Skechers has no intention of leaving Manhattan Beach, Calif.
In fact, the shoe brand is nearing completion of a new 500,000 square-foot, five-building corporate campus along Pacific Coast Highway in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. That also means that it has outgrown its original 28,000 square foot office at 228 Manhattan Beach Blvd. from the early 1990s. The original downtown location serves as an auxiliary office supporting the apparel and kids divisions, but staff there will soon relocate to the new campus. And with the staff move imminent, Skechers has put the original headquarters site up for sale.
“As Skechers has evolved over three decades into a $10 billion-plus brand, the third largest in the world and the second largest in the United States, so too has its physical footprint,” the company said in a statement. “With construction of Skechers’ newest building nearing completion, the remaining teams at 228 Manhattan Beach Boulevard will relocate to the new facility, situated directly opposite the existing product building — a move that has been in place for years, timed intentionally to align with the building’s completion.”
The statement added that Skechers remains deeply rooted in the community it has always called home: “Manhattan Beach is not just where the company was built — it is where Skechers first opened its doors to customers, and where that original store still stands today. The brand’s commitment to this community is as strong as ever, and its continued and growing presence along the coast is a testament to the pride Skechers takes in calling Manhattan Beach home.”
Skechers’ original corporate office building in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
AFP via Getty Images
A spokesperson said that the sale of the original office “represents the natural next step of Skechers’ long-term real estate strategy: consolidating operations, fostering collaboration, and positioning the brand for continued growth from a modern, purpose-built campus.”
The original downtown office is a three-story building that was extensively renovated in 2018. It also features a parking garage and is believed to be able to house ground floor retail space. Skechers has hired CBRE as the listing agent, according to published reports. A listing price has not been disclosed, but real estate website Movoto estimated that the value of the site could be in the range between $83.5 million to $102 million.
Over the years, Skechers has grown into a behemoth in the shoe industry, and it continues to innovate and grow. Earlier this month, Skechers disclosed it now has its first super shoe, the Aero Elite, that’s designed for racing. The shoe is engineered to perform from 5Ks to marathons, with a design that minimizes weight and maximizes responsiveness, as well as delivering on comfort.
Last year, Skechers completed its $9 billion deal with 3G Capital to take the company private. The brand continues to innovate and expand operations. In April, Skechers opened its Copenhagen flagship as it continues to grow its European footprint.
And through it all, the company remembers to give back to the community. At its now annual tradition, its 18th to date, the Skechers Foundation along with the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk and presenting sponsor Nickelodeon raised a record-breaking $3.3 million for children with special needs and education. The pier-to-pier, 3.4-mile walk in Southern California’s South Bay thus far has raised a total of $35 million for children with special needs, public schools and national college scholarships.