Gart Capital Partners

Gart Capital Partners (GCP) is a private investment partnership that provides capital for ownership transitions and growth in closely-held and family-owned businesses. The firm focuses on a broad range of consumer and retail businesses, including specialty retail, consumer products, health and wellness, consumer-driven healthcare, and business services sectors. GCP targets opportunities within the smaller, middle market, typically seeking businesses with annual revenues between $10 million and $100 million and EBITDA of $1 million to $7 million. They aim to make initial investments of $5 million to $20 million in two to three companies annually, emphasizing a long-term partnership approach and leveraging their operational expertise rather than acting as passive financial investors.

Gart Capital Partners was founded in 1993 as a division of The Gart Companies, which itself was established in 1992 by brothers Tom, Ken, and John Gart. The family's entrepreneurial legacy dates back to 1928 when Nathan Gart, their grandfather, opened a sporting goods store in Downtown Denver. This multi-generational heritage in business and investment underpins the firm's approach to identifying opportunities, adding value, and fostering long-term success for its portfolio companies.

The firm has a notable portfolio of investments across its target sectors. One of its earliest and most significant investments was in GolfTEC Enterprises in 2001, a partnership that spanned over 15 years and saw GolfTEC expand significantly before GCP facilitated a strategic partnership in 2018. Other key investments include Topo Designs, an outdoor brand that received a growth investment, and Work World America, which Gart Capital Partners acquired and subsequently expanded through the acquisition of Shoeteria and Whistle Workwear. The firm has also invested in Trelora, a business/productivity software company, and First Western Trust, a financial services institution. Gart Capital Partners has also made exits, such as from Powderhorn Mountain Resort.

The team at Gart Capital Partners combines extensive investment and operational experience. Alex Gart serves as Managing Partner, leading new private equity transactions and managing existing investments. His background includes roles at Willis Stein & Partners, a middle-market private equity firm, and investment banking experience with Morgan Stanley and Canaccord Genuity. Matt Gold, an Operating Partner, supports portfolio companies with operational capabilities, drawing on his lengthy career building and operating consumer businesses, including leadership roles at Amer Sports Corporation and as CEO of Christy Sports. The founding Gart brothers, Tom, Ken, and John, bring a deep, multi-generational operational heritage from their family's sporting goods business, contributing to the firm's hands-on and value-add approach.