Entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis Acquires Upscale Women's Fashion Brand, COURAGE b


LINCOLNSHIRE, IL--(Marketwired - Oct 15, 2014) - COURAGE b, a luxury family-run fashion brand with six locations across the country, has been acquired by Marcus Lemonis, host of CNBC's hit reality series, The Profit. The company, which was featured on the premiere episode of The Profit, was founded in 2009 by siblings Stephanie Menkin and Nicolas Goureau, and caters to women of all ages with its blend of American and European styles. Their mother, Noemie Goureau, who holds over 40 years of designer and stylist experience, plays an integral role in designing COURAGE b's unique line of garments and accessories, inspired by their French roots.

"I'm extremely excited to be a part of a business that offers high-end products and an exceptional shopping experience, and we're going to make it even better by renovating our storefronts and expanding our product lines," says Lemonis. "There is a huge demand for true high-quality products in the fashion industry, and I see COURAGE b's potential to not only improve in this aspect, but to expand into additional locations in the foreseeable future."

On the season premiere episode of The Profit, which aired on CNBC Tuesday night at 10pm ET/PT, Lemonis stepped in to save the struggling business and offer guidance for improving the brand. Plans were put in place for each location to undergo extensive renovations in order to refresh each storefront, and to develop a new modernized assortment of luxury garments and accessories for the fashion-forward woman, which will become available in the near future. Following the renovations, each location will also host a grand re-opening celebration where consumers will get an exclusive first look at some of their new product offerings. Grand openings are currently scheduled for the following:

  • October 24 & 25 - 956 Lexington Avenue - New York, NY
  • November 1 & 2 - 7125 Bethesda Lane - Bethesda, MD
  • November 7 & 8 - 85 Greenwich Avenue - Greenwich, CT
  • December 5 & 6 - 325 Worth Avenue - Palm Beach, FL
  • December 26 & 27 - 205 South Mill Street - Aspen, CO

The first grand opening event will be held at the newly renovated boutique in New York City from 5-8 p.m., on Friday, October 24 and Saturday, October 25 and complimentary refreshments will be served. Customers can expect an improved upscale experience, with the space featuring newly installed hardwood flooring, contemporary paint colors and a better functioning organization system for a simple and sophisticated browsing experience. Under Marcus' guidance, other locations that have also undergone completed renovations include Greenwich, CT, Bethesda, MD, and Palm Beach, FL, while the remaining locations are expected to be completed over the next few weeks.

"Partnering with Marcus has been a huge step in the right direction for us, and in addition to our beautiful renovations we already have plans to expand into new locations in 2015," remarked Stephanie Menkin, COURAGE b President. "His knowledge and experience has brought a new life and vibrancy to our business, and we can't wait for customers to see the transformation at each COURAGE b location over just a few short months."

Those attending the grand opening events will receive exclusive one-night-only savings, and have the opportunity to gain access to private VIP events that are also scheduled at each location over the next two months. For more information regarding COURAGE b visit www.COURAGEb.com, and tune into CNBC every Tuesday at 10pm ET/PT to watch Lemonis save more struggling businesses on The Profit.

About COURAGE b
COURAGE b is a high-end women's fashion brand founded in 2009 by siblings Stephanie Menkin and Nicolas Goureau, which designs and retails elegant clothing and accessories. With over 40 years of designer and stylist experience, their mother, Noemie Goureau, designs COURAGE b's French-inspired line of clothing and accessories, suitable for women of all ages and silhouettes. The business currently consists of six locations across the country including New York, NY, Greenwich, CT, Bethesda, MD, Palm Beach, FL, Fairfax, VA, and Aspen, CO. For more information, visit http://www.COURAGEb.com

About Marcus Lemonis LLC
Marcus Lemonis is an entrepreneur, investor, television personality, and chairman and CEO of Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises. Camping World is the nation's largest RV and outdoor retailer, and Good Sam is the world's largest RV owner's organization. Through Camping World and Good Sam, he leads nearly 6,000 employees in over 100 United States cities. Lemonis was named RV Business Magazine's "Newsmaker of the Year" in 2007, landed on Crain's Chicago Business "40 under 40" list in 2005, and was named Ernst and Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 2008.

Lemonis is also known as the "business turnaround king" and star of CNBC's prime time reality series, The Profit, in which he lends his expertise to struggling small businesses around the country and judges businesses based on a "Three P" principle: People, Process, and Product. The Profit returns on CNBC this fall with new episodes airing October 2014.

A vast variety of businesses can be found under his holding company Marcus Lemonis Enterprises LLC, such as: 1 800 Car Cash, AutoMatch USA, Amazing Grapes, Bee's Knees, Crumbs Bake Shop, Dapper Classics, E-Net, Key West Key Lime Pie Co., Little Miss Baker, Matt's Cookies, Wicked Good Cupcakes, Mr. Green Tea, Pie King, ProFit Protein Bites, RawONE, Sweet Pete's and Rose's Café & Bakery.

More about Marcus Lemonis LLC can be found at http://www.marcuslemonis.com.

Contact Information:

For media, contact:
Karen L. Porter