Ex-fabric shop gets new tenants

Vitamin Shoppe, Mattress Depot to occupy former Jo-Ann site

By Rolf Boone | The Olympian • Published June 21, 2007

OLYMPIA — The former west side home of Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts is undergoing remodeling to become the home of three new stores.

The Vitamin Shoppe and the Mattress Depot have signed long-term leases, building owner Sharam Sobhani said Thursday.

The Mattress Depot is expected to open in July, followed by The Vitamin Shoppe in August, Sobhani said.

A spokesperson for the retailers could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Sobhani, an investor in South Sound residential real estate, said this is his first commercial investment.

Sobhani paid $2.15 million for the 20-year-old building in 2005, Thurston County Assessor records show.

Jo-Ann Fabric moved from the building to a larger one in the Target Plaza shopping center in 2003.

Since then, the 16,000-square-foot building has remained mostly vacant except for some seasonal tenants, Jo-Ann employee Kelly Henderson said.

Henderson has spent 18 years with the Jo-Ann fabric business, starting at the former Cooper Point Road location and then joining the business when it moved to its current home.

“I was very curious when they started working on it,” said Henderson about the building renovations.

Renovations by Tumwater contractor Christensen Inc. started 45 days ago and are expected to be completed next month, construction superintendent Stephen Monasmith said.

A third, 7,500-square-foot spot in the building remains up for lease, though a deal could happen soon, Sobhani said.

He said he bought the building because Cooper Point Road traffic is plentiful.

“Business is good here,” Sobhani said.

Rolf Boone covers business for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5403 or at rboone@theolympian.com.