Dennis Uniform, a national school uniform distributor based in Southeast Portland and owned for decades by a Jewish family who fled Nazi Germany and settled in Oregon, is closing its business and laying off all employees. It’s a plan.
The company was founded in Portland in 1920 and claimed to serve 370,000 students in 2,000 schools. The Shipley family, which came to Oregon as the Sybilski family, has operated the business since 1940 after fleeing Nazi Germany, according to members’ obituaries. The company’s website lists 39 stores selling a variety of school uniforms from Texas to Hawaii.
Dennis Uniform started in downtown Portland, but its headquarters have been on the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge since at least the 1960s.
Dennis said in a Friday notice to Oregon state officials that the state had been experiencing “severe financial difficulties” for several months and was unable to secure the financial backing to rescue the business.
“We are closing all of our locations nationwide,” interim CEO Lawrence Perkins said in a memo to Oregon officials. His letter listed 111 layoffs, but it wasn’t clear if all of those jobs were in Oregon.
Federal law typically requires companies to notify employees at least 60 days before mass layoffs. Dennis Uniform invoked the “distressed business” exception for businesses that fail to raise capital to continue operating.
Private equity firm SBJ Capital acquired a majority stake in Dennis Uniform seven years ago. At the time, Thomas Shipley, a descendant of a family who had fled Germany, maintained part ownership and served as executive chairman.
SBJ brought on another investor, Origami Capital, in January. Neither SBJ nor Origami immediately responded to questions about what has happened to the company in the 10 months since its latest investment in the business.
According to its website, Dennis Uniforms started by providing nursing uniforms and then moved into selling linens and clothing for soldiers during World War II. Started selling school uniforms in 1947.
In 2022, Dennis Uniform laid off 71 Portland employees as it moved some operations to Texas. Those jobs were uniform production and warehouse work.
Many of the company’s remaining laid-off employees were unionized, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers. The union did not immediately respond to inquiries about the layoffs.
— Mike Rogoway covers Oregon technology and the state’s economy. Contact us at mrogoway@oregonian.com or 503-294-7699.
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