Gerald Weisfeld

{{Short description|British businessman (1940–2020)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Gerald Weisfeld

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1940|3|17|df=y}}[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2020/03/09/gerald-weisfeld-retail-tycoon-behind-discount-fashion-chain/ Gerald Weisfeld, retail tycoon behind the discount fashion chain What Every Woman Wants – obituary]

| birth_place = London, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|01|13|1940|3|17|df=yes}}

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| occupation = Businessman

| known for = {{Nowrap|Founder, What Every Woman Wants}}

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| spouse = Vera Weisfeld

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| children = 3

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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.{{cite news |last1=Thomson |first1=Richard |title=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 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/profile-so-whats-love-got-to-do-with-it-the-weisfelds-business-is-a-powerful-glue-in-the-marriage-of-1370639.html |accessdate=24 November 2019 |work=The Independent |date=17 April 1994}}

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.{{cite news |title=Business Blast from the Past: How Vera Weisfeld's success at What Every Woman Wants nearly didn't happen |url=https://www.insider.co.uk/news/business-blast-past-how-vera-10305971 |accessdate=24 November 2019 |work=Insider |date=27 April 2017}}

Weisfeld had three children with his first wife.

In December 2018, Weisfeld, aged 78 and suffering from dementia, became the first resident of Bothwell Castle Care Home, Glasgow.{{cite news |last1=Callan |first1=Isaac |title=Gerald Weisfeld, founder of What Every Woman Wants, moves into luxury Glasgow care home |url=https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/gerald-weisfeld-founder-what-every-15530073 |accessdate=24 November 2019 |work=Glasgow Live |date=10 December 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Drury |first1=Paul |title=My husband's dementia is tragic, says fashion tycoon |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/my-husband-s-dementia-is-tragic-says-fashion-tycoon-5zccdt66v |access-date=24 November 2019 |work=The Times |date=13 December 2018}}

On 13 January 2020, Weisfeld died at age 79.{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/people/what-every-woman-wants-creator-gerald-weisfeld-dies-aged-79-after-battle-with-illness-1-5074052|title=What Every Woman Wants creator Gerald Weisfeld dies aged 79 after battle with illness|website=www.scotsman.com|date=13 January 2020 |accessdate=13 January 2020}}