Trade marks of retail chain Athena, famous for popularising ‘Tennis Girl’ poster, up for sale

Image: BPI auctions

The trade marks associated with the iconic Athena retail chain, responsible for decorating thousands of student bedrooms from the 1960s onwards, have been put up for sale, with rights holder Athena Licensing instructing BPI Asset Advisory to handle the auction.

Up for sale are two recently renewed UK trade marks for the Athena name and logo, plus an EU trade mark. The sale is for the trademarks only and the historic image rights are not an asset of Athena Licensing.

Founded in Hampstead, London, in 1964 as a single shop, the company was bought by E&O Plc in the 1970s, which started its expansion into British high streets. It then sold Athena to British retail holding company Pentos Group, which continued expansion from then until it ran into difficulty in the mid 1990s.

At its height, Athena operated more than 160 stores and become synonymous with posters, prints and gift products. Its range of posters, including the iconic ‘Tennis Girl’ image, could be found on thousands of students’ walls.

Andrew Cromack, director at BPI Asset Advisory, says:

“Athena is a name that immediately resonates with generations of people across the UK. Brands with this level of recognition and cultural connection rarely come to market, making this a unique opportunity to acquire a genuine piece of British retail history.”