Bargains Galore at Discount Designer store

Bargains galore at discount designer store

By Bill Gibb

(The Sunday Post April 24, 2011)

Scots shoppers are set to flock to a new Edinburgh store this week to snap up suits for just £8.53 instead of £150.

They’ll also nab designer label shirts from £2.86 rather than £40 and iPod Nanos for £20.16 instead of £100 at the BigOffers Discount Warehouse.

And one of the Scots entrepreneurs behind the cash and carry has revealed that it all came about as a result of a chat over a curry.

Edinburgh-based Shaf Rasul, one of the Dragons from the online version of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den (who has a personal fortune estimated at £80 million) and pal Duncan Sutherland reckon they can revolutionise our shopping habits.

“Duncan is the ultimate retailer,” says Shaf. “He’s been with the likes of M&S and Matalan, was headhunted as CEO of Moss Bros then created the B2 chain before selling that to Tom Hunter.

“He basically retired but we went out for a curry one night and decided he missed retailing.

“My company distributes to all of the big retailers throughout Europe, so we hit on this idea of starting a business with Duncan taking the stock directly from me and cutting out all the middlemen.”

Calvin Klein designer underwear retailing at £90 going for £2.86, Doc Martens for £4.96 and £20 Disney rucksacks for 99p are among the bargains that look set to lead to huge queues at the 60,000 square-foot warehouse in Newbridge on Thursday morning.

“There’s no chain of people involved and no associated transport costs but even those in the business can’t believe the prices we’re offering,” admits Shaf.

“But we know what we’re doing and, with the toughest economic climate for decades, we know people are desperate for good deals.

“We’re already thinking ahead to rolling this out and opening a national chain.”