By 2002, Gateway Computer was the U.S. leader in personal computers, personal electronics, and technology. Gateway Computer had been in business for over 15 years as a value-oriented manufacturer and direct retailer of computers and related hardware. Beginning in 2002, Gateway expanded into lines of consumer electronics, yet Gateway’s brand and in-store experience did not match the lifestyle orientation of their new product lines.
Working directly with Gateway CEO Ted Waitt, AIRVISION:
As a result of this work, Gateway stock tripled in value in 6 months, after which the company was sold.
Arthur Rubinfeld, former President and Chief Creative Officer, Starbucks Coffee Company, led the continuing evolution and enhancement of the Starbucks Coffee, Starbucks Reserve, and Evolution Fresh brands. He created the environmentally-sustainable material palette for store design and Starbucks Reserve Roasteries.
Our client Monarch Alternative Capital purchased all the assets of Shopko Optical in 2019. The challenge was to reposition the brand and build a $150 M business in a very short amount of time. The effort included the repositioning of the executive management team and rethinking the brand positioning along with the overall go to market store presentation.
Cricket Wireless wanted to exploit the growth opportunities presented by their unique low monthly price, no subscription, mobile phone service. They needed strategic growth expertise to rapidly expand.
$450M public company, Oakley, was known as a unique, high-quality, leading-edge product design company as a sunglass and accessories manufacturer with a limited retail presence.
Oakley was acquired by Luxottica, the largest sunglass lifestyle company in the world.
Monarch Alternative Capital LP is a global investment firm founded in 2002 with offices in New York and London. The firm manages approximately $8.3 billion across its closed-end funds, open-ended fund, and customized solutions. Monarch focuses primarily on distressed situations and opportunistic credit across corporate debt, structured credit, real estate, government debt, and special situations. Monarch draws on the skills and experience of 68 employees across its offices in New York and London. www.monarchlp.com.
Arthur works with Monarch and sits on the board of directors of Claire’s stores. Claire’s Stores, Inc. is a global brand powerhouse for self-expression, creating exclusive, curated and fun fashionable jewelry and accessories, and offering world-leading piercing services. The company operates through its stores under two brand names: Claire’s® and Icing®.Claire’s and Icing are global brands operating over 2,500 owned and 8,000 concession stores covering North America and Europe, and 350 franchise stores operating in the Middle East, South America and South Africa.
Claire’s Stores, Inc. is primarily owned by Elliott Management and Monarch Alternative Capital.
Dreamscape’s revolutionary VR platform combines Hollywood storytelling with proprietary full-body tracking technology to allow a level of immersion, precision and interaction never before achieved in the industry. By merging motion capture with body mapping and advanced kinematics, Dreamscape experiences allow large groups to interact with each other with near-zero latency. Established in 2018, Dreamscape is a global media company giving people an opportunity to step into a story exploring cinematic worlds and characters globally.
Adidas wanted to build a super-premium brand aligned with their advanced technology orientation. Adidas was executing a new store design that combined brand positioning, customer wayfinding, and overall brand integration.
Pho'nomenal, a startup packaged soup manufacturer, sought financing, growth, and advisory/brand positioning to develop their retail distribution plan for their packaged soup products.
Leveraging Pho'nomenal's unique Minority Women's Business status in the state of Washington, AIRVISION helped Pho'nomenal reach their retail distribution goals with placement in the Asian food category for more than half a dozen national grocery chains.
In an effort to drive consumer engagement, Microsoft established a high-touch retail environment and was looking for strategic growth and market differentiation advice.
Leading merger and acquisitions firm, KKR, needed real data on Eckerd Pharmacy’s real estate portfolio. Findings determined the go-forward operational plan.
KKR used AIRVISION analysis as part of their submittal to their lending institution to support the bid to acquire Eckerd Drugs, which in turn was purchased by Rite Aid Drugs.
Il Fornaio, a privately held restaurant corporation, needed help conceiving a new design that would leverage their white tablecloth operational expertise.
After new growth concept was tested in “A” locations, Il Fornaio’s parent company purchased The Corner Bakery Cafe chain.
Potbelly, a private rapidly growing fast casual “Hot concept” restaurant chain, wanted to establish their restaurant expansion and operational expertise.
Potbelly went public in 2013. They have over 400 locations in the U.S., and they are growing in the Middle East and other world markets.
Privately-held Omaha Steaks had 80 retail locations and wanted to expand their retail store footprint and elevate their store design to match the premium branding of their products.
America’s Mart (Atlanta, Georgia), America’s leading specialty tradeshow management company, sought a rebranding of their flagship lighting industry tradeshow, "LightFair."