Update: the other side of the story has been released by Comune’s remaining staff. The company is relocating to Los Angeles—the suggestion being that the impending move was the cause of the resignations.
Comune, the Costa-Mesa-based lifestyle brand launched in 2008, has been taken over by an investor, according to various reports. The result: the resignation or firing of ten key staff members, including founder Frank Delgadillo. Other staff members include:
Mike Quinones (Creative Director)
Mark Logan (Brand Manager)
Julie Shumaker (VP of Marketing)
Matt Davis (VP of Sales)
Clifford Lidell (Graphic Designer)
Kerri Banach (Designer)
Billy Garner (Marketing Coordinator)
Sean Ciminesi (West Coast sales)
Cory Heenan (East Coast sales)
Shumaker wrote an email explaining the situation:
COMUNE was launched three years ago with one idea in mind, to create a brand that reflected our image and lifestyle. We felt that there was a void for this in the marketplace and we wanted to be the ones to spearhead this style and aesthetic. We have always told the story of carving a niche out in the marketplace and building a strong, smart and honest brand that would be able to sustain anything and offer superior product for many years to come.
Unfortunately, the vision and story we have been telling for the last three years was litterly taken from us overnight when an investor came in and did a hostel takeover of our brand in which contributors were asked to be fired, employees were fired and the distribution model was going to change.
COMUNE was NEVER designed to be a mass market brand nor did we want to make a quick buck. Our vision was long term sustainable growth and this was ripped away from us. With all of these elements involved we could not longer support the direction COMUNE was going or keep our names attached to it in anyway.
Stay tuned for more details.
Looking ahead into the next chapter, we will transition as a cohesive team.
Thank you so much for all your support and help in building COMUNE with us. Without the support from EVERYONE we would not have been able to build the brand as we did.
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