Patagonia to Move Part of Firm to Reno

Patagonia--the Ventura-based outdoor clothing company, which has sunk thousands of dollars into shaping city politics--announced Wednesday that it will move its distribution center to Nevada to cut costs.

The decision means a loss of up to 70 jobs for Ventura, which has put extra effort this past year into quizzing local business owners about what the city should do to hold on to business.

The company’s latest announcement, however, came as a surprise to some city officials, including Mayor Tom Buford. “There’s no doubt it’s always disappointing to see a company move,” he said.

Buford added, however, that he’s aware of how much cheaper rent can be in other areas of the country. “What you have here is access to certain markets,” he said. When that access is less important than cost-per-square-foot, he said, some companies will choose to relocate out of the area.

In Patagonia’s case, officials said they decided to move the center to Reno in spring, 1996, because of a good deal on a building there, and because employees could live more cheaply in Reno. They picked Reno over other locations in the country, they said, because it was closer to Ventura and because it could offer employees many outdoor activities.

Employees leaving the Colt Street distribution center Wednesday afternoon said the news hardly came as a surprise. It has been in the rumor mill for months, they said. A couple weeks ago, company officials even showed employees a video of Reno, and an introductory trip to Reno for employees and their spouses is already planned for late August, they said.

Homer Lopez, 30, who works in inventory control at the center, said he plans to take the opportunity and move out of state.

“I’m nervous about moving out there,” said Lopez, who has three children. “I hope it’s a good environment for families.”

He might stay in Ventura, he said, but he has worked for so many other companies and none compares with Patagonia in its efforts to cater to employees. Besides, he said, Reno should be a lot more affordable. “I’m hoping to buy (a house),” he said. “I’m taking my girlfriend and we’ll get married.”

Stacy Miller, 23, who works in data entry, said he was unsure whether he would leave.

“I’ve lived my whole life here,” explained the Carpinteria native.

But as much as he enjoys living near his family and friends, Miller said he also would consider moving to escape the high taxes and creeping crime rate in California.

“I think this is a really good job,” he said. “And this is a good opportunity to get out of state without looking for a new job.”

Patagonia officials said they have no plans now to move the rest of their operations, which employs more than 300 people at the corporate headquarters on West Santa Clara Street.

The company donates extensively to environmental causes, even getting involved in past city elections by contributing money to pro-environment council candidates. Patagonia’s financial support helped elect a slate of environmental candidates in the city’s 1991 election, and the company gave money again in 1993 to various pro-environment candidates.

Its political involvement earned it the ire of some of Ventura’s pro-business politicians.

Councilman Gary Tuttle, who has received donations from Patagonia and who is a strong supporter of the company’s political policies, said the company might have decided to move the center in part because it did not feel welcome enough in Ventura.

“I certainly don’t blame them, given the beating they’ve taken politically from some folks,” he said.

Patagonia officials, however, denied that their decision was based on any kind of political criteria. Other city officials denounced Tuttle’s statement as well.

“Oh, for crying out loud!” Councilman Gregory L. Carson said. “I don’t think businesses move because of personalities.”

Buford agreed.

“Patagonia involved itself in politics,” he said. “I’d be surprised that a company that sophisticated would take into account the comments of council members that disagreed with them.”