Sorel, the outdoor brand owned by Columbia Sportswear Co., is getting some new digs.
The brand will relocated to new headquarters in Downtown Portland, Ore., from Columbia’s corporate campus. The space consists of roughly 13,700 square feet in the city’s Historic United Carriage Building. The property, located at 700 SW Taylor Street, was built in 1888.
“Columbia Sportswear’s decision to relocate our Sorel brand team to downtown Portland from our corporate headquarters in Washington County marks another important chapter in our 78-year history as a Portland corporate citizen,” CEO Tim Boyle said in a statement to Footwear News. “Our Sorel team will join the more than 400 team members who we currently employ within the City of Portland, including our Rivergate distribution center, and our branded and outlet retail stores. They are among more than 1,800 total Columbia Sportswear Company employees who consider the Portland area their home.”
The brand, known for its line of premium leather and wool boots, is expected to hit $220 million in revenue this year, thanks in large part to the health of its women’s business.
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In April, Columbia reported strong first quarter sales of $544 million, a 4 percent increase from the comparable quarter in 2016. At the time, Boyle attributed the healthy results to the Columbia brand’s growth in Europe and Sorel’s spring product assortment.
The move comes at a pivotal time for parent firm Columbia. The company earlier this month named a new SVP and CFO, Jim Swanson, and said Peter Rauch would be its new SVP and chief transformation officer.
