Things Remembered keeps its brand name.

March 11, 2019 at 12:05a.m.

Staff/wire report

ITASCA, Ill.

Enesco, a global leader in the giftware, home decor and accessories industries, has completed its acquisition of Things Remembered Inc., a move which could save several hundred jobs in the Mahoning Valley.

Things Remembers is a retailer of personalized gifts and merchandise that operates a distribution and fullfillment center on South Bailey Road in North Jackson.

Under the purchase agreement, Things Remembered’s online, direct mail and B2B retail businesses, as well as 176 of its stores, will continue to operate under its brand, preserving approximately 1,400 jobs including those at the North Jackson facility.

The North Jackson Fulfilment Center has some 240 regular employees and about 750 seasonal workers. Things Remembers also operates 500 retail stores, including those at Eastwood Mall in Niles and Southern Park Mall in Boardman.

The acquisition comes after Things Remembered filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Things Remembered said in its bankruptcy filing that without a buyer it would likely be forced to close all of its stores and terminate the vast majority of its employees.

According to a media release by Enesco, Things Remembered will now be able to offer consumers an even broader range of personalized merchandise.

Enesco is known for designing and licensing some of the world’s best known brands, including Department 56, Heartwood Creek by Jim Shore, Disney and Harry Potter.

“Things Remembered is an ideal complement to our business, and we are excited about working with Nelson Tejada and his team as they build on their more than half century of leadership in the personalized merchandise space,” said Todd Mavis, chief executive officer at Enesco.

“We are excited about what the future holds for our brand, team members and partners,” said Tejada, president and chief executive officer of Things Remembered. “This transaction with Enesco will allow us to enhance our product offerings and customer experience. We are confident that we now have the right operational and financial structure in place to drive sustainable growth in the months and years to come.”