Chris Dawson has been described as “Plymouth’s deluxe Del Boy”, a reference to a past career that included market trading, motorbike racing and auctioneering. He opened the first CDS superstore, branded The Range Home & Leisure, in 1989. There are now 18 stores in southern England and Wales, each selling 70,000 different products at knockdown prices. The company plans to open seven more this year. Its profits have grown 51% a year from £1.7m in 2001 to £6m in 2004.