (credit:didbygraham/Flickr)
Slow and steady(04 of06)
Open Image ModalOver the next six years, Poundland built a new 300,000 square foot distribution centre, and had a new CEO, Jim McCarthy (pictured), appointed.
Both were touted as sustaining growth that led the firm into an incredibly successful next few years.
The boom years(05 of06)
Open Image Modal'Poundland' was famed for being one of few high-street companies to weather the storm precipitated by 2008/09's global financial crisis. Though thrifty consumers' spending rates slowed, low, fixed-price shops were all the range, and managed to maintain healthy profits.
By 2010, when most business were only just beginning to recover, Poundland heralded success with the opening of its 300th story in the south west market town of Cirencester. (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
2015: The year of the Poundland(06 of06)
Open Image ModalThis year the company reported a turnover of over £1 billion for the first time, stocked 3,500 products - including branching out into the adult sex toys market - and served 5.5 million customers across the country every week.
In August, competition regulators provisionally cleared the comapny's takeover of fierce rivals '99p Stores Limited', paving the way for Poundland to further its success, and embed itself as an iconic feature on the landscape of Britain's high-street. (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)