By Matt Neznanski
Gazette-Times reporter | Posted: Sunday, June 29, 2008 12:00 am
Futon store's downsizing frees up room for more businesses
In just six months' time, a tiny business center near Lewisburg in north Corvallis has sprung up around a longtime futon store.
Bill Blok, owner of Futon Man, shrank his futon business and has been attracting small businesses to occupy a collection of buildings surrounding his shop.
"It turned into a nice little business community," he said.
On Saturday, Blok and his tenants will host an open house at Lewisburg Center, featuring food and a silent auction of goods donated by the businesses to benefit the Mario Pastega House for patients' families at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.
Blok used to have a much larger operation that built and repaired futons and sold them in six locations in Corvallis, Eugene and Salem. He has since reduced the enterprise to the single north Corvallis store.
"The whole futon thing kind of took a hit, kind of like the waterbed thing," Blok said. "I just found I can do a pretty good business and serve the community by being a one-man show."
The Golden Wishbone, a hair salon and spa in the center, is the longest tenant on site. The shop has been in its current location for three years.
"It's like a little family," said stylist Juliann Kingery. "We all really work well together. The more businesses we have, the more we like it."
Networking through the Internet, Blok started leasing his workshop space at low rates, using proximity to the highway and the relative isolation to his advantage.
"It's low-cost rent and there's plenty of parking," he said. "There's really nothing else in that part of town."
It's a perfect place for Herman Doty Jr., who uses an outbuilding to house his blacksmithing and metalwork studio.
"It was like this had my name written all over it," Doty said. "It's not everyone that will let you put a 22,000-degree burner in a leased building."
Forrest Pontillo, who owns Pale Blue Dot Sign Co., sees the location as a great benefit for his work. With other sign companies in downtown or other parts of town, he's the lone north Corvallis business that makes custom signs.
One of his latest creations graces the top of the Futon Man store. And at 50 cents a square foot, Lewisburg Center is less than half the cost of other real estate.
"It's an ideal location because of the pricing and the location," Pontillo said.
Lewisburg CEnter Businesses
• Futon Man, 753-6395
Futon sales and service.
• Golden Wishbone, 754-2244
Salon and spa.
• Ringing Anvil Design, 503-990-4134
Blacksmith, metalwork.
• Dogz Rule, 753-3649
Dog day care and grooming.
• Pale Blue Dot Sign Co., 207-8439
Custom signs, nameplates, gifts.
• Dan's Subaru, 207-6544
Subaru service, off-road modification
• Dance Corvallis, 754-1996
Dance lessons for children to adults
If you go
WHEN: Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Lewisburg Center, 5260 N.W. Highway 99W, four miles north of downtown Corvallis
WHAT: Grand opening for Lewisburg Center, a collection of businesses around the Futon Man store. The event will feature a silent auction benefit for the Mario Pastaga House at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center with donated items from nearby business and free food and drink.
Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net.