Oshkosh B’Gosh Closes Oshkosh Store

Fri., Jan. 31, 1997

From Staff And Wire Reports

Oh m’gosh! OshKosh B’Gosh, maker of the tried-and-true bib overalls that have clothed generations of working men, is closing down its last Oshkosh plant and will contract out production overseas.

“It’s sad for us we’re not going to be making it here in Oshkosh,” said Denise Lamothe, a spokeswoman for the company that made the city of 55,000 on the shore of Lake Winnebago famous.

Bib overalls of every color and fabric, from satin to corduroy, will still be stocked in stores and catalogs nationwide, but a cutthroat retail climate demanding cheaper labor is forcing the 75-employee plant to close in April.

“It’s too bad, but they do it to stay competitive and survive,” Scott Andrews, senior portfolio manager at Banc One Investment Advisors, the largest institutional holder of OshKosh B’Gosh stock, said Thursday.

“Most everything you’ll find at the other manufacturers is made or sourced offshore. It’s the price of staying in business,” Andrews added.

Nowadays, only one-third of the plant is being used, said Michael D. Wachtel, executive vice president.

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Oshkosh B’Gosh Closes Oshkosh Store

Jesse Tinsley

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