American Crafts Buys Crate Paper
American Crafts announced today that they have purchased Crate Paper from its founders and owners Lisa and Steve Parkin.
Crate Paper was founded in 2006 in Las Vegas by Lisa and Steve Parkin, and is currently based in Spanish Fork, Utah. The company is known for its antiqued, vintage style that is a definite departure from American Crafts' signature graphic look.
Co-founder Lisa Parkin will remain with Crate Paper as its Creative Director at American Crafts to maintain the brand's signature style:
We feel great about this change at Crate Paper for a lot of reasons. But most of all, we're excited to see our brand gain exposure and grow. We love that we're working with a well-respected company like American Crafts, and we can't wait to see what the future holds.
This acquisition by American Crafts, along with the recent addition of Studio Calico to the American Crafts line-up of brands (which also includes the Pebbles brand they acquired in 2009 and the new Amy Tangerine signature line), is part of a major effort by American Crafts to move from a company with a single signature look into a "one stop" papercrafting company that offers retailers a full range of styles and supplies for their customers to choose from. This direction has also been evident in the company's recent broadening of its product lines to include a wide range of stamping supplies and even its own brand of adhesive, at a time when most other companies are narrowing the type of products they are offering and specializing instead.
American Crafts President Jeff Mitchell explained the company's vision:
We hope retailers will turn to American Crafts more than ever before because of the staple products, broad selection and multiple design styles we now offer. Crate Paper is eclectic, cute and antiqued; American Crafts brand is bright and contemporary; Pebbles is colorful, simple and cute; and Studio Calico is sophisticated and boutiquey. Combine that with a dedicated, in-house sales team and you have a one-stop solution for retailers looking for great customer service and products that sell well.
