Boomer McCloud Gets New Owners
By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, 8/5/2002
WATERTOWN, CONN.— In Stereo, the parent company of 80 Boomer McCloud franchises and affiliates in eight states has sold the licensing and trademarks for Boomer McCloud in New England to former In Stereo VP Bob Zinno.
The new company, called Marketing Consultants, here, is now the sole owner of Boomer McCloud in New England. Joe Zippo, owner of In Toons, Hazlet, N.J., has purchased the rights to Boomer McCloud in New Jersey, where there are currently approximately 30 stores. Zinno says he has signed on about 50 percent of the 54 Boomer McLoud licensees in New England and expects to bring 90 percent of the original stores "back into the group."
Zinno says his operation will concentrate on marketing and advertising for the stores while a third party will handle product fulfillment. "We've settled into what we do best; sharing advertising costs, ideas and branding our name. It is just too expensive for a single store to afford the right advertising in their own market," he said.
He added that he plans to enter other markets with the Boomer McLoud name in the future.
In January, Boomer McLoud and Jo-Di's, a 13 store chain in Hartford, Conn., announced a merger, which fell through in April due to financing issues.
