Agave's New D.C.
Los Angeles–based denim brand Agave has started construction on a 22,000-square-foot design studio and warehouse to be based on a two-acre parcel in Ridgefield, Wash., near Vancouver. The facility is expected to be completed by next January.
Agave is a 6-year-old company that produces jeans in Los Angeles made with denim from Japan, Europe and the United States.
The new company-owned facility will house all design, finance, warehousing and distribution functions. Chief Executive Officer Jeff Shafer will manage the operation. Shafer chose the location because it is near his Portland, Ore., home, just across the Columbia River. The formerly Los Angeles–based designer moved to the Portland area about two years ago. The area is home to companies such as Nike Inc., Adidas America and Columbia Sportswear. Agave will still maintain a showroom and sales office in Los Angeles for all of its products, including Agave Nectar, a new women’s collection.
The collections will continue to be produced in Los Angeles.
Shafer said the company needed to expand its infrastructure to sustain its current level of growth as well as accommodate future expansion plans. “Building our own space here will give us flexibility and the ability to take this to another level. Taking control of our own warehousing and distribution is an inevitable part of that growth, and in addition, we are currently building our team internally to support the business on all levels whether it’s in design, production, finance, customer service, sales and marketing.” —Robert McAllister
