Emily McDowell Studio and Sisters of Los Angeles Join Knock Knock to Become the Who’s There Group
Three Women-Owned Gift Companies Merge Under One Awesome Umbrella
Los Angeles, California, Jan. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --Venice Beach gift company and book publisher Knock Knock announced the acquisition of Emily McDowell Studio (EMS) and Sisters of Los Angeles (SoLA), fellow Southern California women-owned companies. Knock Knock will run the trifecta under the new banner of the Who’s There Group. On January 9, the companies broke the exciting news at the AmericasMart Atlanta gift tradeshow, where they each debuted their Spring 2018 collections.
|
||||||||
Jen Bilik, Knock Knock CEO and founder, underscored the three companies’ excitement: “We love what we’ve been doing at Knock Knock for the past fifteen years and have been delighted to watch Emily McDowell and Sara Stein forge equally distinctive brands, compatible yet complementary to the Knock Knock sensibility. I couldn’t be more thrilled to explore the new categories, voices, and non-suit-and-tie synergies that this trio inspires.”
EMS founder Emily McDowell characterizes her work as “greeting cards for the relationships we really have.” She launched her company in 2013 with a single hand-illustrated greeting card on Etsy—the “Awkward Dating” card—which quickly drew viral attention online, selling 1,700 in one week. Emily has since expanded her offerings into other categories to showcase her illustration and writing, including tote bags and mugs. In 2015, Emily’s success doubled overnight with her launch of Empathy Cards. The line, designed to help people provide support at difficult times, was immediately featured in 300 major media outlets and in November 2017 partnered with Sheryl Sandberg’s Option B foundation.
Emily McDowell noted, “I want to do so much more creatively, and the best way to support those efforts is to partner with some of the smartest people I know and take advantage of their expertise and infrastructure. The Knock Knock team is the absolute best at what they do, and we share a common vision, work ethic, and sense of humor.”
Sara Stein founded Sisters of Los Angeles in 2012 with the ambition to celebrate the Los Angeles she loves. The initial collection focused on Los Angeles-specific product with an insider twist, naming beaches, canyons, and freeways on mementos beloved by both residents and visitors alike. Soon non-Angelenos began requesting commemorations of their own hometowns, on products including glassware, candles, and accessories, and SoLA’s unique mode of “spreading happiness, sunshine, and city pride from coast to coast” took root.
Sara has been excited to join the Who’s There Group “not only for Knock Knock’s wealth of proven experience but also for our shared passion for making people laugh and feel good. I can’t wait to be part of a bigger collective and watch Sisters become all that I know it was meant to be.”
The Who’s There Group brands will showcase at NYNow from February 4 to 7 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, where they will give away exclusive, limited-edition keepsakes to celebrate their union. Find Knock Knock at booth 7404, Emily McDowell Studio at booth 7212, and Sisters of Los Angeles at booth 7837.
The three women-led brands will also salute their merger with a Planned Parenthood fundraiser at the Los Angeles Women’s March on January 20, providing a pop-up breakfast for hundreds of marchers who will then walk as a group—wearing a surprise commemorative accessory.
For more information about the Who’s There Group, including blog posts by the founders, go to the individual companies’ websites or to the central thewhostheregroup.com.
About Knock Knock
Knock Knock is an independent maker of clever gifts, books, and whatever else we can think up. Our mission is to bring humor, creativity, and smarts to everyday life—in other words, to say something more. For more info, visit knockknockstuff.com.
About Emily McDowell Studio
Founded in 2013 by writer, illustrator, and designer Emily McDowell, Emily McDowell Studio makes greeting cards and gifts that celebrate what it’s like to be a human. For more info, visit emilymcdowell.com.
About Sisters of Los Angeles (SoLA)
Sisters of Los Angeles spreads happiness, sunshine, and city pride from coast to coast with unique city- and state-inspired gifts and contemporary memorabilia. For more info, visit sistersoflosangeles.com.
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6316e76a-2fc3-4a1d-a527-224ed8311db7
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e0d9363b-b7c7-4861-8058-d473912bca49
Stacy Conde Knock Knock (310) 396-4132 stacy@knockknockstuff.com
