Neighborhood Notes

Icebreaker is warming to Portland.

After locating an expanded global design center here in January 2007, leaders at the New Zealand-based purveyor of merino wool sports apparel will move the company's U.S. headquarters to Portland from Idaho.

"It's not easy to build a high-talent team in a town with only one flight in a day," said Icebreaker CEO Jeremy Moon of his decision to relocate U.S. headquarters from Ketchum, Idaho.

The move to Icebreaker's new headquarters office in the Pearl District will be final in mid-2008, when about 12 employees from Idaho will join the 20-plus person work force in Portland.

The $100 million company is looking to buy a permanent headquarters building that could ultimately house 80 workers. It employs 200 workers worldwide, including about 50 in the United States.

Icebreaker is also opening its first U.S. store, at 1109 W. Burnside, on Dec. 4. The 2,600-square-foot Touch Lab will showcase the company's full line of high-end garments, spun from soft wool of merino sheep, raised in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Products include leggings, T-shirts, sweaters and base layers; retail prices range from $50 to $200.

Read the full story at the Portland Business Journal...