Karen Cate, Jenica Myszkowski Named Co-CEOs of CAMP as Retailer Appears to be like to Give attention to Operations • The Toy E-book

A brand new period of CAMP has begun as the corporate works to streamline its enterprise.

This week, CAMP Founder Ben Kaufman took to LinkedIn to announce that he has stepped down as CEO of the “mass specialty” experiential retailer as Karen Cate and Jenica Myszkowski take the reins as Co-CEOs.

“Fortunately, I’ll proceed to be totally engaged at CAMP overseeing all inventive and partnerships in addition to sustaining my seat on CAMP’s Board Of Administrators. I’ll merely be calling myself ‘Camp Counselor,’ Kaufman wrote. “With our new management in place, I’ll be capable of give attention to what I do finest whereas the corporate’s complicated operations are led by skilled executives who make far fewer fart jokes than I do.”

Myszkowski, who beforehand held roles at Barnes & Noble/Paper Supply, Kate Spade New York, and Bebe, joined CAMP final 12 months as President. Cate joined the corporate in January as Chief Monetary Officer and Chief Working Officer after serving in numerous roles for Thrive Market, TOMS, Dealer Joe’s, and different retailers.

CAMP is opening its first retailer in Atlanta this week alongside the debut of its new themed experience impressed by Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Moreover, CAMP partnered with Walmart and The Walt Disney Co. for a shoppable musical reside stream “filled with devices, whozits, and thingamabobs” with a particular look from Halle Bailey. The occasion will happen on Friday, June 2 at 6 p.m. ET through Walmart’s website and social channels.

Earlier this 12 months, CAMP allegedly discovered itself caught up in the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank prompting a weekend fireplace sale that led to the largest single-day gross sales file in firm historical past.

Whereas further new shops, together with a location in Chicago, are within the planning phases, CAMP quietly closed two of its places with its outposts at Hudson Yards in New York Metropolis and Westfield Backyard State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey having packed up their tents.

The New Jersey location holds the doubtful distinction of being the placement of three completely different toy shops over the previous three years. The location first housed one of many two, failed Toys “R” Us concept stores with b8ta, then performed host to Toys & Past (sparking a lawsuit from Toys “R” Us), and then became CAMP in Oct. 2021. Kingsmen Xperience is subsequent as much as convey toyetic household leisure to the Backyard State Plaza with themed experiences based on NERF and Playskool set to open later this 12 months.

CAMP just lately launched a house brand of wooden toys and held a celeb ebook studying with Channing Tatum in New York Metropolis this week.