Backchannelmedia

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

By DORIS HAJEWSKI

A Colorado media company has agreed to purchase New Berlin-based BuySeasons Inc., the world's largest Internet retailer of costumes and accessories. The price was not disclosed.

BuySeasons, founded in 1999 by Jalem Getz and former partner Jon Majdoch, operates the Web site www.buycostumes.com. The company will remain in the area and Getz will continue as chief executive, a spokesman for the buyer, Liberty Media Corp. of Englewood, Colo., said Wednesday.

Getz has said he expects sales to reach $50 million this year. The company recently added a new line of birthday party supplies that will help to smooth out the seasonality of the business.

"I'm very pleased about it," Getz said about the sale. Liberty plans no staff changes at BuySeasons, which is owned by Getz and other local investors. Jeff Rusinow, a former Kohl's executive, is a major investor and chairman of BuySeasons.

BuySeasons has been in the news this year as Getz has tried to find a larger home for his expanding business. Getz wanted to move the company to the Menomonee Valley in Milwaukee but dropped the effort after the proposal generated opposition from Milwaukee Ald. Robert Donovan and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.). Opponents said Getz didn't pay high enough wages.

The Milwaukee Common Council approved the sale of the land for the BuySeasons project, but Getz said delays made it impossible for him to move the business in spring 2007, ahead of the Halloween selling season.

Getz now is working with C.B. Richard Ellis to find an interim site for the business for 2007, while continuing to work with Willow Tree Development on plans for a permanent location for 2008 occupancy.

Liberty Media, with annual revenue of $6.7 billion, is a holding company that owns interests in a broad range of electronic retailing, media, communications and entertainment businesses. Chairman John Malone will add BuySeasons to the Liberty Interactive tracking stock group, which includes the QVC home-shopping network. Liberty Media also has investments in Web companies, including IAC/ InterActiveCorp and Expedia Inc.

Liberty Media spokesman John Orr said the company has been looking for direct-to-consumer Internet businesses that would fit Liberty's portfolio.

Orr said the company plans to explore possibilities for collaboration between Buycostumes.com and QVC. Liberty Media's Provide Commerce unit owns ProFlowers, which sells flowers; Cherry Moon, which sells gift baskets; Uptown Prime, which sells steak; and Secret Spoon, which sells cookies and candy.

BuySeasons employs about 60 people year-round and hires hundreds of seasonal workers in the months preceding Halloween. The number of year-round jobs is expected to increase to 90 in 2007.

The BuySeasons purchase is expected to close in the third quarter, Liberty Media said.

Bloomberg News contributed to this report.

Copyright 2006, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. (Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media.)

(c) 2006 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.