Hickey Freeman

During the 1880s and 1890s, Jeremiah G. Hickey (1866–1960) was a bookkeeper for Wile, Brickner & Wile, then the largest manufacturer of men's clothing in Rochester. His close friend Jacob L. Freeman (died 1925) was a private contractor of the firm. Together with fellow Wile, Brickner & Wile employees Thomas Mahon and George A. Brayer, they formed Hickey, Freeman, & Mahon Co. in 1899. Since Jeremiah ("Jerry") Hickey contributed the most capital, and Mahon made no original investment, the name was changed in 1900 to the Hickey-Freeman Co.

In 1902, the company was able to take over the business and the larger premises of Michael Kolb & Co. Hickey-Freeman grew even more, and in 1908 it merged with Beckel, Baum & Leopold Co., retaining the Hickey-Freeman name. The president of Beckel, Baum & Leopold Co. was Emmett Baum, who became vice-president of Hickey-Freeman Co. after the merger. Baum was largely responsible for Hickey-Freeman's decision in 1908 to manufacture only high quality clothing. At that time, ready-to-wear suits were seldom made with hand-craftsmanship of any quality, but Hickey-Freeman recognized the importance of quality in the manufacture of men's clothing.

By 1912, Hickey-Freeman Co. had amassed enough capital and business to build a larger, more modern factory on N. Clinton Ave. on the city's northern outskirts. Known as The Temple, this location was chosen in order to retain the company's skilled workers, after a survey showed that a majority of the company's employees lived within walking distance of this area. Although the new factory was one of the most complete facilities of its kind in the country, it became necessary for Hickey-Freeman to add space to the building twice more during the 1920s, to accommodate the company's increased volume and over 1,700 employees.

The Hartmarx Corporation bought the company in 1964.

In 2004, the factory underwent extensive renovations, funded in part by $4 million in state taxpayer money and $1 million from Rochester city taxpayers.{{cite web|last=Lowell|first=Bud|title=$7 Million Aid Package Keeps Hickey Freeman in Rochester|url=http://wxxinews.org/post/7-million-aid-package-keeps-hickey-freeman-rochester|publisher=WXXI|access-date=30 April 2012}}

Hartmarx went bankrupt in the USA in 2009 and their assets were acquired n August 2009 by Emerisque Brands UK and its partner SKNL North America and moved into the HMX holding company. In 2012, Authentic Brands Group, an intellectual property corporation with a mandate to acquire, manage and build long-term value in prominent consumer brands, purchased HMX, including Hickey Freeman.

In 2013, Grano Retail Investments Inc., also owner of luxury tailored menswear brand Samuelsohn Ltd., acquired the tangible assets of Hickey Freeman including the Rochester, NY factory, and a forty year license to the Hickey-Freeman band name.[https://wwd.com/feature/samuelsohn-set-to-add-hickey-freeman-7059510-268515/]

In 2020, amid the coronavirus outbreak, Hickey Freeman shifted its production to manufacture masks and other protective equipment for doctors and medical workers.{{cite web |last1=Nelson |first1=Joshua |title=New York menswear company shifts to producing protective equipment as CEO cites funding challenges |url=https://www.foxnews.com/media/new-york-clothing-company-menswear-coronavirus-masks-fox-friends |website=foxnews.com |date=27 March 2020 |publisher=Fox News |access-date=27 May 2020}}

On May 18, 2023, it was announced that the manufacturing of Hickey Freeman branded suits would be moved to Mexico{{Cite web |date=2023-05-18 |title=Hickey Freeman brand clothes will no longer be made in Rochester starting in June |url=https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/business/local-business/hickey-freeman-brand-clothes-will-no-longer-be-made-in-rochester/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=RochesterFirst |language=en-US}} with design and production contracted to Peerless Clothing.{{Cite web |title=Hickey Freeman to end production of iconic suits in Rochester, shifts focus to other brands |url=https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2023/05/19/hickey-freeman-to-end-production-of-iconic-suits-in-rochester-ny-tailored-clothing/70235901007/ |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=Democrat and Chronicle |language=en-US}}

The Rochester factory continued to make clothing for other brands, so all workers were able to keep their jobs.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-02 |title=Presidents wore their suits. But after 124 years, Hickey Freeman says goodbye to Rochester |url=https://www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2023-06-02/obama-hickey-freeman-rochester |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=WXXI News |language=en}} The factory also announced plans rebrand as "Rochester Tailored Clothing", and will be opening a retail store in Rochester. The Tom James Co. purchased the former Hickey Freeman factory in 2023.https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2023/06/29/tom-james-company-to-acquire-former-hickey-freeman-factory-in-rochester-ny/70368657007/

• Oxxford Clothes
• Brooks Brothers
• J. Press
• Hartmarx
• Paul Stuart

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0401/14/ldt.00.html Transcript from CNN about Hickey Freeman]
• [https://archive.today/20130222093647/http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1520065/Business/Rochester's.Hickey.Freeman.Company.Keeps.Tradition.Alive Rochester's Hickey Freeman Company Keeps Tradition Alive]

{{Authentic Brands Group}}

{{City of Rochester, NY}}

Category:Clothing manufacturers

Category:Clothing companies established in 1899

Category:Clothing retailers of the United States

Category:Manufacturing companies based in Rochester, New York

Category:1899 establishments in New York (state)

Category:Authentic Brands Group