After leasing a smaller property in Dayton last summer, one New York City-based firm has decided to expand operations within the township.
Jacques Moret Inc., an apparel design, sourcing and marketing company headquartered in New York City, recently entered into a multiyear lease with Heller Industrial Parks Inc.
Moret will be leasing close to 103,800 square feet of a nearly 382,000-square-foot warehouse off Route 130 in Dayton.
The move comes less than a year after the marketing company leased 28,000 square feet of space at another building owned by Heller in the township.
Moret will use its newly acquired space for national distribution of several apparel brands. Some of the better-known brands licensed by the company include Jockey Sport, Joe Boxer, DKNY, Hello Kitty, Levi’s, Mudd, Hannah Montana and Everlast. Some of its retail partners include Kohl’s, Sears, Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney and Macy’s.
The company, which started in 1975 as a supplier of women’s and girls’ body wear and active wear, has now expanded to include contemporary sportswear, sleepwear, intimates, underwear, loungewear and hosiery for men, women and children.
“[We] are extremely pleased to have been able to meet the expansion requirements of Jacques Moret, while maintaining the company’s strategic location in Dayton,” said Jeff Milanaik, president of Heller.
South Brunswick Mayor Frank Gambatese said the expansion is a positive one for the township.
“Certainly any occupancy of 100,000 square feet is a plus to us, and we are very, very happy about that,” he said. “I do see some things picking up in this area in terms of warehousing, and that’s a plus.”
Other companies that have recently located operations to the township include Williams- Sonoma, which is leasing 1.4 million square feet of warehouse for use as a distribution center, and Coca- Cola, which may soon open a bottling center in a vacant South Brunswick warehouse.
Negotiations with Coca-Cola are continuing at this time but are “very close” to settlement, according to Gambatese. The bottling center, he said, would be extremely beneficial to the township, because it would attract more high-tech jobs.
“Let’s see this trend continue,” he said. “It’s only going to get better.”
South Brunswick’s location is an advantage to any company, especially those that are looking to occupy warehouses and set up distribution centers, according to Gambatese.
The township still has approximately 12,000 acres of open land that have yet to be developed.
“We are perfectly positioned to be able to attract corporations now that are beginning to make a move because the economy is starting to pick up,” Gambatese said.
The township’s location near exit 8A of the New Jersey Turnpike and between Philadelphia and New York City ensures that companies will be able to quickly ship products off to large cities, he said.
“You get on and off the Turnpike and get your products to market very quickly because you’re right there, and that’s a big draw for any corporation to either expand or move to the township,” Gambatese said.
“You always hear ‘location, location, location.’ South Brunswick is that location,” he said. “And it’s something we capitalize on.”
Contact Jennifer Booton at [email protected].