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Gerald Weisfeld

Gerald Weisfeld (17 March 1940 – 13 January 2020) was a British businessman, and the founder of the What Every Woman Wants (WEWW) retail chain, which at one time had 130 stores in the UK.

Weisfeld was born in London to a Jewish family, and left school aged 15 without any qualifications.

Together with his wife Vera, Weisfeld started with one small shop in Glasgow, and grew What Every Woman Wants into 130 stores, before selling the chain in 1990 for £50 million.[2]

In 1990, WEWW was sold to Brown & Jackson, and was later bought by Amber Day, run by Philip Green, and Weisfeld was later acrimoniously dismissed as chairman.[2][3]

Weisfeld had three children with his first wife.[2]

In December 2018, Weisfeld, aged 78 and suffering from dementia, became the first resident of Bothwell Castle Care Home, Glasgow.[4][5]

Weisfeld died on 13 January 2020, aged 79.[6] Vera Weisfeld died from cancer on 4 December 2025, at the age of 87.[7][8]

References

  1. Telegraph Obituaries. Gerald Weisfeld, retail tycoon behind the discount fashion chain What Every Woman Wants – obituary 9 March 2020^
  2. Richard Thomson. Profile: So what's love got to do with it?: The Weisfelds: Business is a powerful glue in the marriage of the couple aiming to turn round Poundstretcher. They talk to Richard Thomson The Independent, 17 April 1994, retrieved 24 November 2019^
  3. Business Blast from the Past: How Vera Weisfeld's success at What Every Woman Wants nearly didn't happen Insider, 27 April 2017, retrieved 24 November 2019^
  4. Isaac Callan. Gerald Weisfeld, founder of What Every Woman Wants, moves into luxury Glasgow care home Glasgow Live, 10 December 2018, retrieved 24 November 2019^
  5. Paul Drury. My husband's dementia is tragic, says fashion tycoon The Times, 13 December 2018, retrieved 24 November 2019^
  6. What Every Woman Wants creator Gerald Weisfeld dies aged 79 after battle with illness www.scotsman.com, 13 January 2020, retrieved 13 January 2020^
  7. Telegraph Obituaries. Vera Weisfeld, co-founder of the What Every Woman Wants fashion chain 9 December 2025^
  8. Vera Weisfeld obituary: founder of What Every Woman Wants The Times, 14 December 2025, retrieved 15 December 2025^