Tracked deals
11
11 tracked deals across 2017-2026.
Retail Buyers & Acquisitions in Ohio
Buyer mix
Strategic-led
9 strategic · 2 pe
Top trend
Volume peaked in 2021
3 tracked deals announced in 2021.
Primary Insight
What Stands Out
- Automotive retail is a clear Ohio theme, including acquisitions that add franchises and rebrand under a single umbrella (e.g., Clement Auto Group and Jeff Wyler Automotive Family).
- Discount retail store portfolio moves appear in Ohio, including Variety Wholesalers, Inc. acquiring 219 locations (from Big Lots, Inc. via Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, LLC).
- Specialty and convenience-adjacent retail shows up via add-on growth (e.g., Rocky's Ace Hardware entering Ohio through Handyman Ace Hardware; Express Wash Concepts adding three Bee Clean locations).
- Some transactions broaden service capacity and technician/parts resources (e.g., Ag-Pro acquiring Findlay Implement Company).
- Ohio retail coverage also includes regulated retail, such as Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. acquiring a medical cannabis dispensary in Coshocton.
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Top Buyers
Illustrative buyers pulled from tracked transactions on this page. This table is capped and intentionally non-exhaustive.
| Buyer | # Deals | Focus | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ag-Pro | 1 | Privately owned John Deere dealership group operating equ... | Strategic |
| Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. | 1 | Vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator with... | Strategic |
| Camping World Holdings, Inc. | 1 | Nation's largest network of RV and outdoor lifestyle reta... | Strategic |
| CenterGate Capital | 1 | Middle‑market private equity firm focused on investing in... | PE |
| Clement Auto Group | 1 | First-generation auto dealership group based in the Great... | Strategic |
| Express Wash Concepts | 1 | Operator and consolidator of express car wash brands; man... | Strategic (PE-backed) |
| Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, LLC | 1 | Global asset valuation and investment firm providing capi... | PE |
| Jeff Wyler Automotive Family | 1 | Privately held automotive dealership group operating mult... | Family Office |
| RV Retailer, LLC | 1 | Multi-brand, multi-location recreational vehicle retailer... | Strategic |
| Rocky's Ace Hardware | 1 | Family-owned Ace Hardware dealer operating multiple retai... | Strategic |
Acquisition Volume in Retail in Ohio by Year
Last 6 years
Actual
Full-year estimate
Supporting Data
Recent Transactions
-
September 9, 2026
- Buyer
- Clement Auto Group
- Target
- Mansfield Motor Group
- Seller
- Dirk Schulter, Brett Schulter
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Clement Auto Group acquired Mansfield Motor Group, a three-rooftop Nissan, Honda, and Volvo dealership group in Mansfield, Ohio, from Dirk Schulter and Brett Schulter. The dealerships will remain in place and be renamed Clement Honda, Clement Nissan, and Clement Volvo Cars of Mansfield.
-
January 15, 2026
- Buyer
- Jeff Wyler Automotive Family
- Target
- Midwest Auto Group (MAG)
- Seller
- Mark Brentlinger
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Buyout
The Jeff Wyler Automotive Family acquired Midwest Auto Group (MAG), adding 14 premium and luxury automotive franchises. The acquired dealerships will be rebranded as The Wyler Collection, creating a single luxury campus in Dublin, Ohio and expanding Wyler’s presence in the premium and ultra-luxury segments.
-
- Buyer
- Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, LLC, Variety Wholesalers, Inc.
- Target
- Big Lots, Inc. (store portfolio / 219 locations)
- Seller
- Big Lots, Inc.
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Divestiture
Big Lots, Inc. closed a sale agreement enabling Gordon Brothers Retail Partners to facilitate the transfer of between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores to Variety Wholesalers, with Variety acquiring 219 store locations out of bankruptcy. The transaction preserves jobs, maintains the Big Lots brand at many locations, and expands Variety Wholesalers' discount retail footprint across multiple eastern U.S. states.
-
April 1, 2022
- Buyer
- Rocky's Ace Hardware
- Target
- Handyman Ace Hardware
- Seller
- David Grimes, Grimes family
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Rocky's Ace Hardware, a family-owned Ace dealer headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts, acquired Handyman Ace Hardware, a nine-store Ace dealer based in Fairborn, Ohio. The transaction closed April 1, 2022 and was advised by Generational Equity; the acquisition expands Rocky's footprint into Ohio.
