Things Remembered

Things Remembered

Company type	Privately Held
Industry	Retail
Founded	1967 (1967)
Founder	Joseph Edmund Cole
Headquarters	Highland Heights, Ohio, U.S.
Key people	Chris McCann, CEO
Parent	1-800-Flowers (2023–present)
Website	www.thingsremembered.com

Things Remembered operates as an e-commerce retailer focused on customized gifts, personalized messages, and engraving services.

History

Originally launched in 1967 under the name "Can Do," Things Remembered was established as a division of Cole National Corporation by Joseph Edmund Cole. At that time, Cole National encompassed several subsidiaries including Cole Vision (operating as Sears Optical), Montgomery Ward Vision, Cole Key Company, among others. In 1984, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts took the company private. However, the Cole family regained control in 1987 through a leveraged buyout. The enterprise experienced significant growth throughout the 1980s.

By 1990, declining sales forced Cole National to divest unprofitable segments, retaining only Cole Key, Cole Vision, and Things Remembered. To alleviate ongoing debt from the leveraged buyout, the company went public in 1994. The key business was closed in 1998 as both it and Things Remembered’s network of over 800 stores failed to achieve expected revenue targets. This prompted a comprehensive restructuring and rebranding effort. A customer relationship management firm identified that consumers perceived the stores as conventional "brass and glass" gift shops with limited engraving options. Responding to this insight, the company eliminated all non-personalized merchandise and adopted a new slogan: "The Place for Personalized Gifts." Market research indicated that their primary customers were women who considered themselves distinctive gift buyers. Consequently, store environments were redesigned to be more inviting and less traditionally masculine. Employees adopted the title "Gift Advisers," emphasizing collaborative conversations with customers to develop gift ideas. During this period, Things Remembered introduced its inaugural catalog featuring three editions: General Gift, Wedding, and Business. These initiatives yielded immediate results, enabling the company to reach sales targets in 1999 for the first time in several years.

Following the acquisition of Pearl Vision by CNC (Cole National Corporation), Luxottica—the parent company of LensCrafters—targeted CNC for purchase. This transaction was completed in 2004. Subsequently, Things Remembered was spun off in 2006 and acquired by investment firms Bruckmann Rosser Sherrill & Co. and GB Merchant Partners for $200 million. In 2012, Chicago-based private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners purchased the chain for $295 million; this firm also invests in mall retailer Yankee Candle. Before 2014, Things Remembered expanded into Canada by acquiring Key Man Engravables and gradually rebranding those stores to TR1 locations. That year saw a leadership change when Michael Anthony stepped down as CEO after serving since the Luxottica spin-off; he was succeeded by Lisa Gavales, formerly of Talbots and Express. In June 2017, Gavales resigned and new leadership was appointed.

In February 2019, Things Remembered filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

On March 8, 2019, Enesco, LLC—a global leader in giftware and home décor—completed its acquisition of Things Remembered, Inc., which at that time operated as a leading omnichannel retailer of personalized gifts across North America. The brand maintained operations of over 170 retail stores alongside its online platform, direct mail offerings, and B2B sales channels under its established name. Later that year on November 22, Enesco announced that its CEO Todd Mavis would also assume leadership of Things Remembered.

On December 28, 2022, it was declared that all physical retail locations would be closed.

Subsequently on January 10, 2023, 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc revealed it had acquired the Things Remembered brand to continue its legacy as a premier personalized gift retailer.