DGS Retail, a portfolio company of San Francisco Equity Partners, today announced the acquisition of SMS Display Group, a Chicago- based designer and manufacturer of retail fixtures and displays, serving multiple channels of trade including off-price retail and home improvement stores. The acquisition of SMS Display is DGS’ second acquisition in the past year under partnership with SFEP, following its acquisition of Rich Limited in 2023, and the company’s sixth acquisition since its founding over 40 years ago. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In conjunction with the acquisition of SMS Display, DGS also announced today the formation of Agility Retail Group (“Agility Retail”), which will serve as the company’s operating brand going forward. Agility Retail provides a broad array of services for the enhancement of physical store environments, including décor and graphics, custom fixtures and millwork, point-of-purchase displays, full store solutions, and stock fixtures and accessories. The company now operates six facilities across the U.S., spanning approximately 600,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehousing space.
“We are excited about the SMS Display acquisition, which further expands the breadth of our offerings and channels of operation,” said Peter Stevens, CEO of Agility Retail. “While our company’s brand has now transitioned from DGS Retail to Agility Retail, our dedication to our clients’ success is unchanged, with the same team, objectives, capabilities and service level that they have come to rely on.”
The Agility Retail brand name alludes to the company’s ability to offer creative and efficient solutions at scale and with speed to leading retail and foodservice brands and operators across North America. “The creation of the Agility Retail Group unifies the company’s divisions, legacy brands and industry-leading capabilities under a single, cohesive brand,” said David Mannix, Partner at SFEP. “This transition will allow Agility Retail to better showcase the breadth of its capabilities to its customers while maintaining the high-touch customer service model and diligence that many of its customers have trusted for decades.”
About Agility Retail Group
Agility Retail Group is a leading retail services company offering comprehensive solutions in design, fabrication, sourcing, installation, and program management for physical store environments. With a diverse set of capabilities and a commitment to exceptional customer service, Agility Retail Group partners with leading retail, grocery and foodservice brands and operators across North America. For more information, visit www.agilityretail.com.
About San Francisco Equity Partners
San Francisco Equity Partners is a private equity firm focused exclusively on partnering with lower middle market companies in the consumer value chain. To each of its portfolio companies, SFEP serves as an extension of the management team and provides deep consumer domain expertise, strategic and operational guidance, a broad network of relationships and a stable of industry resources. For more information, please visit www.sfequitypartners.com.
