ICSC Buys Kiosk Trade Magazine, Conference

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) has acquired Pinnacle Publishing Group’s Specialty Retail Report and the retail-focused conferences, Specialty Retail Entrepreneur Expo, Shopping Center Sponsorship & Advertising Conference and Specialty Leasing Summit.

Specialty Retail Report is a quarterly magazine that caters to the cart, kiosk, and temporary retail businesses and the Specialty Retail Entrepreneur Expo (SPREE) is its trade show.

“We are extremely pleased to have acquired the assets of Pinnacle Publishing Group that serve the specialty retail real estate industry as we believe they will be a great addition to the many programs and services we currently offer our members,” ICSC CEO Michael Kercheval in a statement. “While the assets are well known to specialty leasing professionals and specialty retailers in North America, we believe there exists a great opportunity to expand their reach throughout the world and ICSC is uniquely suited to make this goal a reality.”

Pinnacle founder and CEO Patricia Norins has joined ICSC as its new VP of specialty programs. She founded Specialty Retail Report in 1997 and launched its show in 2004.

Massachusetts-based Pinnacle Publishing Group, which still owns Gift Shop magazine, will continue under former COO Adrian Clapp; he intends to launch new businesses.

The ICSC is a worldwide trade organization with 60,000 members in 90 countries. It was founded in 1957.