When the Williamson-Dickie family built its red brick campus off West Vickery Boulevard over a century ago, it came with room to grow.
The building at 509 W. Vickery Blvd. was constructed in 1924, just two years after Dickies established its workwear brand in Fort Worth. Unsure of how big the company would be, the four-story structure was constructed with the ability to add floors to the building, all the way up to seven floors.
For decades, it was the original factory where pants, shirts and jackets were made for working people. But over time Dickies moved manufacturing to places across the globe and the red brick building settled into more of an office space.
In 2017, North Carolina-based apparel manufacturer VF Corp., which also owns the brands Vans, North Face and Timberland, paid $820 million in cash for Dickies. Then COVID-19 struck. Work technology evolved with the pandemic. It was only a matter of time before something had to change.
Dickies decided to move its headquarters down the road.
“It was an appropriate time,” Dickies president Todd Dalhausser said. “Hard, but an appropriate time.”
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After operating for just over 100 years out of the red brick campus overlooking I-30, Dickies found its new home in downtown Fort Worth. The workwear brand relocated its headquarters last summer from West Vickery Boulevard to The Tower complex in the heart of town. Located in the top floor of the six-story building, Dickies new address is 500 Taylor St.
Dalhausser, who was named Dickies president last spring, likened the relocation to the feeling of moving into a new home.
“That last day when you shut the door and you walk out, it’s emotional,” he said.
Dickies: A Fort Worth company in every respect
Dickies looked at a few different spaces in, out and around downtown while looking for its new headquarters.
The company settled on the 65,000-square-foot space at 500 Taylor St., wanting to stay close to the Dickies retail store at 521 W. Vickery Blvd., which is only about a mile away, Dalhausser said.
While it would be difficult to have a retail store at Dickies new headquarters on the sixth floor, Dalhausser said the company does have space on the street level. But at this point, the West Vickery store is where they sell their gear. For now.
“We’re really proud of that space over there,” Dalhausser said of Dickies’ storefront retail operation. “We’re not in a hurry to move or to find another space right now.”
In opening up their new digs and creating common areas for its employees, Dickies spent approximately $4.5 million in renovations in the new building. The company felt it a worthwhile investment to create an office space that would be inviting as well as comfortable for its workforce who had gotten used to working from home during the global pandemic. Whether it be in the large cafeteria or various conference rooms, there’s plenty of space for people to sprawl.
It’s a different kind of sprawl than what employees had at the four-story building on West Vickery Boulevard. The new layout brings everyone a little closer together.
“It’s much easier to find people here,” Dalhausser joked.
Fort Worth’s Dickies eyes the future with inspiration from its past
For decades, a red sign reading “Williamson-Dickie” shined atop the old red brick building. Now the sign greets employees in a prominent mantle in the new lobby.
The sign is just one of the many items Dickies moved over to its new offices — a reverent nod to its past. Whether it be a fabric cutting table now repurposed into a conference room centerpiece, or decades-old clothing lining the walls of the archive room. Dickies brought pieces of its past for its journey into the future.
Much of the decor in its new home highlights the brand’s century plus existence, including a few pop culture highlights.
A red 8XL shirt made for retired NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal hangs framed on one wall. Another holds a NASCAR racing suit from the 2005 Dickies 500 held at Texas Motor Speedway.
Other iconic imagery hanging around the offices are picture’s of State Fair of Texas legend — Big Tex. Dickies has clothed the popular giant for years and even named one of its conference rooms after him.
Most of the conference rooms at Dickies have names that reflect its history and setting. The “847” room, is named after the brand’s signature work pant, and the “Vaquero” room is the Spanish word for cowboy and reflects the company’s Fort Worth culture.
Other amenities include several rooms littered with clothing and designs, where Dickies employees plan out seasonal collections. Typically, these collections are planned at least 18 months in advance and when the Star-Telegram visited Dickies in late March, they were already working on a project set for release in 2026.
While there’s plenty of workspace around the new headquarters, Dalhausser said Dickies also made sure to make the space feel relaxed.
A large television hangs on a cafeteria wall as a corner for employees to gather, just a few steps away from a ping pong table. For moms, Dickies has a “Mother’s Room” where they can rest. The room has an armchair, sink and mini fridge.
The new headquarters has room for 220 employees. About 140 employees regularly come into the office throughout the week, as Dickies does not require its employees to work in the office.
“I try to allow that flexibility, but I also try to encourage people that we need to be together,” Dalhausser said.
Fort Worth’s Dickies a brand built to last
Dickies has navigated through several inflection points in its 102 years.
After World War II, Dickies took the brand international, introducing its work wear line into the European market. In the 1980s, Dickies saw hip-hop artists like N.W.A. adopt its clothing. By the 90s, Dickies had infiltrated skateboarding culture as the go-to for durability and comfort.
Dickies may have moved out of its West Vickery Boulevard campus, (the Williamson family still owns the building), but the company isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
In fact, Dalhausser said he sees the headquarters move as the company’s latest inflection point. Work wear as a lifestyle apparel has grown exponentially over the last few years thanks to show’s like “Yellowstone”.
Just like the 1930s-era pair of work shirt and pants that lie in good condition in the archives, Dickies is built to last.
“It’s really amazing that we’re still an apparel manufacturer, making products for people that rely on it to do what they need to do every day, which is make a living,” Dalhausser said.
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