NEW
YORK, Aug. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Unified Commerce Group (UCG) announces the expansion of its
portfolio with the acquisition of substantially all assets of
GREATS Inc., a digitally-native footwear brand specializing in
premium sneakers for men and women, as well as a strategic
investment in Utah-based
womenswear retailer Böhme.
Unified Commerce Group was founded in 2019 as a platform to
enable purpose-driven lifestyle brands to scale through shared
services, anchored by data-driven customer insights and operational
excellence. GREATS becomes the third brand in UCG's portfolio, in
addition to Canadian fashion brand Frank And Oak, and LA-based
athleisure brand Spiritual Gangster.
GREATS Inc. was previously owned by Steven Madden, Ltd. (Nasdaq: SHOO), the globally
renowned leading designer and marketer of fashion-forward footwear,
accessories and apparel. Unified Commerce Group will assume
operational responsibility and, as part of the deal, Steven Madden, Ltd., through one of its
subsidiaries, will become a shareholder of UCG.
"GREATS pioneered the direct-to-consumer model in footwear, and
continues to delight its customers with high-quality, beautiful
fashion sneakers" says Dustin Jones,
CEO and Founder of Unified Commerce Group, "We have admired the
brand for a long time, and the clear synergies with our existing
apparel brands, along with its valuable customer base presents an
excellent opportunity to leverage our operational expertise to
drive further scale."
Edward Rosenfeld, Chairman and
CEO of Steven Madden, Ltd., said "We
have known Dustin and his team for a number of years, and are very
confident that GREATS will find a strong strategic fit with the
fast-growing portfolio of brands at UCG."
With the recent acquisition of GREATS and investment in Böhme,
the UCG shared services platform- UCG Hub- is now providing
operational support, leadership and strategy to four brands, which
each have growing direct-to-consumer eCommerce businesses, and a
combined footprint of 30+ retail stores and 200+ wholesale
partners.
About GREATS
Founded in 2014, GREATS is the first
sneaker brand born in Brooklyn. A
pioneer in direct-to-consumer footwear, GREATS is well known for
its timeless yet aspirational and versatile styles. A favorite of
Hollywood A-listers, the brand has become synonymous with high
quality footwear at an exceptional price/value proposition for
today's consumer. For more information, visit www.greats.com.
About Unified Commerce Group
Unified Commerce Group
(UCG) is a platform for the next generation of retail brands. UCG
was founded by Dustin Jones with a
mission to unlock growth opportunities for high-potential retail
brands through expansion into new markets and customer-centric
omni-channel capabilities. As owner and operator of Frank And Oak
and Spiritual Gangster, UCG has implemented operational overhauls
to scale the brands in a new multi-channel retail environment.
Powered by a proprietary tech and data management engine, UCG
offers new and established brands a platform to achieve scale by
implementing best-in-class store and digital operations, accessing
new global markets, and tapping into a world-class partner network.
For more information, please visit UnifiedCommerceGroup.com.
About Böhme
Böhme was founded by Vivien and Fernanda
Böhme, two sisters from Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil who moved to Utah as
young girls. Since opening Böhme in 2006, the brand has become one
of the most beloved womenswear retailers in the Mountain West, and
has expanded to 14 stores in Utah,
Idaho, Montana and Arizona, as well as a successful online
presence.
Media Contact: Elisabeth de Gramont
elisabeth@unifiedcommercegroup.com
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SOURCE Unified Commerce Group