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Always dig down to find out who owns a company.

http://www.spencergifts.com/ - click on “about us” down at the bottom:

Spencer’s is a unique retail brand that has been focused on delivering humor and enjoyment to peoples’ lives for over 50 years. We are dedicated to providing our core 18-25 year old guests with innovative, humorous and fun merchandise that supports their lifestyle. With over 600 mall locations throughout the United States and Canada, we are THE destination for entertainment, excitement & fun. Our guests find it impossible to resist the infectious laughter that comes from experiencing a Spencer’s store.

Our History
Originally founded as a mail-order catalog in 1947, Spencer’s sold a vast assortment of innovative, novel merchandise that added excitement and laughter to its customers’ lifestyles. Soon after its launch Spencer’s became a leader in the mail-order industry and decided to expand its business by entering the mall arena. In 1964 Spencer’s opened its first retail store in the Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill, New Jersey where we continue to have a retail presence.

Shortly after launching its retail division, Spencer’s was acquired by MCA, Inc. As an MCA company, Spencer’s, Inc. became a member of one of the world’s largest entertainment families and experienced tremendous growth by becoming the destination within the mall environment for everything unique and fun.

In 1995, MCA was acquired by Seagram Company Ltd. and operated under the name Universal Studios. While a Universal Studios company, Spencer’s continued to experience growth by cultivating its merchandise, expanding its store base into Canada and acquiring a Halloween seasonal retailer, Spirit Halloween, in an effort to expand its Halloween business beyond the mall. Since joining the Spencer’s family, Spirit has experienced consistent growth and today is a leader within the Halloween industry.

In 2001, shortly after entering Canada and acquiring Spirit Halloween, Vivendi, a diversified international entertainment company acquired Universal Studios and re-branded the entire organization as Vivendi Universal Entertainment LLLP.

Less than two years later, in 2003, GB Palladin, a joint venture between Gordon Brothers Group, LLC and Palladin Capital Group, Inc. acquired Spencer Gifts LLC.

The Spencer’s brand is a mainstay in popular culture and continues to evolve. In the Fall of 2004, four new prototype stores were constructed and opened in Deptford, NJ, Lehigh Valley, PA, Concord NH, and Des Moines, IA. Mixing influences from urban industrialism with a nightclub atmosphere, these new stores are paving the way for Spencer’s to become the most outrageous retail brand on the planet.

http://www.gordonbrothers.com/firm/content.cfm?id=article&pr=14

Gordon Brothers Group Acquires Spencer Gifts

Dated 02, June, 2003

Boston, MA and New York, NY — An investor group led by Gordon Brothers Group, LLC and Palladin Capital Group, Inc. announced today that it has acquired Spencer Gifts, LLC, from Vivendi Universal Entertainment, LLLP. With more than $400 million in annualized revenue, Spencer Gifts operates over 700 specialty gift and Halloween stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom under the Spencer Gifts, Dapy, Glow and Spirit brand names. The Company is headquartered in Egg Harbor Township, NJ.

Gordon Brothers Group, a Boston-based retail finance and asset management firm and Palladin Capital Group a New York based merchant banking firm, structured the transaction through their new joint venture GB Palladin Capital, LLC. Other investors included New England Development, one of the premier real estate development and management companies in the Northeast. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“Spencer Gifts is an established mall-based retailer with a strong brand name, loyal consumer following and dedicated professional work force,” commented Mike Frieze, CEO of Gordon Brothers Group. “We look forward to using our merchandising, operational and investment expertise to strengthen Spencer’s position as a leading specialty gift resource.

Mark Schwartz, the President of Gordon Brothers Group stated, “We are confident that the additional focus and capital provided by Gordon Brothers Group and Palladin, combined with new management leadership, will help Spencer continue its 55 year history of solid growth.”

Mr. Schwartz also announced that Steven Silverstein has joined Spencer Gifts as President and CEO. Prior to joining the Spencer team, Mr. Silverstein spent eleven years at Linens ‘n Things, Inc., most recently as President. While there, he was instrumental in growing the company from $180 million in sales to over $2.1 billion and from just three stores to nearly 400 in the U.S. and Canada. Prior to Linens ‘n Things, Mr. Silverstein was the Merchandising Vice President of Home Textiles for Bloomingdale’s.

“We are very pleased that Steven has accepted this important leadership role at Spencer Gifts. His in-depth knowledge of merchandising and operations, coupled with his high energy level and consumer-driven marketing strategies will be invaluable to the current management team,” said Mr. Schwartz, who is also the President of Palladin Capital Group as well as Managing Principal of GB Palladin.

“I am thrilled to be at Spencer Gifts,” said Mr. Silverstein. “Spencer’s mission has been to create outrageous fun by providing the best assortment of irreverent and trendy merchandise and gifts. I believe in this concept and am confident that we can build on the Company’s strong name and market position to take Spencer to the next level. I am looking forward to harnessing the input and support of both the Spencer associates and my new partners at Gordon Brothers Group and Palladin to expand both sales and profitability.”

About GB Palladin
GB Palladin is a joint venture that brings together Gordon Brothers Group’s 100 years of hands-on merchandising and operational experience with Palladin Capital Group’s unique investment expertise within the consumer products sector. GB Palladin takes a hands-on approach to investing, using its capital, industry knowledge and expertise to help companies and managers achieve their goals. The principals of GB Palladin have served as active investors, directors and executives in numerous public and private corporations. As such, they are in a unique position to work with managers on growth or brand repositioning through improved merchandising, more efficient operations and financial management. GB Palladin has leveraged this expertise to provide many businesses with junior secured loans or equity investments. Recent examples include Restoration Hardware, Inc. (NASDAQ: RSTO), an upscale home furnishings and gifts retailer; Party America, a big box party supply retailer; and Factory 2-U Stores (NASDAQ: FTUS) a discount apparel store.

About Vivendi Universal Entertainment, LLLP
Vivendi UNIVERSAL Entertainment (VUE) (www.universalstudios.com) is a diversified international entertainment company engaged in production and distribution of theatrical, television and home video products; operation of theme parks around the world; merchandising of a wide variety of entertainment-related consumer products; and retailing. VUE is the U.S.-based film, television and recreation entity of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.

http://www.gordonbrothers.com/firm/content.cfm?id=execs

Michael G. Frieze,
Chairman

Mark J. Schwartz,
President & Chief Executive Officer

Robert L. Paglia,
Chief Financial Officer

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/donor_lookup.php?name=Frieze

Frieze, Kenneth
Boston,MA 02115 Gordon Brothers Group 7/31/08 $2,300 Obama, Barack (D)

in 2000, Gordon Brothers was in the Top 20 donors for the entire state of MA - to the tune of nearly a quarter million dollars.

Gordon Brothers $245,750