Tales Of A Fourth Generation Textile Executive: The Deal Of A Lifetime!

February 26, 2018 /

Hello Friends!

It happened!  The rumors are all true!  Yes, my family is buying FreeSpirit in the deal of a lifetime.  While I was out enjoying vacation with my wife and kids for school break, my dad, Robert (3rd generation), and brother, Greg (4th generation), pulled off what I think will be our most pivotal acquisition ever (we have had around 15-20 companies under our Jaftex umbrella in our 88 years in business.)  They put this all together on their own in record time because they wanted me to not be bothered on my family vacation.  That is what a family business is all about.  With support staff, lawyers, accountants and the lovely and professional team at Coats, they pulled a rabbit out of a hat.  Bravo guys!

It’s not everyday that you get a chance to buy one of the premier players in the industry.  I mean, where do I even start?  Kaffe Fassett and his collective!  Boom!   Tula!  Anna!  Amy! (Omg, I can’t wait to meet them all!) Also, there is The Original Morris & Co.!  I can keep going, but you don’t need me to tell you because these are your idols.  These people are quilting royalty or “machers” as I like to call them.  For all those that watch the Saturday Night Live Coffee Talk series, I must say that I am completely and utterly verklempt (in Yiddish that means a person that is so overwhelmed that they can’t speak.) I mean, over the top excited and I don’t even know where to begin.  This is going to give our family so much credibility as an industry leader.  We are now in an ideal position to push the #sewrevolution agenda and quilting for the fifth and sixth generations of Fortunoffs.

Henry Glass!  Studioe!  Blank Quilting!  Scott’s Free Sewing Machines!  Fabric Editions & A.E.  Nathan Co., Inc.! #sewrevolution!  All of our partners in the US and worldwide including Stof of Denmark, Sykel Fabrics, Air-Lite Batting, Oasis Fabrics, 3 Wishes, Quilter’s Palette & Ellie’s Quiltplace of Belgium.  All of our employees.  All of our sales reps.  I hope I didn’t leave anyone out….sorry if I did.  This is just so exciting.  I hope it is very clear that we are committed…..to the insane asylum….did I say that out loud?  But seriously, if this doesn’t show the world how we feel about this amazing industry, I just don’t know what will.

So without boring you to death, let’s jump right to the chase.  FreeSpirit is back and is going to be better than ever.  The sales reps will have loads of beautiful fabrics to show.   We will be at Quilt Market in Portland.  We will be at the VDTA Show.  If you are wondering if we will be there, the answer is yes, yes and yes again.

I welcome with open arms the opportunity to add FreeSpirit to our stable of well known brands.  I am going to learn a lot from this company and that is an exciting prospect for me as I grow as a fourth generation textile executive.  I am always pushing to be a better businessman and this deal will certainly help to propel me to the next level.

We are blessed to have retained most, if not all, of the licensing talent and the staff at FreeSpirit.  We are just under a new and improved management.  There will be some changes no doubt, but those changes will focus on managing costs better and letting people know that FreeSpirit is here to stay and is as stable as ever.  You could rely on us, our basics, our quality, our top notch designers and designing, our team, me, my family and so much more.  I could go on and on, but I know I had you at “hello.”  Please help to welcome the FreeSpirit team to the Jaftex team!

Thanks for your support.

Scott, proud son and brother.

P.S.  What do you have to say about that?

P.S.S..…Here is where you can find my Executive Facebook page.

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