Columbus based Asset Strategies Group Acquires Design Agency Chute Gerdeman to expand its retail real estate solutions business.
Asset Strategies Group (ASG) has cleared a path forward to strengthen its strategic real estate solutions business in the acquisition of the leading environmental design agency Chute Gerdeman.
ASG has a nearly two-decade history of providing an expanding portfolio of real estate services to retailers —improving all aspects of real estate decision making and performance. Through its five practice areas it has helped more than 125 specialty retailers strategically plan real estate investments, control costs, streamline business operations, and maximize profit potential.
ASG’s Co-Founder and CEO, Steve Morris said,
“This is the perfect pairing, strengthening our creative solutions with data-driven operational strategy and expanding our implementation practice to deliver everything from prototypes to full execution across a fleet of stores. We’re also happy to play a bigger role in our beloved Columbus community, once again.”
Chute Gerdeman is a recognized global leader in innovation, experience, and design for retail, restaurants, and grocery brands. With a singular focus on delivering connected physical branded experiences that transform guest perceptions and deliver business results, their clients include a diverse array of Fortune 500 companies. Spanning every aspect of experience, their capabilities include insights and strategy, environmental design and communications, visual merchandising, and implementation. With over 30 years of industry accolades, including “Design Firm of the Year” and four “Store of the Year” awards, Chute Gerdeman is one of the most respected retail design agencies in the world.
“We’re incredibly excited for this partnership with ASG,” said Jay Highland, Chief Creative Officer of Chute Gerdeman, “Aligning our capabilities will allow our creative teams to expand into new arenas and set our clients up for long-term success—specifically combining the ASG’s strong real estate expertise with CG’s consumer strategy and creative innovation. We see endless opportunity for growth as retail continues to rapidly evolve, specifically in the new landscape of physical experiences.”
Chief Operating Officer, Wendy Johnson, added,
“This is the perfect pairing, strengthening our creative solutions with data-driven operational strategy and expanding our implementation practice to deliver everything from prototypes to full execution across a fleet of stores.”
ASG’s current practice areas provide strategy, deal execution, store rollout project management, lease administration services, and ASGedge, a SAAS real estate technology platform that complements its strategy and real estate execution practice. Adding Chute Gerdeman to its roster will allow the combination of companies to offer a complete end-to-end solution, customized for the unique challenges facing retail and restaurants today. Together they will build an unmatched practice across strategy, real estate, innovation, design, rollout, and implementation.
“Retail is being challenged on all fronts—online, climate change, rising costs, new consumer preferences, sustainability, and the DTC business. These challenges present opportunities for retail and we believe this is a moment for a redefinition of its role,”
ASG President, Carrie Barclay, said,
“Chute Gerdeman is at the forefront of that redefinition through consumer forward design. Combined with ASG’s real estate expertise, we see a clear picture of new retail evolution.”
Chute Gerdeman will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of ASG Holdings LLC, an Employee Owned (ESOP) company, and will retain its name—building on the longevity and excellence Elle Chute and Denny Gerdeman established in 1989. Gerdeman has joined the board of advisors for ASG Holdings to ensure the legacy of creative design and practical implementation remains true in this new chapter.
