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WJ Partners Secures Strategic Growth Investment For Pure Barre

By: Pure Barre |  20 Shares     487 Reads

May 05, 2015 // Franchising.com // SPARTANBURG, SC – WJ Partners, a private investment firm that focuses on investing in lower middle-market companies, announced that Pure Barre, the largest and most recognized barre- based fitness franchise, has received a significant growth investment from Catterton Partners. WJ Partners acquired Pure Barre in 2012 and will remain an investor. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Pure Barre, which combines ballet, pilates and resistance training in a low-impact, total-body workout, is the established leader in barre-based fitness. The Company has more than 300 studios across 42 states and the District of Columbia, which is more than three times the number of locations of any other barre concept. As a lifestyle brand, Pure Barre also has a growing retail presence that includes in-store and online sales of apparel, media content and other fitness accessories.

“We are extremely proud of the robust growth Pure Barre has experienced since our initial purchase,” said WJ Partners’ Managing Director Jaime Wall, who remains a member of Pure Barre’s board of directors. “This transaction with Catterton is the result of our successful and collaborative partnership with Pure Barre, its management team and franchisees. We welcome Catterton to the Pure Barre family and believe they are the right team to further our strategic vision and progress.”

Since the initial investment in 2012, WJ Partners has worked to establish Pure Barre as the market leader in the barre segment by growing the business from 100 studios to over 300 studios. The strategy included building out a professional management team, upgrading Pure Barre’s infrastructure, adding critical franchisee support functions, demonstrating portability of the model and working closely with the highly passionate franchisee base to ensure long-term success.

“Pure Barre is a great example of how we bring differentiated value to our portfolio companies in the consumer services sector,” said Benjamin Wall, Managing Partner at WJ Partners. “We have a history of success in building infrastructure and teams, executing a strategic plan and ultimately, creating value for all stakeholders. We are proud of the management team’s accomplishments and look forward to continuing our partnership with Pure Barre.”

With over 30 years of experience in consumer products and services, WJ Partners also specializes in business and professional services, industrial services, and specialty finance.

Piper Jaffray & Co. and Stephens Inc. acted as financial advisors to Pure Barre.

About WJ Partners

Founded in 2008, WJ Partners is a private investment firm focused on lower-middle market companies in the consumer and business services sectors. WJ Partners’ mission is to create value by providing financial, strategic and management resources in order to capture growth opportunities and operational efficiencies. WJ Partners’ management team has an extensive track record founding and building companies over the past thirty years. For more information on WJ Partners, please visit www.wjpartners.com. ?

About Pure Barre

Pure Barre is the largest, most established barre concept in the nation with more than 300 studios in 42 states and the District of Columbia. Pure Barre is an effective total body workout utilizing the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements in order to create long, lean muscles. With a unique franchise business model, Pure Barre has created an opportunity for entrepreneurs with a passion for Pure Barre to pursue their dreams. For more information on Pure Barre, please visit www.purebarre.com.

SOURCE WJ Partners 

Media Contacts:

Laura Stephens
Lstephens@rooneyco.com
212.223.0651

Kate Barrette
Kbarrette@rooneyco.com
212.223.0561

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