LongueVue Capital (LVC) – a New Orleans-based private equity firm – has announced an investment in Kingston Brass, a leading designer and distributor of kitchen and bathroom fixtures, bathtubs, and accessories.
LVC along with its Consumer Operating Partner, Chris Homeister, partnered with Kingston’s founders, Erik Chen and Frieda Lin, to accelerate growth through strategic investments focused on customer, channel, product, and distribution expansion.
Based in Chino, CA, Kingston designs and distributes water fixtures, bathtubs, kitchen and bathroom accessories, and other plumbing products for both residential and commercial applications. And Kingston operates in both D2C and B2B channels with an extensive product portfolio supported by an innovative product design team and leading supply chain infrastructure. The company experienced rapid growth since its founding in 1998 and currently employs approximately 150 full-time and part-time employees.
Vice President Erin Saer, Senior Associate Nick Davaz, and Associate Rankin Hobbs, worked along with Ryan Nagim, Chris Homeister, and Evan Golden on the Kingston transaction. And Abacus Finance provided senior debt financing in support of the transaction. Greenberg Traurig, LLP served as legal counsel to LVC.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are extremely excited to partner with Kingston. Given our relevant experience with a highly analogous business, TileBar, we strongly believe that we can immediately add value and strategically support the Company’s leadership team. We look forward to driving growth both organically and through acquisitions.”
- Ryan Nagim, Managing Partner at LVC
“Kingston’s recent successes serve as a testament to the company’s unwavering commitment to excellence in service, unparalleled quality, and continuous innovation. We are delighted to enter this partnership with an exceptional team that deeply appreciates LVC’s collaborative approach and shares our strategic vision and cultural values.”
- Chris Homeister, LVC Consumer Operating Partner
“Kingston has an impressive track record of organic growth within the kitchen and bathroom fixtures market. With its proprietary, innovative designs and seamless channel integration, Kingston is not just a provider of plumbing fixtures; it’s a lifestyle brand. We are thrilled to partner with the Kingston team, and together we believe the Company is well positioned to become a disruptive industry leader.”
- Evan Golden, Principal at LVC
“This partnership with LVC allows Kingston to accelerate its growth trajectory. We have been focused on finding the right partner that can support us strategically, and LVC is the ideal fit for our organization given the firm’s immense amount of highly relevant experience. We look forward to working closely with LVC on our next phase of growth.”
- Erik Chen, Founder and CEO
