Subscribe to Smart Business Dealmakers
January 12, 2024
Giant Oil Acquires American Natural Retail
American Natural Retail has been sold to Giant Oil, according to an announcement by Cleopatra Resources. The acquisition includes 11 convenience stores, and an additional two company-operated retail...
By Staff Reports
January 12, 2024
First Insight Acquires SnapRetail
First Insight, Inc., a global leader in Voice of the Customer (VoC) retail solutions, recently announced its acquisition of SnapRetail, a Pittsburgh-based, digital marketing platform aimed at boosting...
By Staff Reports
January 5, 2024
Society Brands Acquires Akron-Based Primal Life Organics
Society Brands, a tech-enabled consumer products company built for and by founders, has partnered with fellow Northeast Ohio-based Primal Life Organics, an established purveyor of personal care...
By Staff Reports
June 23, 2023
Cindy Monroe On Using Networking To Find The Right Partner For Thirty-One
Thirty-One Gifts founder Cindy Monroe took on a growth equity partner in Kanbrick, the investment firm led by former Warren Buffett deputy Tracy Britt Cool and Brian Humphrey, in July 2020. While she...
By Adam Burroughs
June 23, 2023
Exiting Is A Juggling Act For Owners
After a stint practicing law, Ron Cundy decided, during the depths of the Great Recession, to start a company. He and a partner launched recteq, a business that made grills, but couldn't get a product...
By Adam Burroughs
June 2, 2023
Diebold Nixdorf Files for Bankruptcy
Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated announced it has entered into a restructuring support agreement with certain of its key financial stakeholders to effectuate a comprehensive debt restructuring...
By Dan Pender
March 3, 2023
Pet Supplies Plus Acquires 20 Loyal Companion Pet Stores
Pet Supplies Plus, the largest independent pet retailer in North America with over 660 stores in 41 states, and Wag N' Wash, the emerging grooming, self-wash, and natural pet food franchise, are...
By Dan Pender
February 24, 2023
DICK’S Sporting Goods Acquires Moosejaw
DICK'S Sporting Goods announced it agreed to acquire leading outdoor retailer Moosejaw from Walmart. The acquisition will expand DICK'S outdoor portfolio – currently led by its specialty retailer,...
By Dan Pender
February 17, 2023
Columbus’ DSW Acquires Keds
Wolverine World Wide, Inc., which operates one of the world’s largest portfolios of lifestyle and footwear brands, announced it has sold the Keds brand to Designer Brands, Inc., the parent company of...
By Dan Pender
July 15, 2020
Thirty-One Gifts Gets Growth Capital From Kanbrick
Thirty-One Gifts founder Cindy Monroe has taken on a growth equity partner in Kanbrick, the investment firm led by former Waren Buffett deputy Tracy Britt Cool and Brian Humphrey. Terms were not disclosed.v...
By Michael Marzec
May 15, 2020
UNFI’s Retail Accounting Services Division sold
FMS Solutions Inc. has agreed to acquire United Natural Foods Inc.’s Retail Accounting Services Division, where retail accounting teams in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Anniston, Alabama, Champaign, Illinois, and Hopkins, Minnesota, will become FMS subsidiaries....
By Jayne Gest
May 5, 2020
University Corners Retail Center Bought By Konover South In $3M Deal
A loan in the amount of $2.3 million was provided by KS Lending Corp., a Konover South company, and the center was acquired through Ten-X Commercial....
By Mark Scott
May 4, 2020
L Brands to spin out Victoria’s Secret after deal terminates
L Brands Inc. has agreed to allow Sycamore Partners to terminate its deal to buy Victoria’s Secret. The company plans to establish Bath & Body Works as a pure-play public company and prepare the Victoria’s Secret Lingerie, Victoria’s Secret Beauty and PINK businesses to operate as a separate, standalone company....
By Jayne Gest
April 22, 2020
Sycamore Partners wants to cancel pending Victoria’s Secret sale
Sycamore Partners has delivered notice to L Brands Inc. purporting to terminate the transaction agreement relating to the sale of a 55 percent interest in Victoria’s Secret Lingerie, Victoria’s Secret Beauty and PINK....
By Jayne Gest
March 20, 2020
Levin Furniture deal is reportedly off
Pittsburgh-based Levin Furniture former President and owner Robert Levin’s agreement to come out of retirement to save the company has reportedly been called off....
By Jayne Gest
March 6, 2020
Ancora, NY-Based Macellum Takes 11 Percent Stake In Big Lots, Calls For New Board
Citing a number of strategic mistakes, an investor group has issued an open letter to shareholders of Columbus-based retailer Big Lots Inc. calling for a new board that it believes can maximize and return shareholder value....
