Friday, March 23, 2018

JH Partners Leads Successful Series B Financing For Greats Sneaker Bra


JH Partners is a well-established San Francisco private equity firm that has completed acquisitions and divestitures over the decades of brands such as Draper James, Gap, Inc., and Alex and Ani. In May 2017, JH Partners successfully led a $10 million Series B financing round for the online sneaker brand Greats.

Having achieved a $1.5 million seed round in 2014, the Brooklyn-headquartered company secured $4 million in Series A funding the following year. Founder Ryan Babenzien described JH Partners as an outstanding long-term partner that specializes in the company’s space and can add value to its operations. 

Having opened and closed a retail store in Brooklyn's Williamsburg, Greats launched pop-ups in nationwide markets throughout 2017. The emphasis was on providing shoppers with a luxury environment while placing a premium on convenience. Consumers could either purchase directly at the pop-up retail locations or order online and have the shoes shipped to them within hours. 

With former NFL star Adrian Wilson as one of its major investors, Greats has actively engaged in high-profile partnerships with Nordstrom and Mr. Porter went on to launch a women’s line that now makes up nearly a third of sales.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

JH Partners Enables Draper James Series B Financing


Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, JH Partners has extensive operating experience in diverse consumer markets. One of JH Partners’ successful investments is in Draper James, a line of clothing, accessories, and home decor that “emphasizes Southern roots and personal style.” JH Partners invested in the founding of Draper James and participated in a successful second round of financing that totaled $10 million.

With Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon as cofounder, Draper James is known for quality lifestyle products. The brand has steadily expanded sales across the United States and throughout 15 other countries.

The $10-million second round of financing (also called Series B financing), raised only a few months after the company launch, was essential in enabling Draper James to expand its retail and wholesale product offerings and broaden its global reach. In addition to JH Partners, the Series B financing included investments from Forerunner Ventures and Stone Canyon Industries.

Friday, February 2, 2018

Country Home Products Purchased by Generac Holdings, Inc.


Based in San Francisco, JH Partners is a leading private equity firm that specializes in profitable relationships with luxury brands around the world. Well-versed in both buying and selling, JH Partners has worked with brands such as The Gap, Ouidad, and Country Home Products.

In August of 2015, Country Home Products announced that it had been purchased by Generac Holdings, Inc., a company located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. At the time, JH Partners owned an 85-percent stake in the company.

Country Home Products is a leading manufacturer of power equipment used for landscaping and maintaining properties. Some of the company’s major products include leaf vacuums and brush mowers. The Vermont-based manufacturer has been in business more than three decades and, at the time of the sale, had more than 200 employees working at three different sites.

Friday, January 26, 2018

Go Smile’s Sonic Blue Toothbrush Uses Proprietary Blue Wave Technology


A San Francisco-based private equity firm, JH Partners helps consumer brands increase profits by improving sales channels and reaching new markets. JH Partners’ list of recent clients includes Go Smile. 

Offering a suite of products and proprietary technologies designed to brighten one’s smile, Go Smile helps customers improve the health and appearance of their teeth. Along with tooth-whitening gels, pastes, and applicators, the company carries a variety of innovative oral hygiene tools. 

One of Go Smile’s most popular products is the Sonic Blue electric toothbrush, which uses the company’s patented Blue Light Wave technology to speed up the stain removal and whitening process. In addition to helping whiten teeth as much as four times faster than other products, the blue light used on the Sonic Blue toothbrush promotes a healthier mouth by killing bacteria.

Other features of the Sonic Blue toothbrush include two vibrating cleaning modes and a quadrant timer to help ensure that users devote equal attention to each of the four sections of their mouth. The Sonic Blue and other Go Smile products are available through the company’s website and retailers such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s, and Nordstrom.