Colony Brands

What Colony Brands does

Colony Brands, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned multi-channel direct-marketing enterprise headquartered in Monroe, Wisconsin. Founded in 1926 as The Swiss Colony by Ray Kubly as a cheese mail-order business, the company has evolved into a portfolio of 16 distinct catalog and e-commerce sub-brands spanning apparel, home décor, food gifts, health and beauty products, toys, and general merchandise — including Swiss Colony, Montgomery Ward, Ginny's, Seventh Avenue, Midnight Velvet, Country Door, Tender Filet, Ashro, The Wisconsin Cheeseman, Dr. Leonard's, Beauty Boutique, Carol Wright Gifts, Harriet Carter, Essentials, Healthy Living, and Monroe & Main. Each sub-brand operates its own catalog circulation and e-commerce storefront, while physical retail is also conducted through the Monroe Outlet Center. The company leadership continues under the Kubly family, with Ryan Kubly as Chairman of the Board, Pat Kubly as Chairman Emeritus, and Bob Erb as President & CEO. Headcount is reported at 1,001–5,000 employees.

The underlying operating platform combines traditional direct-mail catalog distribution with company-owned e-commerce websites and is supported by a network of five Midwest fulfillment centers (in Monroe, Sun Prairie, and Janesville, Wisconsin, plus Clinton and Peosta, Iowa), a China-based global sourcing office (SC Global Sourcing), and a portfolio of wholly-owned shared-services affiliates including Integrated Marketing Solutions (IMS) for direct marketing and credit risk, DM Services for collections, SC Contact Centers, SC Data Center, SC Aviation, and Green County Foods. A proprietary credit program, Choose 'N Charge — introduced in 1969 and continuously operated since — provides revolving in-house credit accounts with market-rate interest, enabling customers across the United States to finance purchases across the brand portfolio.

Colony Brands' business model rests on three revenue streams: (i) catalog and e-commerce product sales across the 16 retail sub-brands; (ii) consumer credit programs via Choose 'N Charge revolving accounts; and (iii) operational-support and business-solutions services performed by the affiliate entities for both internal use and external clients. Supply-chain operations are C-TPAT certified (since 2004) and comply with the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act and ISO 9001 quality standards; consumer data handling is CCPA-compliant. The company remains privately held under continuous Kubly-family ownership with no external institutional investors or public listing.

Name

Colony Brands

Legal name

Colony Brands, Inc.

Website

http://www.colonybrands.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Colony Brands is a privately held, family-owned multi-channel direct-marketing enterprise headquartered in Monroe, Wisconsin, operating 16 catalog and e-commerce sub-brands across apparel, home goods, food gifts, and health/beauty, supported by an in-house revolving credit program and shared-services affiliates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Direct Marketing Retail

NAICS

All Other Miscellaneous Retailers (459999), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (45942)

SIC

Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961)

akta.pro primary industry

Subscription Box & Membership-first DTC (CRAFACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Greeting Cards, Gift Wrap & Party Paper Goods Distribution (CRAOALAJ)

Keywords

• Catalog retail
• Direct marketing
• Multi-channel retail
• Consumer credit financing
• E-commerce

Headquarters

HQ city

Monroe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Catalog Retail Sales: Direct mail catalog sales through multiple retail subsidiaries offering apparel, shoes, home décor, outdoor, health and beauty, electronics, toys, food and gifts. Revenue generated through consumer purchases across diverse merchandise categories.
2. E-commerce/Internet Sales: Online retail sales through company-owned e-commerce websites and platforms for each brand subsidiary. Multi-channel approach combining catalog and digital storefronts.
3. Consumer Credit Programs: Revenue generated through financing options including the Choose 'N Charge program, offering revolving accounts with market rate interest. In 1997, affiliates IMS and DM Services were created to provide credit risk and accounts receivable management.
4. Business Solutions Services: Operational support subsidiaries and affiliate businesses provide marketing, consumer credit, collections, product sourcing, information technology, wholesale food and charter aviation services to drive success for the enterprise and empower outside clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Colony Brands is a multi-channel direct-marketing retailer that sells a wide range of merchandise — apparel, shoes, home décor, outdoor goods, health and beauty products, electronics, toys, food and gifts — through catalogs and company-owned e-commerce websites under multiple retail sub-brands. The company also offers an in-house consumer credit program (Choose 'N Charge) that enables customers to purchase now and pay later with revolving accounts, and provides operational support services (marketing, data, contact centers, fulfillment, sourcing) to both its own brands and outside clients.

