Thorn EMI arm seeks shop to drive its UK expansion

The Thorn EMI “rent-to-buy” retail chain Crazy George’s is seeking an agency to handle its entry into the UK market.

At present, it has just six stores in the UK but it is opening two more next month and hopes to have a further 20 within the next 12 months.

Its first-year budget is described as “moderate” with a promise of a second-year quadrupling as the chain starts to develop.

The existing sites are seen as test formats in the UK and if successful Thorn EMI will invest in its further development. It has 1,500 Rent-A-Center outlets in the US which are seen as the model for the chain and the basis of its “flexible financing” strategy which is also being extended to the UK.

Crazy George’s is understood to be drawing up a long list of eight agency candidates before trimming the list to four. Both above and below-the-line agencies are understood to have been contacted.