On March 21, a management group led by The Mark Group senior vice president of merchandising Larry Autrey purchased the Mark, Fore, & Strike division from $120 million-plus The Mark Group. The women’s apparel catalog has not mailed since July 2002.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Mark Group will maintain about a 10% ownership in the new company. Mark Group president Michael Tiernan started the Mark, Fore, & Strike catalog in 1978. The brand began as a store in 1951. (Tiernan’s father later bought out both founders.)
According to Autrey, whose new title is president/CEO of Mark, Fore, & Strike, plans include a catalog that more closely ties in with the brand’s 11 stores in Florida, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The next catalog, however, probably will not mail until next year, he says. “We want a mail piece that complements all of the channels, something that could be improved upon from the previous Mark, Fore, & Strike catalog.” Autrey should know: He’s been with Mark, Fore, & Strike for nearly 10 years.
Autrey also plans to add stores in New England and Florida and to revamp the Website. “As the baby boomers spend more free time in travel, we want to be there for them,” he says.
Meanwhile, Boca Raton, FL-based Mark Group will continue on focusing on its Boston Proper and Boston Proper Sport women’s apparel catalogs as well as home decor and gifts title Charles Keath. Tiernan was very pleased with the debut mailing of Boston Proper Sport catalog late last year.
Princeton, NJ-based investment bank Tucker Alexander represented the Mark Group in the sale.