SOUTH AFRICAN INDEX
THE PEOPLE SHAPING SOUTH AFRICA
Menu
Business · Living

Laurie Chiappini

Retail founder

By South African Index Editorial Desk · Published · Updated · Last reviewed

Archival photograph of Mr Price co-founders Stewart Cohen and Laurie Chiappini.
Portrait: Mr Price Group; photographer not credited · Source. Resized and converted to WebP for this site.

Laurie Chiappini co-founded Mr Price with Stewart Cohen. Their first Mr Price Factory Shop opened in Klerksdorp in 1985. [1][2]

Biography

Chiappini and Cohen met in 1979 while working at separate clothing retailers. Mr Price’s company history says they developed a common vision for a different kind of value retailer. [1]

The two opened the first Mr Price Factory Shop in Klerksdorp in 1985 and expanded from that base. [1][2]

They acquired control of the group from BOE in 1991. Mr Price’s later integrated reporting identifies both men as founders and links the group’s culture to the operating principles established by them. [2]

The 2026 governance report continues to recognise Chiappini and Cohen as the group’s co-founders. That historical title does not establish a current executive appointment or personal voting majority. [5]

The two founders’ anniversary message emphasises trust, communication and recognition. It describes the culture they sought to create for employees as partners in the retail business. [3]

Key contributions

Co-founded Mr Price and helped establish its value-retail model. [1]

Acquired control of the group with Stewart Cohen in 1991. [2]

Life and career timeline

  1. Met Stewart Cohen and began developing the retail concept. [1]

  2. Opened the first Mr Price Factory Shop in Klerksdorp. [1]

  3. Acquired control of the group from BOE with Cohen. [2]

Frequently asked questions

Did Laurie Chiappini found Mr Price?

Yes. The company identifies Laurie Chiappini and Stewart Cohen as the two founders of the retail concept. [4]

Does a founder title establish current ownership control?

No. A historical founding role is different from equity ownership, voting rights and an executive or board appointment. [5]

Related people

  • Stewart Cohen — South African retailer who co-founded Mr Price with Laurie Chiappini and opened the first Mr Price Factory Shop in 1985.

Associated organisations

Related research

Sources

  1. Mr Price Group, The Mr Price Story: 40th Birthday. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-25. ↩
  2. Mr Price Group, Integrated Report 2021, 2021-04-03. Original source. Accessed 2026-09-25. ↩
  3. Mr Price Group, The Mr Price Story: the founders and the first factory store. Original source. Accessed 2026-10-14. ↩
  4. Mr Price Group, Integrated Report 2021: history and the 1991 control milestone. Original source. Accessed 2026-10-14. ↩
  5. Mr Price Group, Governance Report 2026: Cohen’s August 2025 retirement and board responsibilities. Original source. Accessed 2026-10-14. ↩