Golden Gate Capital and Circle Peak Capital have acquired Rocket Dog Rocket Dog was acquired from New York Transit, Inc., a privately held fashion footwear company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Founded in 1993 and based in Hayward, CA, Rocket Dog's product categories include active, boots, casual, dress and sandals/flats designed with a unique youthful style. Golden Gate Capital, based in San Francisco, and Circle Peak, based in New York, are backing Rocket Dog's president and CEO Mike Womack and the existing management team, who will continue to lead Rocket Dog. New York Transit's founder William Tai remains a significant shareholder in Rocket Dog and will continue to provide strategic direction in his capacity as a board member. New York Transit, a footwear distributor which owns the Ann Marino brand and the footwear license for Bisou-Bisou and Max Studio, acquired its original stake in Rocket Dog in 1999.

“Rocket Dog is singularly focused on bringing fashion forward, high quality products to its consumers at reasonable prices. This commitment inspires excitement and loyalty among our target consumers who find our brand in line with their fashion expectations. Our strong financial backing will enable us to expand our brand globally and introduce fresh designs in categories that are consistent with our customers' desires,” said Womack. A 25-year veteran of the footwear and accessories industry, Womack joined Rocket Dog in 2001 and has successfully led the brand through rapid sales growth and expanded category offerings. He is the former president of footwear and accessories-wholesale for Esprit San Francisco and also served as the company’s president-direct to consumer. In addition, he held senior management positions with American Eagle Footwear, a division of Jimlar, and worked at Carson Pirie Scott.

“We believe Rocket Dog represents a tremendous opportunity to invest in a rapidly growing footwear company. We are excited to partner with a management team that is passionate about building Rocket Dog into a global brand. We look forward to offering the company our financial backing and consumer products experience to further accelerate its growth,” said Golden Gate Capital Managing Director Prescott Ashe.

“Rocket Dog has enjoyed phenomenal success to date as a result of its unique product design, sales talent, outstanding sourcing and distribution planning. We are committed to supporting the company as it continues to improve its operating model and speed to market methodologies, and by further expanding the brand's availability in the U.S. and European markets,” said Circle Peak Capital Partner John Poerink.