# Ames Watson

> Ames Watson is a Columbia, Maryland private holding company that buys, fixes, and holds consumer businesses instead of flipping them. Founded in 2017 by Lawrence Berger and Tom Ripley, it invests its own capital - not outside investors' - which lets it hold companies for decades. Its portfolio spans hat giant Lids, tween chain Claire's, boutique South Moon Under, footwear brand Margaux, and a stake in Mitchell & Ness, together generating more than $2 billion in revenue.

- **Founded:** 2017
- **Headquarters:** Columbia, Maryland, United States
- **Founders:** Lawrence Berger (Co-Founder & Partner), Thomas H. Ripley (Co-Founder & Partner)
- **Team size:** ~32 employees at the holding company; tens of thousands across portfolio companies
- **Products:** Control & Platform Acquisitions, Minority & Growth Investments, Ames Watson Brands (Brand Accelerator), Strategic Resources Group (SRG)
- **Notable:** Acquired Lids for $100M in 2019 - roughly 40% below its 2014 sale price - and grew it from about 800 to around 1,200 stores., Rescued Claire's from liquidation with a $140M acquisition in 2025, preserving hundreds of stores and thousands of jobs., Built a portfolio generating more than $2 billion in combined revenue.

## Products & services

- **Control & Platform Acquisitions** — Majority buyouts of consumer, retail, sports, and specialty businesses at inflection points - including corporate carve-outs and special situations.
- **Minority & Growth Investments** — Passive and minority stakes in emerging brands, typically with revenues from $5M to $2B.
- **Ames Watson Brands (Brand Accelerator)** — An operating arm that surrounds portfolio brands with industry experts to accelerate growth.
- **Strategic Resources Group (SRG)** — An in-house team of operating partners covering marketing, e-commerce, finance, and operations that plugs into portfolio companies.

## Achievements

- Acquired Lids for $100M in 2019 - roughly 40% below its 2014 sale price - and grew it from about 800 to around 1,200 stores.
- Rescued Claire's from liquidation with a $140M acquisition in 2025, preserving hundreds of stores and thousands of jobs.
- Built a portfolio generating more than $2 billion in combined revenue.
- Raised $250M in 2022 to fuel acquisitions.
- Assembled a portfolio spanning sports, retail, footwear, and specialty consumer brands within roughly eight years.

## Latest updates

- **2025-09** — Took over business operations of Claire's in North America in a $140M deal, halting the retailer's liquidation and keeping a majority of its mall stores open.
- **2025-03** — Appointed Melissa Hahn as Chief Financial Officer, overseeing finance, tax, treasury, and investor relations.
- **2024-10** — Took the lead on Champion's U.S. collegiate and teamwear business following Authentic Brands Group's acquisition of Champion.
- **2024** — Fanatics became the majority owner of Lids Holdings.

## Links

- Website: https://ameswatson.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ames-watson-capital-llc
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ames_watson/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ames-watson
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-15