Fort Worth city leaders blindsided by announcement of Dickies move to California
Fort Worth city leaders were blindsided by the announcement Thursday by Dickies’ parent company that it was moving the storied brand’s headquarters to California.
Colorado-based VF Corp. kept secret its plans until its public announcement Thursday, which is how city staff learned of the move. Without knowing VF’s thinking, the city’s business and economic development teams had no opportunity to try to change the company’s mind, according to officials.
There had been speculation about the iconic clothing brand’s potential departure from Fort Worth, where Dickies was founded in 1922. But the city’s business leaders received no official confirmation until VF Corp.’s statement, said Andrea Duffie, a spokesperson for the city’s economic development department.
“VF Corp. did not engage with the City or our partners to explore solutions. Ultimately, this was a decision made by VF Corp., Dickies’ parent company, as a result of their current corporate structure,” she said.
The move will impact about 120 employees in Fort Worth.
VF Corp. plans to relocate Dickies’ operations by May to a campus in Costa Mesa, California, where it has headquarters for Vans. The company said the change “will help us revitalize Dickies so we can carry on the brand’s heritage for years to come.”
The company, which also owns the North Face brand, has struggled in recent years and is undergoing a turnaround plan that includes cutting $300 million.
Publicly, there appeared to be few signs that VF might abandon Fort Worth. In mid-2023, Dickies moved from its historic West Vickery Boulevard campus into a new top-floor headquarters on Taylor Street in downtown, spending about $4.5 million on renovations.
Shortly after Thursday’s announcement, city leaders issued statements expressing disappointment.
“Fort Worth has enjoyed its relationship with Dickies and we wish them well,” said Robert Allen, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership. “It’s worth noting that since 2005, more than 230 companies have left California and more than half of them have relocated to Texas.”
Dickies was founded in Fort Worth in 1922, and established its campus at 509 W. Vickery Blvd. two years later. The company took its brand international following World War II and became popular among hip hop artists in the 1980s.
VF Corp. bought the company in August 2017 for $820 million in cash shortly after the company won the naming rights for Dickies Arena.
Despite relocating its headquarters, Dickies plans to keep, “a strong employment presence,” in Fort Worth with employees working at warehouses throughout the Metroplex, according to a company spokesperson.
This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 5:14 PM.
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