From the Whatever Happened To? Files: Venerable catalog titles Joan Cook and Deerskin Trading Post are on the market, according to Daniel DeStefano, chairman of parent company Initio.
DeStefano notes that neither book has mailed since early 2000. Joan Cook, established in 1956, sold housewares and home furnishings. It has a house file of 1.2 million names. Deerskin Trading Post, established in 1944, sold leather apparel and accessories and has 1.4 million names.
In April 1999, through its subsidiary, Initio Acquisition Corp., Initio sold Joan Cook and Deerskin Trading Post to now-defunct America’s Shopping Mall. In May 2000, according to DeStefano, America’s Shopping Mall ran into financial difficulties, and the two titles reverted back to Initio. But the assets and inventory of Deerskin Trading and Joan Cook were liquidated by America’s Shopping Mall lender Gerber Trade Finance.