Product overview

Colony Brands is a privately-held multi-channel retail enterprise that operates as a platform of distinct catalog and e-commerce brands united under corporate support services. The portfolio includes twelve retail sub-brands (Montgomery Ward, Midnight Velvet, Seventh Avenue, Monroe & Main, Ginny's, Swiss Colony, Country Door, Tender Filet, Ashro, The Wisconsin Cheeseman, Dr. Leonard's, Beauty Boutique, Carol Wright Gifts, Harriet Carter, Essentials, and Healthy Living) spanning apparel, home goods, food gifts, health products, and general merchandise. These brands are supported by affiliated operational companies including SC Contact Centers (customer service), Integrated Marketing Solutions (direct marketing and data services), SC Aviation (charter flights), Green County Foods (food operations), and DM Services (contact center services). The enterprise's core differentiator is its proprietary Choose 'N Charge credit program and private label product offerings. The company also maintains fulfillment centers, global sourcing operations in China, and comprehensive supplier compliance programs for both food and non-food divisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Montgomery Ward (Wards) Multi-category retail brand selling electronics, bedding, furniture, home décor, jewelry, kitchen and toys via catalog and e-commerce to U.S. consumers.
• Midnight Velvet Boutique-quality women's apparel and home collections featuring embellished designs, sold through catalog and online channels.
• Seventh Avenue Catalog and e-commerce brand specializing in uncommon home décor finds and useful essentials for every room.
• Monroe & Main Women's apparel brand offering versatile wardrobe essentials and seasonal must-haves designed for all body types, sold via catalog and online.
• Ginny's Home, kitchen, electronics, furniture, gifts and lifestyle products retailer selling through catalog and e-commerce.
• Swiss Colony America's premier food gifts catalog offering cheese, sausage, baked goods and other specialty food items.
• Country Door Lifestyle brand offering home décor, furniture, linens and seasonal items inspired by country decorating traditions.
• Tender Filet Premium food retailer specializing in aged beef, seafood, chicken and fine meats for restaurant-quality home cooking.
• Ashro Fashion brand designed for African American women, featuring bold and elegant styles for celebrations and everyday occasions.
• The Wisconsin Cheeseman Artisan food gifts brand featuring Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker cheeses and savory sausages, sold via catalog and online.
• Dr. Leonard's Health and personal care products retailer offering high-quality, affordable wellness items via catalog and online since 1980.
• Beauty Boutique Discount retailer of name-brand cosmetics and fragrances, selling through catalog and online.
• Carol Wright Gifts Direct mail and online marketer of affordable gift items, apparel, footwear and personal care products.
• Harriet Carter General merchandise retailer offering home products, personal care items and accessibility products via catalog and online.
• Essentials Discount clothing and sleepwear retailer offering loungewear, intimates, shapewear, footwear and casual wear at up to 75% off.
• Healthy Living Health and wellness products retailer offering solutions for everyday health and overall wellness via catalog and online.
• Choose 'N Charge Credit Program In-house revolving credit and financing program that allows Colony Brands customers to buy now and pay later for catalog and online purchases, with market rate interest on outstanding balances.
• Private Label Products Private label merchandise program spanning multiple brand templates (Ginny's, No Brand, Wards, Chef Tested) for goods sold across the enterprise's retail brands.

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• U.S. Customs & Border Protection (C-TPAT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Colony Brands became a certified member of the US Customs & Border Protection's Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Program (C-TPAT) in 2004. The partnership strengthens and protects their international import and export supply chain through enhanced security processes and collaboration with CBP requirements.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hanover Direct: Historic catalog holding company that operated multiple specialty direct-marketing brands (Domestications, Silhouettes, etc.). Directly comparable to Colony Brands as a multi-brand catalog/e-commerce platform serving niche lifestyle and apparel niches.
• Lands' End: Catalog and e-commerce apparel and home retailer with a long heritage of direct-mail marketing. Comparable to Colony Brands' sub-brands such as Midnight Velvet, Monroe & Main, and Seventh Avenue in channel mix, credit offering, and middle-American customer base.
• Talbots: Multi-channel women's apparel and accessories retailer with a strong catalog heritage. Comparable in catalog-and-e-commerce channel mix, classic women's apparel focus, and older-skewing customer base similar to several Colony Brands sub-brands.
• J. Jill: Multi-channel women's apparel retailer with significant catalog and e-commerce presence targeting a similar demographic to Colony Brands' Midnight Velvet and Monroe & Main. Comparable in channel mix, product category, and credit/promotional financing support.
• Cornerstone Brands: A portfolio company of Madison Dearborn that owns a family of catalog and e-commerce brands (including Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Grandin Road, Improvements). Highly comparable in business model — a holding company of multiple sub-brands selling home, gifts, and lifestyle merchandise via direct marketing.
• L.L.Bean: Privately-held, multi-channel (catalog + e-commerce + retail) lifestyle and home retailer. Directly comparable to Colony Brands in its longevity, family/private ownership, diversified general-merchandise catalog, and integrated direct-to-consumer operation.
• Blair Corporation: Long-running catalog and e-commerce apparel retailer for value-oriented customers, with an in-house credit program. Closely comparable to Colony Brands' Essentials, Monroe & Main, and Midnight Velvet sub-brands in catalog heritage, demographic, and credit-supported retail model.
• Qurate Retail Group: Owner of QVC, HSN, and Zulily — the largest TV-and-digital shopping network in the US. Highly comparable to Colony Brands as a multi-channel direct-marketing retailer selling apparel, home, beauty, and gifts to broad consumer demographics via in-house credit/payment plans.

Broad incumbents

• Chewy: Large multi-category e-commerce retailer (pet-focused) with private-label programs, in-house fulfillment, and credit offerings. Comparable to Colony Brands as a broader incumbent in multi-channel direct-to-consumer retail with private-label and credit capabilities, though operating at significantly larger scale in a single category.
• Amazon: Dominant general-merchandise e-commerce and marketplace platform with credit offerings (Amazon Store Card). The principal competitive headwind for every direct-marketing catalog/e-commerce retailer; comparable in product breadth, credit programs, and fulfillment footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries25 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colony Brands