MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — A building that helped turn a small Manhattan Beach footwear company into a global powerhouse is going up for sale, marking the end of an era for one of the city's most recognizable businesses.
Skechers has placed its original downtown headquarters at 228 Manhattan Beach Blvd. on the market as the company prepares to consolidate its operations into a much larger corporate campus along Pacific Coast Highway in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach.
The nearly 30,000-square-foot, three-story office building is being marketed by commercial real estate firm CBRE through a competitive bidding process, according to an Oct. 23 report by Connect CRE. No asking price has been publicly disclosed.
Although the sale marks the end of a significant chapter in the company's history, Skechers says it remains firmly committed to the coastal community where it established its roots more than three decades ago.
Founded in 1992 by Robert Greenberg and his son Michael, Skechers began operating from a Manhattan Beach condominium before establishing its downtown headquarters. By 1999, the Manhattan Beach Boulevard address was listed as the company's principal executive office in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In September 2004, Skechers purchased the property for $11 million in cash, according to a separate SEC filing.
The building underwent extensive renovations in 2018 and includes a three-level underground parking garage with 69 spaces. CBRE says the property could also accommodate ground-floor retail, potentially opening the door to new commercial uses at the prominent downtown address.
In a statement published Oct. 24 by Manhattan Beach News, Skechers said the sale is part of a long-planned consolidation of its operations. The company said its footprint has grown from the original 28,000-square-foot downtown office into a five-building corporate campus encompassing approximately 500,000 square feet along Pacific Coast Highway.
The downtown property currently serves as an auxiliary office supporting Skechers' apparel and children's divisions. Those employees will relocate to a new building nearing completion directly across from the company's existing product building.
The move, Skechers said, is intended to bring its teams together, improve collaboration and support continued growth.
"While this chapter closes on a building that helped shape the brand, Skechers remains deeply rooted in the community it has always called home," the company said.
Skechers also emphasized that its original Manhattan Beach retail store remains in operation, underscoring its continuing ties to the city.
CBRE Vice Chairmen Stephen Somer and Anthony DeLorenzo are among the brokers marketing the property, which is expected to be delivered vacant to its eventual buyer.
The building's location in downtown Manhattan Beach, within walking distance of the pier, could make it attractive to businesses seeking a substantial office presence in the coastal community.
"Opportunities to acquire a vacant Class A office building of this scale in downtown Manhattan Beach are exceptionally rare," Somer said in a statement reported by Connect CRE.
For Skechers, the sale represents another step in its transition from a growing local footwear business into a global brand operating from a significantly larger corporate campus — without leaving the community where its story began.
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