(Taylor Scott | Photo courtesy of Sullivan Glove Company)
Time-Tested, Locally Crafted
In 1941, Edward Sullivan began making gloves for shipbuilders during wartime. When World War II was over, he relocated the company to Bend because of the availability of deer hides. Originally the company served as a hide house that would take in hides from local hunters to be tanned and made into gloves. “Long-time Bend residents will remember a time when you could drop a hide off for a free pair of gloves,” said owner Taylor Scott.
Taylor and his wife, Kristi, acquired Sullivan Glove Co. earlier this year, with plans to keep up the tradition of producing high-quality, handcrafted gloves right here in Central Oregon; a tradition that stretches back 77 years.
“Early on, the products were limited,” said Taylor. “Over the generations, there have been additions and changes. The second generation added high-end Western wear. The third generation added motorcycle segments. Four years ago, the company began selling products direct-to-consumer online, in addition to wholesale and private label. This has allowed Sullivan Glove Co. to reach further across the U.S. and the globe.”
Taylor claims that Sullivan Glove Co. has found success over the years due to a few key characteristics. “First, we manufacture everything in the U.S. with U.S. hides/fleece. You have to pay close attention to find products made in the U.S. Lots of them disguise their products with American flags on the tag, and a small ‘made in Pakistan’ or ‘assembled in China’ written on the inner label. We want our money going back into the local economy. We want to control the quality, and we have high standards.”
Continuing, Taylor said that Sullivan Glove Co. is, as far as he knows, the only glove company that will make custom gloves at the scale they do. “Second, is our custom work. Folks with amputations or fingers that don’t fit the mold can still get that ‘fits like a glove’ experience,” he said. “Third, we use a variety of hide types; goat, elk, deer, bison and cow, just to name a few. But we even have a few pig and kangaroo products in the shop. And fourth, we will stand by our products. Quality control is key, but errors happen, and when they do, we’ll fix or replace gloves on priority. We’ll also repair old or damaged gloves. You don’t get that attention if you buy off the rack.”
With more than 80 years in business and 77 in Bend, the business has passed through many hands, each with their own unique reasons to keep things local. For Taylor, the motivation comes from wanting to support his hometown community. “We’re Bend, Oregon born and raised,” he said. “My wife Kristi and I met each other at Mountain View High School where we both graduated. Everything we know is here. Our parents, our children, everything. We love Central Oregon because it has everything you could want or love: biking, hiking, fishing, camping, climbing, hunting, paddling, skiing and more. These things are all made better with a good pair of gloves. I’ve known people who had Sullivan Gloves long before I ever thought it possible to own this small piece of Bend’s history.”
Looking to the future, Taylor said he has lots of plans. “First and foremost, to protect the integrity of the brand by treating our customers the way we want to be treated by delivering high-quality, hand-made products. We want to give back to the local community as well by partnering with similarly-minded organizations that can help folks in need. There are many opportunities right here for that.”
In terms of growing the company, Taylor said, “There are absolutely plans for growth, but it needs to be growth that can’t come at the cost of quality or the personal touches that set Sullivan Glove Co. apart. We will continue to build up our eCommerce platform, and focus on servicing wholesale accounts that sell American-made goods to discerning consumers.”
Ultimately, Taylor and Kristi hope to give their three boys their first jobs (when they grow old enough), and eventually leave the business to them, to continue a legacy steeped in local history.
