BAWLS is Back — Somewhat

A few months after nearly going out of business – and after investors forced the ouster of founders Hoby Buppert and Christina Staalstrom – current owners BAWLS Acquisition claim that the company is on its way out of the doldrums.

“We have completed our first 100 days of operation and within this time, we have been successful in bringing back 43 percent of the total distribution base that existed in 2009,” said BAWLS Acquisition Vice President Lisa Karell. “We have aspiring hopes of regaining the other 57 percent within a very short time frame.”

Karell made the announcement as part of a release announcing the company had added Ogden, Utah-based Miller/Coors distributor Golden Beverage. While Bawls has been quiet since barely avoiding bankruptcy last Fall, the company has managed to regain some of its market share and slowly build international distribution, Karell said.

BAWLS Acquisition was formed in March after repeated attempts to sell the company proved fruitless. Many distributors and retailers became frustrated with the company's inability to maintain supply lines before the change in ownership, a situation that persisted as the new regime sought to regain momentum.

"We are letting them know we're here," Karell said. "Production runs are fresh and we're ready to go."