Three Dots Set for Expansion, Move
Orange County tops manufacturer Three Dots Inc. is moving into a new and larger headquarters in Garden Grove, Calif.
The 10-year-old company, known for its assortment of casual shirts, will triple its current space when it moves this April into a 76,000-square-foot building on Lampson Avenue in Garden Grove.
Company officials signed a six-year lease valued at $2.2 million for the property, formerly occupied by Graphic Packaging Co. A private investor purchased the building last summer along with another 80,000- square-foot structure for about $10 million as part of a package deal.
Three Dots currently operates out of three smaller buildings in Garden Grove and Los Angeles. The company does about $24 million in business yearly and is projected to earn about $28 million this year. It sells to Nordstrom Inc., Fred Segal and other top specialty stores and competes with brands such as Michael Stars, C&C California and James Perse.
The move will consolidate operations, bringing all the company’s designers under one roof. The design team currently works in Los Angeles.
Company owner Sharon LeBon recently gained total control of the company, buying out partner John Ward last summer. LeBon is taking the company on an aggressive path by bringing more feminine touches to the women’s line. She has also hired a new designer, Peter Trainor, for the company’s men’s line.
And since buying out Ward, LeBon has taken on a broader role, giving input on styling direction as well as sales and marketing. She has succeeded in putting Three Dots on more celebrities.
“We’ve added more femininity and more fabrications,” LeBon said. “We’re known for being more classic and being very wearable, and we listen to our customers.”
New additions for Summer include a “Speakeasy” top in Supima cotton/Modal fabric and an “Odette” liquid jersey in rayon fabric and spandex. Both wholesale for approximately $45.
The company produces about 150 styles each season, including a smattering of dresses and skirts, said Sarah Ansell, vice president of marketing.
The line is sold through the company’s corporate showroom on the 11th floor of The New Mart in Los Angeles. Three Dots also has a New York showroom. —Robert McAllister
