Moving to Winston-Salem for HanesBrands 2026: Employer Relocation Guide

Quick answer: If you just accepted a role at HanesBrands (NYSE: HBI, Fortune 500 #432) in Winston-Salem NC, the housing landscape is different than it was 18 months ago. In January 2025 the company consolidated from a 470,000 sq ft north-Winston-Salem campus to 121,000 sq ft on the top three floors of the Park Building at 101 North Cherry Street in downtown Winston-Salem. Approximately 500 corporate employees now report there. Downtown-adjacent neighborhoods like West End, Ardmore, Buena Vista, and downtown lofts have become the natural corporate housing footprint, replacing the north-Winston-Salem pockets that used to serve the old Oak Summit campus. Working price range for typical HBI corporate roles: $285K-$700K, with senior leadership commonly $500K-$1.2M.

Written by Teresa Overcash, a North Carolina broker since 1996. See full bio at the bottom of this page.

HanesBrands at a glance

HanesBrands Inc. is an American multinational clothing company founded in 1901 and headquartered in Winston-Salem NC. Fortune 500 #432, S&P 500 constituent (NYSE: HBI), approximately 30,884 total employees worldwide as of December 2025 per Revelio Labs. Brand portfolio includes Hanes, Champion, Playtex, Bali, Maidenform, Wonderbra, Bonds, and Berlei. Approximately 500 corporate employees work at the Winston-Salem downtown HQ with a $40 million local payroll per the November 2024 city incentive agreement.

The January 2025 HQ move and what it changed

In July 2024, HanesBrands announced it would sell its 470,000 square foot Oak Summit campus at 1000 East Hanes Mill Road (its headquarters since 1993) to Carolina University, and relocate its remaining 500 corporate employees to a much smaller 121,000 square foot lease on the top three floors of the Park Building at 101 North Cherry Street in downtown Winston-Salem. That move completed in January 2025. This changes the housing calculus for new corporate hires meaningfully.

Table 1: What changed for HBI relocating employees between the old and new HQ

Where HanesBrands corporate employees now live

The downtown Winston-Salem move has pulled the HBI housing footprint south and east versus the old Oak Summit pattern. Four neighborhoods dominate for post-2025 HBI hires:

Table 2: HanesBrands corporate employee neighborhood matches (2025+)

A meaningful practical note. If you were considering the same neighborhoods that HBI employees lived in when the old campus was on East Hanes Mill Road (Reynolda, Sherwood Forest, Robinhood, Country Club Estates), your commute is now 3-8 minutes longer than it would have been. Not a deal-breaker, but worth accepting before you sign a contract on a north-side home.

Commute math to the Park Building, 101 N Cherry St

Table 3: Drive times to Park Building (101 North Cherry Street, Winston-Salem NC 27101)

Business I-40, I-40 Business, and US-421 all converge within a mile of the Park Building. The attached parking deck (included in the HBI lease) eliminates most parking friction for corporate employees driving in.

Corporate relocation timeline

HanesBrands corporate relocation packages typically include a lump-sum allowance for moving costs, temporary housing for 30-60 days in downtown Winston-Salem, and reimbursement for a house-hunting trip. Verify your specific package with your recruiter before signing. Common cadence for a summer or fall start date:

Weeks 1-3 after signature: Confirm your relocation package specifics with HR. Book temporary housing (typically at Aloft, Kimpton Cardinal, or Hyatt Place downtown, all walkable to the Park Building). Get pre-approved with a lender familiar with Winston-Salem inventory.

Weeks 4-8: First house-hunting trip. Tour 6-10 properties across the downtown-adjacent core (West End, Ardmore, Buena Vista) plus the closer commuter neighborhoods. Drive commute at 7:30 AM to verify Park Building drive time from finalists.

Weeks 9-12: Second tour or virtual second tour. Write an offer. Standard NC due diligence is 21-30 days.

Weeks 13-24: Due diligence, appraisal, close. Coordinate with your Winston-Salem start date so you are in permanent housing before onsite work begins.

Frequently asked questions

Where is HanesBrands headquartered now?
The Park Building at 101 North Cherry Street in downtown Winston-Salem NC 27101, top three floors, 121,000 square feet. The company moved there in January 2025 from the old Oak Summit campus.

How many people work at the HanesBrands Winston-Salem HQ?
Approximately 500 corporate employees per the November 2024 city incentive agreement, with a $40 million local payroll. HBI globally employs approximately 30,884 across 40+ countries.

What happened to the old HanesBrands Oak Summit campus?
Carolina University (a private Christian university) purchased the 470,000 square foot campus at 1000 East Hanes Mill Road in August 2024. HanesBrands leased back one building during the transition and fully vacated by early 2025.

Where do most HanesBrands corporate employees live now?
Post-2025 hires cluster in downtown-adjacent neighborhoods: West End, Ardmore, Buena Vista, and downtown lofts. Senior leadership favors Buena Vista and Reynolda. Managers and directors mix across West End and Ardmore. Early career hires often start with downtown loft rentals or West Salem starter homes.

What relocation package does HanesBrands offer?
Corporate packages typically include lump-sum moving allowance, 30-60 days of temporary housing, and reimbursement for a house-hunting trip. Specifics vary by role and level — verify with your recruiter.

Should I rent first or buy immediately?
Depends on role confidence and market timing. Executives with 3-plus year expected tenure typically buy. Directors and managers commonly buy within 6 months. Early career hires often rent for a year to learn the neighborhoods.

What is the Park Building parking situation?
Attached parking deck included in the HBI lease. No hunt for street parking. If you live in downtown Winston-Salem, you may not need to drive at all — the Park Building is walkable from most downtown addresses.

About the author: Teresa Overcash is an NCREC Licensed Instructor, Broker/Owner of Realty ONE Group Results, and a top 1 percent NC agent with 30 years of selling and over 10,000 NC closings across the Triad, Wilkes, and High Country regions. Wikidata Q139374103. She holds CRS, ABR, ALHS, and CLHMS designations and has helped HanesBrands corporate employees and senior leadership navigate Winston-Salem neighborhood selection through both the Oak Summit era and the January 2025 downtown Park Building relocation.

About the author: This article was written by Teresa Overcash, Broker and Owner of Realty ONE Group Results and an NCREC Licensed Instructor with 30+ years of North Carolina real estate experience across the Triad, Wilkes County, and High Country. Teresa is CLHMS certified for luxury properties and personally guides every transaction her team handles. Questions? Call or text 336-262-3111 or email teresatedder@gmail.com.