KITH TO MOVE ITS HQ TO BROOKLYN
Kith is on the move. The streetwear and sneaker retailer is moving its New York City-based operations – which includes production, design, front office, and other supporting functions – from Manhattan to the newly-opened 25 Kent building in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Kith will relocate its 75-person workforce from SoHo to a 57,679-square-foot space in 25 Kent, occupying approximately two-thirds of 25 Kent’s 87,000 square feet of manufacturing space.
“When the opportunity to move our brand HQ into 25 Kent came up, I realized it was something that we had to do,” said Ronnie Fieg, founder of Kith. “Creating a maker space in Williamsburg embodies the ideals we hold as a brand that includes creating inclusive and innovative experiences in new exciting surroundings. I’m looking forward to being on the precipice of a culture-shifting moment for Brooklyn.”
“25 Kent was designed as a new kind of workplace: a commercial ecosystem that reflects the dynamic nature of how companies work today,” commented Jeff Fronek, the director of investments at Rubenstein Partners, the company, that along with Heritage Equity Partners, developed 25 Kent. “Today, we took a significant step towards realizing that vision. Kith brings an extremely high level of creative energy to the property, and we’re excited to announce them as our anchor tenant.”
Brooklyn borough president Eric Adams added, “We are thrilled to welcome Kith to Brooklyn, and are heartened by the developer’s commitment to partner with non-profits to ensure local hiring. Their move underscores the fact that Brooklyn is an emerging capital of the innovation and creative economy, thanks to dynamic hubs like 25 Kent, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and others. Brooklyn is open for business, and it’s companies like Kith that are helping to fuel its exciting growth.”
Other garment manufacturers who left Manhattan for Brooklyn include Lafayette 148 New York, a New York City-based global fashion brand, which relocated its 200-person design, sales, marketing, merchandising, retail, e-commerce operations and New York-based manufacturing functions to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and fashion designer Nanette Lepore, who in 2018 announced plans to join Lafayette 148 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Building 77.