Longaberger On Building Sale To Fanatics
Fanatics, Inc., one of the world’s leading online retailers of officially licensed sports merchandise, is in the final stages of a transaction for the purchase of a half million square foot distribution center located on the site of The Longaberger Company’s manufacturing and distribution campus near Frazeysburg, Ohio. The sale is expected to be finalized in late September or early October.
“Due to substantial growth Fanatics has experienced in recent years, we have decided to expand our distribution network into Frazeysburg, Ohio. The new fulfillment center will undoubtedly strengthen the Columbus and Frazeysburg communities by creating more jobs and tax income for the state of Ohio. We look forward to concluding this transaction over the coming weeks,” said Brent Trager, COO of Fanatics, Inc. “Our search for the necessary distribution space was very comprehensive and we believe the Frazeysburg property is exactly what we need. The location and additional space will allow our company to better serve customers in the Northeast and Midwest by delivering orders even faster.”
“We’re delighted that Fanatics has chosen to locate their distribution center here. We’re thrilled to have them as our neighbor. I know they will find this a perfect place to do business,” said Tami Longaberger, President and CEO of The Longaberger Company.
“Last month I announced my decision to transition our entire Longaberger line to American-made merchandise. Through this transaction with Fanatics, we’re expanding our job-creation effort even further. We have prime space available on our campus for companies to come here and bring jobs to our area, as Fanatics is doing. We welcome them with open arms.”
“Because of strong business connections, JobsOhio had the opportunity to share with Fanatics the value of locating to Ohio – from logistical advantages and robust business climate to a well-trained workforce – resulting in a commitment of 270 quality jobs for Ohioans,” said Mark D. Kvamme, JobsOhio President and Interim Chief Investment Officer.
Longaberger’s property near Frazeysburg consists of nine buildings on 700 acres. The total square footage of all current buildings on the Longaberger campus is 1.74 million square feet. The location being purchased by Fanatics is Building F, which consists of 514,458 square feet on 68 acres.
When Fanatics takes possession of Building F, Longaberger will shift its own distribution operations to Building B. All 61current Longaberger distribution employees will make the move and Longaberger will hire additional employees as the company transitions to hand-pack all of its orders. “Our baskets are crafted by hand, so we believe they also should be packed by hand,” said Ms. Longaberger, who noted that switching to hand-packing orders will reduce wasted packing materials and ensure personalized operations.
Longaberger also occupies Building A (206,000 square feet) for manufacturing operations and Building E (120,000 square feet) for woodcraft operations, in addition to Building B (813,000 square feet).
The site is adjacent to the Longaberger Homestead, a 40-acre retail, restaurant and entertainment complex owned and operated by The Longaberger Company. The Homestead is a popular destination for visitors, including members of Longaberger’s independent sales force and their customers.
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