Eddie Black and The Saffer Group are back together as client and agency.

Black’s new company, Scarborough, Ont.-based Lewiscraft, has hired Saffer to replace Grey Canada.

Black and his two partners, Westock Capital and Gord Lewis, recently bought the Lewiscraft national chain of more than 60 craft stores.

Lewiscraft had been operated by the Lewis family since 1913. Partner Gord Lewis is the great-grandson of the founder.

Black was interim president of Saffer from June 1993, but stepped down earlier this year to pursue the Lewiscraft purchase.

Before that, he was president of Black Photo, at that time a Saffer client.

He left in 1993 when Black Photo was bought by Fuji Photo Film Canada.

Part of the strategy for the new Lewiscraft includes opening a number of superstores to compete with one of the most recent u.s. chains to invade Canada – Michael’s craft and hobby superstores.

While previous advertising for Lewiscraft had mainly been flyers, Saffer is expected to launch radio and print advertising for Lewiscraft in late summer, with a second campaign planned for fall.