Famed overall-maker Osh-Kosh B’Gosh opened a children’s apparel store at Prime Outlets on Highway 97 in Bend this week.

The store will sell children’s clothes including outerwear, shoes and accessories for newborns to preteens. In autumn, the store will carry a men’s line.

”We started negotiations late last summer,” said Ron Audette, manager of Prime Outlets in Bend. ”It’s a perfect complement to our Carter store. The brand-name combination will bring more shoppers. It will help sales for both stores. Just like Lowe’s and Home Depot.”

The store is currently in a temporary space of 3,300 square feet and will eventually move to the former space of The North Face, which vacated in January. When the last rack is moved, Oshkosh B’Gosh will occupy a 4,200 square-foot space.

OshKosh B’Gosh was founded in 1895 in OshKosh, Wis. The company began as a manufacturer of adult work wear and later began making smaller sizes ”so that children could dress like their fathers,” according to its Web site.

The company, like many other retailers, has had challenges in the current economic environment. In its first quarter this year, comparable-store sales were down 13 percent. Last year same-store sales were down all quarters with the exception of one. During 2002, OshKosh B’Gosh also placed on Forbes’ 200 Best Small Companies list.

Monica Lee can be reached at 541-383-0363 or mlee@bendbulletin.com.