-
March 16, 2022
- Buyer
- Ag-Pro
- Target
- Findlay Implement Company
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Ag-Pro acquired Findlay Implement Company on March 16, 2022. Findlay Implement, founded in 1972, operated eight John Deere dealership locations across Northwest Ohio; the acquisition expands Ag-Pro's footprint and service capacity in Ohio, providing customers with greater parts, inventory and technician resources.
-
- Buyer
- Express Wash Concepts
- Target
- Bee Clean Express Car Wash
- Seller
- Bee Clean Express Car Wash, Beau Hankinson
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Addon
Express Wash Concepts (EWC) acquired three Bee Clean Express Car Wash locations in Zanesville and Cambridge, Ohio (one location is currently under construction). The deal expands EWC's footprint to 57 operating locations and adds the Bee Clean brand to its portfolio as an add-on to its PE-backed platform.
-
- Buyer
- Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc.
- Target
- Ohio Cannabis Clinic, LLC (d/b/a Ohio Cannabis Company)
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. completed the acquisition of Ohio Cannabis Clinic, LLC (d/b/a Ohio Cannabis Company) and its licensed medical cannabis dispensary in Coshocton, Ohio. The deal expands AWH's Ohio retail footprint (its second dispensary in the state) as the company plans to migrate acquired brands to the Ascend banner and continue growing in the state.
-
- Buyer
- RV Retailer, LLC
- Target
- Family RV Group
- Seller
- Kidd & Company, LLC
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Buyout
RV Retailer, LLC (the country’s largest privately-held RV dealer) has acquired Family RV Group, a Cincinnati-headquartered specialty retailer of new and used recreational vehicles and related parts and services. The seller was Kidd & Company, LLC; financial terms were not disclosed. Family RV, founded in 1968, grew under KCO ownership from four to 12 locations across Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.
-
November 24, 2020
- Buyer
- Camping World Holdings, Inc.
- Target
- Paul Sherry RV
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Camping World Holdings, Inc. has agreed to acquire Paul Sherry RV, a single-location RV dealership in Piqua, Ohio. The acquisition will expand Camping World's retail footprint in the greater Dayton, Ohio market and the Paul Sherry location will be rebranded as Camping World.
-
November 18, 2020
- Buyer
- United Flea Markets
- Target
- Treasure Aisles Flea Market
- Seller
- Levin Service Company
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Buyout
Denver-based United Flea Markets acquired Treasure Aisles Flea Market in Monroe, Ohio, marking the buyer’s 14th property and its first in Ohio. The seller, Levin Service Company, will retain most employees while United Flea Markets plans infrastructure upgrades, enhanced Wi‑Fi, refreshed signage, marketing and technology platform improvements.
-
October 12, 2017
- Buyer
- CenterGate Capital
- Target
- TSC Apparel
- Industry
- Retail
- Location
- Ohio, United States
- Type
- Buyout
CenterGate Capital (through an affiliate) acquired TSC Apparel, a national B2B distributor of imprintable activewear and accessories headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Financial terms were not disclosed; CenterGate said the investment will support the company’s next phase of growth and expand its service to suppliers and customers through its national distribution footprint.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of retail acquisitions are covered for Ohio?
Deals shown span multiple retail subsectors, including automotive dealership groups, discount retail store portfolios, hardware retail, car wash locations, RV dealerships, and medical cannabis dispensaries.
Which buyers appear repeatedly in Ohio retail deals?
Notable recurring names in the page include United Flea Markets, Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, LLC, Variety Wholesalers, Inc., CenterGate Capital, Express Wash Concepts, and RV Retailer, LLC.
Do these Ohio deals typically involve rebranding?
Several examples indicate rebranding after acquisition, such as Clement Auto Group renaming acquired dealerships and Jeff Wyler Automotive Family rebranding to The Wyler Collection.
Are store-portfolio transactions included or only single-location deals?
Both are represented. For example, the Big Lots portfolio transfer involves hundreds of stores (with Variety Wholesalers, Inc. acquiring 219 locations), while other deals involve one to a few locations.
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Retail Acquisitions in 2017
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