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Giftware company About Face Designs has entered into an agreement to sell its intellectual property and other assets to Michael Barr, owner of Barrco Consumer Products, Inc, parent company of Funatic. The transaction brings together two brands in the gift industry known for their funny and pop-culture inspired gifts.
The sale was finalized today, Dec. 1, 2023, and the new About Face Designs will relaunch Jan. 1, 2024. The transaction includes the purchase of the brand and its intellectual property and does not include any inventory or staff. The About Face Designs brand will remain intact and will continue to be marketed independently with the goal of continued growth and expansion.
Robert Ricciardi, the owner and president of About Face Designs who is retiring, said: “We are thrilled that About Face Designs will live on under Mike’s ownership and we’re excited to watch the brand evolve under creative new leadership.”
New owner Barr said that he will continue to develop the About Face Designs brand, adding his own spin with new creative and new offerings.
“I’ve been a huge fan of About Face Designs for years, and their products align beautifully with our mission of bringing funny on-trend gifts to independent and specialty gift retailers nationwide,” he said. “I’m looking forward to building on the strong foundation that Bob has built over the last 25 years.”
The new team plans to curate and streamline About Face Designs’ existing categories, expand into new trending categories, and introduce new designs while maintaining the same humor and irreverence that their customers have come to expect. As part of the acquisition, several administrative and creative positions will be added.
About Face Designs will continue to be represented by Darrah & Co in the Southeast (Atlanta) and Anne McGilvray & Co in the Pacific Northwest and West (Las Vegas Market Center). Anne McGilvray & Co. will also begin representing About Face Designs in TOLA from their stunning new showroom in the Dallas Market Center, and in the Midwest from their Minneapolis showroom. Sales rep agency Just Got 2 Have It will represent the relaunched About Face Designs in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, with Cornblatt & Associates representing the line in Maryland, Delaware and D.C. About Face Designs will continue to be available through Faire, as well.
About Face Designs was founded in 1998 in Highland Park, Ill., and has seen consistent growth in its 25 years of business. The brand included 2,800 unique products with fresh and funny statements that appealed to a wide variety of consumers.
Since 2016, Funatic has been selling products that its leadership team say are made to “inspire people to find moments of humor and happiness in their everyday lives.” The company’s range of on-trend and pop-culture inspired products appeal to men and women of all ages, and includes socks, stickers, tea towels, and a recently introduced line of 40-oz Handle Mugs.
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