Oakley to Open Ontario Warehouse for Shipping Apparel and Shoes

With its shoe and apparel business growing and retailers booking orders earlier, Oakley Inc. is opening a new warehouse in Ontario.

The Foothill Ranch-based company said the new 118,000-square-foot shipping facility will help it deal with additional demand for apparel and new shoe styles.

Oakley, which built its reputation on its sunglasses business, has expanded its product line in recent years, adding shoes, clothes, accessories and watches.

The company has 10 shoe styles and plans to add four more for spring, including its first “performance sandal” and a line of “aggressively designed shoes intended for off-road use.”

As of mid-December, the company said its spring 2001 footwear and apparel backlog was $18.9 million, five times more than last year.