Starpower To Acquire Kellum Audio Video & Appliance
Once again changes are afoot in the area’s business community. First Caroline Rose Hunt sold the Mansion on Turtle Creek to the family of Hong Kong billionaire Cheng Yu-tung. Then Cooter’s Village Camera closed in Highland Park Village. Now, word comes that 63-year-old Kellum Audio Video & Appliance is being acquired by Starpower.
According to the release that follows the jump, “no layoffs are expected.”
NEWS RELEASE
Starpower Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire 63-year-old Kellum Audio
Video & Appliance
DALLAS, TEXAS, September 6, 2011– Starpower Home Entertainment Systems, Inc. (“Starpower”), announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Ed Kellum & Son Appliance Corporation d/b/a Kellum Audio Video & Appliance (“Kellum“). Kellum is a 63 year old Dallas based retailer specializing in audio, video and appliance sales located in the Highland Park neighborhood of Dallas.
The acquisition is a cash transaction expected to close By September 26th. The business will continue to operate with the Kellum Audio Video & Appliance brand and will integrate operations into the Starpower organization. There are no layoffs expected as a result of the transaction. Kellum will be operated as a stand alone brand.
David Pidgeon, CEO of Starpower stated, “This transaction will make possible the continuation of the highly respected Kellum name in the Dallas market and beyond. This 63 year old brand is a Dallas institution and carries with it a rich tradition of customer service and leadership in both the appliance and audio/video segments. Pat Kellum has built an amazing company filled with amazing employees. We look forward to building on this foundation to take the brand to new heights”.
Pat Kellum, President of Kellum stated, “I could not be more excited to allow the merger of the Kellum name into Starpower’s capable hands. Starpower has proven itself as the unquestioned leader in custom installation of audio and video and has shown tremendous leadership in this marketplace and the industry. Now, with the additional resources of Starpower, Kellum will continue to thrive as it enters the next generation. I look forward to cheering them on as they merge these two great operations”.
Daniel Pidgeon, Chairman of Starpower added, “Starpower prides itself on innovative retailing to the luxury consumer. Kellum opens up some exciting opportunities for Starpower. We are excited about the future of the Kellum brand”.
Kellum’s operations will be immediately enhanced by the utilization of Starpower’s award winning Custom Installation (“CI”) Group. Kellum customers will now have full access to the installation and service staff already in place at Starpower.
About Starpower
Starpower, founded in 1995 is an award winning provider of premium audio/video products and custom installation to a luxury consumer based in Dallas, Texas. Starpower sells to Consumer and Commercial markets and has showrooms in Dallas and Southlake, Texas as well as Scottsdale, Arizona. www.starpower.com
About Kellum Audio Video & Appliance
Ed Kellum & Son was founded by Ed Kellum in 1948 as an appliance seller located originally on Lovers Lane in Dallas Texas and later relocated to Knox Street. Television sales were added in 1956 and the company has evolved many times to ultimately become a leading seller of audio, video and appliances serving all of Dallas and Fort Worth markets. Kellum’s current location opened in 1996. www.edkellum.com
Well, business is business and I understand the market drivers here, but this makes me sad. I love the customer service at Kellum and the knowledgeable staff — where else can you call your salesperson, tell him/her what you want, they find it and counsel you on the features/pros/cons, you pay for it your way, and not set foot in the store unless you want to? Developing a long-term relationship with the staff is what keeps me going back. I hope that won’t change.
Well, great. We can kiss reasonable prices and customer services good bye, and be introduced to the Starpower way of urging you to spend more, more, more. The “luxury consumer” is not who shops at Kellum, at least not anymore.
I, too, am saddened. I was encouraged when they built the new store, thinking that all the good Dallas stuff wasn’t disappearing. I still miss HP Cafeteria and my 7-11 around there. The times, they are a changing.
On the positive side, however, I hear that Charter Cable is opening an office in Snider Plaza, after several years of our having nowhere to go change out faulty equipment, and they have added the NFL channel.
I’m still sad. And I think I hear a kissing sound — as in the kiss of death to a great business. @Lauren – you’re right. The luxury consumer is not the typical Kellum customer.
Those Starpower promos on The Ticket and other radio stations…UGH. They don’t sound luxury but instead sound cheesy – I envision guys in blue polos running around to demonstrate the hip new gadget/wiring/speaker or upsell to the latest a/v for my media room (which I don’t have).
There won’t be layoffs but I bet there will be an increased level of attrition.
My husband and I were in there on Labor Day and there prices were higher than the Modia…few hundred higher. We showed them our prices and they said they would match it.
My name is Daniel Pidgeon and am one of the owners of Starpower. I totally understand And appreciate the passion for the Kellum store. Be assured that we will work hard at maintaining all of the great experiences at Kellum while offering more. I live here and will do everything possible for our customers. If anyone ever has a concern or question, feel free to email me at dmp@star-power.com