Clothing manufacturer the Tom James Company has completed its acquisition of the 112-year-old former Hickey Freeman’s Rochester manufacturing facility, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced Wednesday.
According to officials, the new operation at the North Clinton Avenue facility will be branded as the Rochester Tailored Clothing and will continue to produce tailored suits for other brands as well as its own clothing line. Tom James’ acquisition means that 200 jobs that were previously at risk had the factory closed will be retained, with the company committing to growing the on-site workforce to 245 new jobs over the next five years, state officials say.
This agreement with the Tom James Company marks the start of a new chapter at the historic Hickey Freeman Building and will ensure that its legacy as an economic driver endures in Rochester," Hochul said in a statement. "For more than a century, this facility has been Rochester's gateway to the world of fashion and an important source of stable, union jobs. Now, thanks to State investment and the support of the Majority Leader and partners at every level of government, Tom James will continue to make quality products and employ hundreds of workers in the heart of Rochester."
The Tom James Company is headquartered out of Tennessee, with factories in eight other states, according to state officials, and employs 3,000 workers worldwide.
"It's official Rochester will continue its long tradition of making high quality suits, powered by our top notch union tailor workforce!” Schumer said in a statement. “This 112-year old factory is a Rochester institution - woven into the very fabric of the community - and that is why I've fought time and again to keep it in business whenever it faced challenges. Last month, after I had personally called the CEO to urge him to look at Rochester, I announced Tom James Company's plans to acquire this iconic factory, and today, I'm thrilled to announce that Tom James has officially closed on its purchase of this Rochester institution - not only providing stability for its 200 world-class union employees, but also adding additional jobs in the coming years. When I visited this Rochester facility a few years ago and walked the floor alongside the factory's hardworking employees, many of whom have worked there for decades, I committed to making sure their future was secure for years to come. Tom James Company, fueled by its own Workers United union workforce, has become an industry leader and is tailor-made to sew success now for Rochester's future. Now that the deal is officially closed, I'm excited to see what the future holds for this beloved Rochester factory and its hundreds of skilled Rochester union workers."
State officials say the Tom James Company is 100% employee-owned and is the largest custom clothing manufacturer in the world.