By Mark Scott
March 2, 2020
B’laster Corp. Buys MI-Based Armor Protective Packaging
As a result of this acquisition, B’laster is now the manufacturer and retail distributor of Metal Rescue products. The company began manufacturing the product line in its Valley View plant in late February....
By Mark Scott
February 20, 2020
Victoria’s Secret, Pink to be sold to Sycamore Partners
L Brands Inc. plans to position Bath & Body Works as a standalone public company, separating Victoria’s Secret Lingerie, Victoria’s Secret Beauty and PINK into a privately-held entity. New York PE firm Sycamore Partners will purchase a 55 percent majority interest for approximately $525 million. Les Wexner will step down and become chairman emeritus of L Brands....
By Jayne Gest
February 5, 2020
Michael Feuer: Buy It, Build It, Or Forget It?
It’s not how big you make it, it’s how you make it big, says Michael Feuer...
By Michael Feuer
January 21, 2020
The Shops at Worthington Place has a new owner
Dallas Investment company Direct Retail Partners has purchased The Shops at Worthington Place for a reported $19.8 million....
By Jayne Gest
December 30, 2019
American Freight to be sold to Franchise Group
Franchise Group Inc. has agreed to acquire American Freight Group Inc., a Delaware, Ohio-based provider of furniture, mattresses and home accessories, in an all cash transaction for approximately $450 million from an affiliate of New York PE firm The Jordan Company L.P. and other stockholders of American Freight....
By Jayne Gest
December 23, 2019
Sears Parent Company Sells DieHard Brand For $200M
Advance Auto Parts Inc. has acquired the DieHard brand from Sears parent company Transform Holdco LLC for $200 million utilizing cash on hand....
By Mark Scott
December 3, 2019
How Maxine Clark Financed Build-A-Bear
Build-A-Bear Workshop founder Maxine Clark talks about how she raised the capital — both financial and intellectual — to grow the retail chain and eventually take it public....
By Adam Burroughs
December 2, 2019
Washington Prime Group purchases former Elder Beerman site at Dayton Mall
Washington Prime Group Inc. has purchased from a non-retailer the former Elder Beerman (Bon-Ton Stores) site at Dayton Mall. The company plans to redevelop the 15-acre site, which includes a two-story, approximately 200,000 square foot retail building....
By Jayne Gest
November 26, 2019
Nicole Crafts to shutter A.C. Moore retail stores
Nicole Crafts is exiting its retail operations and will close its A.C. Moore stores as part of a broader strategic plan....
By Adam Burroughs
November 19, 2019
Kinzie Capital Partners Buys Colony Display
Founded in 1983 by Jerry Zich and Kent West, Colony provides highly customized fixtures and displays servicing the home improvement, retail and hospitality industries. The company will continue to be led by CEO Chuck Zich....
By Mark Scott
November 17, 2019
Croton Holding’s Par Mar buys Mountaineer Marts
Par Mar Convenience Stores has reached a deal to acquire Mountaineer Marts, a 17-store chain based in Buckhannon, West Virginia, CStore Decisions reports. Pittsburgh-based Croton Holding Co. owns Par Mar Oil Co. and its operating division, Par Mar Stores....
By Jayne Gest
November 12, 2019
Longaberger intellectual property sold
Xcel Brands Inc. and Chicago-based Hilco Global have acquired the intellectual property of Longaberger. Xcel Brands, a media and consumer products company, will manage the American heritage home and collectibles brand out of its New York City headquarters going forward....
By Jayne Gest
November 12, 2019
Loop raises $10M Series A round
Loop, the Columbus e-commerce SaaS platform, has closed a $10 million Series A funding round. The funding will allow Loop to strengthen its proprietary technology, which focuses on automating a customer’s return service, and help the company further expand....
By Jayne Gest
November 6, 2019
David’s Bridal recapitalizes
David’s Bridal Inc. has received firm commitments for $55 million of new capital from existing lenders to fund growth investments....
By Adam Burroughs
November 1, 2019
Big Lots sells California distribution center
Big Lots Inc. completed the sale of its distribution center in Rancho Cucamonga, California, for $191 million. The facility was sold as a result of the company’s move to a new distribution center in Apple Valley, California....
By Jayne Gest
October 10, 2019
These sisters roll up their sleeves for the nitty gritty hard work of growing The W Nail Bar
Manda Mason and Lauren Hunter share the story behind their rapidly growing nail salon business, which includes a unique store-within-a-store partnership deal with DSW....
By Jayne Gest
October 3, 2019
Serial Entrepreneur Dan Pries On Financial Vs Strategic Buyers
Serial entrepreneur Dan Pries, who is currently running OptivityX, talks about selling businesses and what he’s learned about the differences in strategic and financial buyers....
