Employees at the Irvine Distribution Center were notified this week that operations are closing and moving to Georgia by the end of April.

“Positions at the IDC will be eliminated,” according to a letter dated Nov. 9 sent to employees from BLST Operating Company. BLST acquired Bluestem Brands, the parent company of Blair, in August. “We anticipate termination dates will begin in March 2021.”

The most recent data available through the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry shows Blair Payroll as the third leading employer in Warren County in the first quarter of 2020. A source said there are almost 300 employees at the IDC

The company said it will provide employees at least 60 days notice of their termination as required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

“This was a difficult decision based on reduced inventory levels years in the making and an expensive lease with limited options,” according to the letter.

Operations that had been handled at the IDC will be moved to the EDC — the Eatonton, Ga., Distribution Center, according to the letter.

BLST expressed a willingness to talk to employees who are interested in relocating “about opportunities to join the EDC team.”

Blair was founded as the New Process Company by John L. Blair in 1910.

In 2007, the company became part of Orchard Brands, which declared bankruptcy and became part of Bluestem Brands in 2015.

Bluestem filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March.

Attempts to reach company representatives for comment have been unsuccessful.