CafePress acquires ImageKind

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jul 9, 2008 | by BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

San Mateo-based CafePress, a public commerce Web site, has acquired Seattle-based Imagekind, a Web site selling framed art.

CafePress, founded in 1999, makes it possible for customers to have text and graphics of their choice emblazoned on T-shirts and coffee mugs, among other things. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

Apparel

Casual apparel store Heritage 1981 will debut its new prototype to the nation when it opens at Concord's Sunvalley Shopping Center on Friday. This store will serve as the design benchmark for all future stores in the California-based chain.

Additionally, Sunvalley Shopping Center is adding Berrytwist, a specialty yogurt shop, to the center on Satuday.

Energy

William Morrow, the chief executive and president of San Francisco-based public utility Pacific Gas & Electric Co., is leaving to re-enter the international technology and telecom sector. Peter Darbee, chairman, CEO and president of its parent company, PG&E Corp., will add Morrow's former duties to his current responsibilities.

"Peter Darbee's assumption of the chief executive responsibilities of Pacific Gas and Electric Company recognizes that our current corporate focus is built around optimizing the financial and operational performance of our core utility unit," C. Lee Cox, lead director of PG&E Corp. and chairman of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., said in a statement.

Auto repair

Dent Defense Group Inc., a Concord-based insurance company, must pay $60,000 in fines for selling dent repair insurance in California without a license under terms of a settlement announced Tuesday by state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. From 2005 through 2007, Dent Defense, which did business under the name Ultimatedent.net, illegally sold insurance contracts that called for repairing small dents and dings for covered vehicles. In agreeing to the settlement, the owners of the company, Mitchell Buich and Michael P. Ghiorso, did not admit to any allegations but wanted to resolve the issue. The settlement allows Dent Defense to operate under a restricted license for 10 years.

Compiled from staff and wire reports. Got Bay Area business news? Reach Drew Voros at 925-943-8099 or dvoros@bayareanewsgroup.com.