Just got this off of rec.boats.paddle. I tried to do some research to confirm the truth but the Citizen-times web site is not a complete online paper. And here I sit with one of the best newsfeeds coming into my computer (the type used by large brokers) and a search for stories containing Patagonia or Lotus turns up nothing... ---------------------- Best of wishes to Phillip, Brad and the rest of the Lotus crew. Today's (4/21/98) Asheville Citizen-Times carried the following story. Weaverville is a town just north of Asheville, NC: Patagonia Buys Lotus Patagonia, a national leader in the outdoor clothing business, has merged its paddling line with Lotus Designs Inc., which makes innovative personal flotation devices. Patagonia acquired the stock of Lotus Designs from Phillip Curry, who founded the business about five years ago after graduating from Warren Wilson College. Curry got the idea for making flotation devices when he saw some European style rescue vests and decided to design his own product. The company last year sold $2 million worth of products made by 35 seamstresses working in a former service station on the Ivy River in Madison County. Curry will serve as director of development for the new Lotus Designs, which will be based in Weavervillle. "We are excited about this new venture," Curry said. "Patagonia and Lotus are a natural fit -- we share an unwavering commitment to product quality." Patagonia will combine its products for paddlers with those of Lotus Designs under the Lotus label. "We don't anticipate any job losses from this merger. All we see are growth opportunities," said Brad Brock of Lotus' marketing department. ----------------------- If true the part that bothers me is Patagonia selling its stuff under the Lotus label. Not that Patagonia makes junk, just that Lotus makes great PFD's. Now I'll have to figure out which is the true Lotus product and which is a pretend. Mel --- There are three types of people, those who can count and those who can't. -----== Sent via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/ Easy access to 50,000+ discussion forums *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Apr 21 1999 - 18:42:48 PDT
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