The Garland Shirt Company building was purchased in June by Cayenne Acquisitions Group, LLC and is set to be reopened by Garland Apparel Group LLC within the next month.

The Garland Shirt Company building was purchased in June by Cayenne Acquisitions Group, LLC and is set to be reopened by Garland Apparel Group LLC within the next month.

The cut-and-sew facility that once housed Brooks Brothers is set to reopen in late August or early September, when Garland Apparel Group LLC officially starts a new chapter for its namesake town. This week, the Garland-based endeavor received a little help from the county.

On Monday, during its regular monthly meetings, the Sampson County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the allocation of revolving loan funding of $75,000, plus up to $3,000 in closing costs, to Garland Apparel Group, LLC

A public hearing was required for allocation of funding for economic development purposes. The purpose of the hearing was to receive public comment concerning proposed appropriations and expenditures for economic development activity. Nobody from the public spoke during the hearing.

The Sampson County Economic Development Advisory Board previously recommended the allocation, which received the unanimous nod in short order.

The economic development activity involves a $78,000 Revolving Loan Fund loan to Garland Apparel Group, LLC and Cayenne Acquisitions Group, LLC. The term of the loan will be five years with an interest rate of 3.25%.

Garland Apparel Group purchased the former Brooks Brothers property back in June and anticipates reopening the plant within the next month.

“They purchased the facility in June and they’re just looking at all the resources they may be able to tap to be able to support their upfit needs for the building,” Economic Development director Stephen Barrington stated during the Monday meeting.

The building, which has long been the lifeblood of the southern Sampson town, found renewed life with a new tenant in June.

Garland Apparel projects hiring 120 new employees by the end of year 1. More than 180 jobs are projected by the end of year 3, company officials have said.

“Although the appropriation is a loan repayable in accordance with the terms of the loan documents and not an incentive payment, the borrowers anticipate the creation of 212 new jobs and taxable investment of $1,440,000 over a five-year period,” a notice stated.

Cayenne Acquisitions Group, LLC purchased the Brooks Brothers Garland facility on June 18, 2021. Garland Apparel Group, LLC is leasing and reopening the facility for its cut-and-sew operations. They will continue to produce branded shirts for multiple designers and add military shirts and PPE production to their product line.

In the spring of 2020, Brooks Brothers filed for bankruptcy due to the COVID-19 pandemic and financial issues, leaving close to 150 employees without jobs. Several companies showed interest as the New York-based company looked for the highest bidder, but for more than a year the building where shirts were made for U.S. presidents remained vacant, a major blow to the town of less than 700 people.

The textile industry in the U.S. has taken a significant hit over the last several decades, as more cut-and-sew companies took their manufacturing division abroad or closed. Garland Apparel Group officials said having a U.S.-based facility was key to their mission.

“The expert cut-and-sew talent (workforce) in the greater Garland area was key to our decision to locate to this region,” Kenneth Ragland, managing member of the Garland Apparel Group LLC, stated upon June’s announcement. “We are working with multiple entities that are seeking American-made shirts and other products. We envision this location being very important for our ability to fill purchase orders and grow our company.”

The closure of Brooks Brothers’ operations last year was a massive blow to Garland, one that loomed large over town meetings and budget talks with the sudden loss of tax base and jobs.

“We are ecstatic about the recent sale of the former Brooks Brothers plant. This is a boost for all the citizens of Garland, the many employees who have been out of work for the past year, and for the continued economic growth of our hometown,” Garland Mayor Winifred Hill Murphy has said. “We are so thankful that Mr. Ragland has invested in Garland, Sampson County, and our people. We appreciate Sampson County and the State of North Carolina for helping to facilitate this sale. After the pandemic and the many gloomy challenges that the town has faced, we finally feel a ray of sunshine and see a beautiful rainbow.”

When the announcement was made about Brooks Brothers leaving town, medical supplies company Health Supply US showed interest, with the goal to make the factory into a state-of-the art domestic manufacturing campus. Brooks Brothers delayed the process as it looked for higher bidders, even as other companies had their eyes on the historic facility, which has been around since the 1950s.

Monday’s loan approval follows Barrington’s pledge to work closely with state, regional, and local partners to support Garland Apparel Group LLC’s building repair, and hiring and training needs. That effort is ongoing.

Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.