By Adam Burroughs
September 30, 2019
Tecum invests in Ace Hardware franchisee
Tecum Capital Partners has invested in The Helpful Hardware Co., an Ace Hardware franchisee. Tecum provided subordinated debt and equity to support Maryland-based JPB Partners’ acquisition. HHC is poised for continued growth given management’s deep experience and proven strategy in acquiring and continuously enhancing locations....
By Jayne Gest
September 30, 2019
DICK’s to sell eight locations
Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings Inc. has agreed to acquire eight Field & Stream locations from DICK’S Sporting Goods Inc. for $28 million. The deal is consistent with Sportsman’s strategy to return to a more typical store growth pattern, following investment in omni-channel capabilities, technology and debt reduction over the last two years....
By Jayne Gest
September 26, 2019
Radius sold to Texas technology company
TRUNO, a national provider of integrated retail technology solutions, intends to buy Columbus-headquartered Radius Solutions, in a strategic acquisition that comes as a part of the technology partner’s continuing expansion across the country....
By Jayne Gest
September 19, 2019
Taubman Centers Completes $300M Sale Of South Korean Shopping Center
Starfield Hanam is the largest Western-style shopping center in South Korea at nearly 1.7 million square feet....
By Mark Scott
September 17, 2019
MPE Partners invests in Arizona Shower Doors
Arizona will partner with MPE's existing portfolio company, DreamLine, a distributor of shower related products....
By Adam Burroughs
August 29, 2019
Abercrombie & Fitch reports dividend, repurchases shares
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.’s board has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share on its Class A common stock. It also repurchased 3.5 million shares during the second quarter....
By Jayne Gest
August 29, 2019
Designer Brands reports dividend
The board of Designer Brands Inc., one of North America’s largest designers, producers and retailers of footwear and accessories, declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share....
By Jayne Gest
August 28, 2019
True North Energy buys Schmuckal Oil
Brecksville, Ohio-based True North Energy LLC has closed on the purchase of 25 convenience retailing and petroleum marketing assets from Schmuckal Oil Co. and its affiliates in the Traverse City, Mich., market....
By Adam Burroughs
July 11, 2019
TravelCenters of America backs QuikQ
TravelCenters of America LLC has provided a strategic investment in QuikQ LLC, an independent full-service fuel payment solutions provider founded in 2008....
By Adam Burroughs
July 11, 2019
American Eagle authorizes 30M more shares for repurchase
American Eagle Outfitters Inc.’s board has authorized an additional 30 million shares for repurchase through Feb. 3, 2024. This brings the shares available for purchase under the company’s publicly announced share repurchase authorizations, as of July 10, 2019, to approximately 37.4 million....
By Jayne Gest
June 26, 2019
StockX Attains Unicorn Status After Record Michigan VC Raise
The company also hired eBay executive Scott Cutler as its new CEO, succeeding co-founder Josh Luber, who will continue to serve on the executive leadership team and board....
By Mark Scott
June 19, 2019
Capital One buys Detroit online luxury retailer Jewel
The bank holding company says the acquisition of the online luxury retailer will add to its efforts to develop tools that help customers make smarter financial decisions....
By Jayne Gest
June 18, 2019
Crate and Barrel Buys Hudson Grace
Founded in 2012 by veteran retailers Monelle Totah and Gary McNatton, Hudson Grace is known for modern tabletop and entertaining products evoking the coastal California lifestyle....
By Mark Scott
May 13, 2019
British retailer to buy Certified Oil convenience stores, gas stations
EG Group will acquire Certified Oil and its 69 convenience stores and gas stations. The transaction will be an important step in building out the U.K.-based company's U.S. strategy....
By Jayne Gest
May 13, 2019
Embattled Bed Bath & Beyond CEO steps down
In the ongoing battle between activist investors, including Cleveland's Ancora, and Bed Bath & Beyond, the retailer's CEO has stepped down and been replaced by board member Mary Winston....
By Adam Burroughs
May 10, 2019
Investors file suit against Bed Bath & Beyond in federal court
The investors vs. Bed Bath & Beyond saga continues as Legion Partners Holdings, one in a group of activist investors that includes Cleveland’s Ancora Advisors LLC, has filed a lawsuit against the retailer alleging it is subverting the rights of shareholders in the fight over the constitution of its board....
By Adam Burroughs
May 3, 2019
Streetsboro Crossing shopping center changes hands
Streetsboro Crossing shopping center has been sold by New York-based Brixmor Property Group Inc. to an affiliate of Pine Tree LLC. Terms of the acquisition were not announced....
By Adam Burroughs
