FRAZEYSBURG – In 2013, the global leader in licensed sports merchandise opened its second state-of-the-art distribution center in Frazeysburg.
Fanatics Inc. occupies a 600,000-square-foot facility at the East Central Ohio Business Park, a 700-acre tract owned by The Longaberger Co. It, as well as other businesses in the area, are hoping to expand the park with new industry, making good use of former Longaberger buildings.
“If you purchase a Red Sox jersey or Steelers cap online, chances are it will be shipped from here,” said Sonia Postema, Fanatics Staffing Supervisor.
The distribution center opened one year after Tami Longaberger announced the creation of ECO Business Park, home to the Longaberger Homestead.
Fanatics was established in 1995 with the debut of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. Football-fanatic brothers, Alan and Mitch Trager opened Football Fanatics, a brick-and-mortar storefront in a Jacksonville, Flordia, mall. Two years later, Fanatics opened the market online to displaced fans around the world who wanted merchandise to support their favorite teams.
By 2011, Fanatics had expanded three times to keep up with the demands of online orders and partnered with Michael Rubin, founder of the leading e-commerce, technology and fulfillment company, powering the online stores of all the major sports leagues.
In 2014, Fanatics named e-commerce innovator Doug Mack as CEO, replacing retiring founder Alan Trager. Mack has transformed Fanatics from an online retailer into a mobile-first, multi-channel company by putting more emphasis on data and technology.
“In 20 years, the stand-alone store in Jacksonville mall has grown into the largest retailer of officially licensed sports merchandise,” Postema said.
Peak season generates an accelerated need for employees at Fanatics and offers those seeking a career the opportunity to prove themselves an asset.
“We are looking to hire 2,000 seasonal employees immediately,” Postema said. “The good thing about Fanatics is the flexibility of shifts. We have shifts for people who want weekends only. We can accommodate parents. We have full-time and part-time shifts available.”
Fanatics is not the only ECO park business in need of employees.
Kendrick Excavating, a heavy construction contractor, is looking to hire qualified heavy equipment operators.
Owned by brothers Rob and Adam Kendrick, the company recently purchased a 95,000-square-foot facility on 100 acres at the ECO park once home to the Longaberger security team.
Incorporated in 2001, Kendrick Excavating’s projects typically consist of developing commercial infrastructures for private and public projects comprising of earthwork, utilities, concrete and paving.
“The topography makes this an exceptional location,” Adam Kendrick said. “We have the highway 16 corridor bordering our property. It’s easy access to Columbus, where a lot of our work is done.”
In 2014, Ridge Corp. purchased the 120,000-square-foot former Longaberger woodcraft building.
Ridge is the largest manufacturer of aerodynamic side skirts for trailers, integral walls for refrigerated trailers and glass reinforced interior liners for dry freight trailers.
Property available at ECO park
Identified as Building B, the largest facility on site is 850,000 square feet and is available for lease.
A 30,000-square-foot former maintenance building is available, as is a 33-acre work ready site.
From Newark Advocate
