Dickies, one of the world’s most renowned workwear clothing brands, will be moving its global headquarters from West Vickery Boulevard to a space inside the Tower building on Throckmorton Street. Since its founding in Fort Worth in 1922, the company has kept close ties with the community for over a century.
Dickies will migrate to the top floor of the six-story building at 500 Taylor St., the office building adjacent to the 35-story Tower condominium.
Starting with just manufacturing work bibs in a small factory, Dickies has since expanded to the No. 1 workwear brand in the world. In the early days, the company was tasked with creating practical uniforms for the U.S. Army in World War II, later developing an unmistakable outline: the signature 874 work pant. In more recent years, the company has gained the following of skateboarders and casual fashion enthusiasts who sport durable yet classy pants and tops.
Despite exploding worldwide, the company has kept global operations centered around Fort Worth and, in 2019, built the local Dickies Arena, which holds 14,000 people.
The current West Vickery campus holds a set of iconic brick buildings which served for decades as a main manufacturing plant and an adjacent retail store. Another part of the Dickies history is the schoolhouse at 319 Lipscomb St, which was the corporate headquarters until 2020, when it was moved to West Vickery Boulevard.
“As we embark on readying the new headquarters for our arrival at the mid-point of next year, we are making upgrades to the space to infuse our brand’s DNA throughout, to truly illuminate a Dickies experience that inspires our employee community, and those who spend time visiting us,” said Lance Meller, Dickies’ global brand president. “This move will allow us to collaborate more freely, build deeper relationships with makers in our own backyard, and access top talent as we continue to grow.”
As the company departs from its West Vickery location, it has been tight-lipped on any changes to its retail or manufacturing capacity. Dickies declined to state whether or not the retail store will remain open or any related information on new manufacturing locations.
“Our growth story starts with our people, and investing in creating a new cultural brand hub will drive opportunities for the Fort Worth community, as well as our global footprint,” Meller said. “As we embark on readying the new headquarters for our arrival at the mid-point of next year, we are making upgrades to the space to infuse our brand’s DNA throughout, to truly illuminate a Dickies experience that inspires our employee community, and those who spend time visiting us.”
Meller said to expect “many more announcements” about Dickies in 2023, as the company anticipates continued brand growth.
Originally a family-owned company, Dickies was acquired by North Carolina-based apparel manufacturer VF Corp. in 2017 for $820 million in cash. VF also owns the Vans, North Face and Timberland brands.
