Columbus, OH – Wholesale home décor, gift and craft supplier CWI Gifts and Crafts, which started as a small retail business in Central Ohio 40 years ago, has announced it will invest more than $4.6 million to purchase and expand into an existing Columbus Region facility that will more than triple its current logistics and distribution space. The expansion will also add 10 new jobs to its 83-employee workforce over the next three years.
“Our company has grown from a small retail business to a wholesale operation spanning two countries,” said Farley Piper, president, CWI Gifts and Crafts. “The Columbus Region has been a great place to grow and provides great access to our customers.”
CWI will move from its current location in Pataskala to a 207,000-square-foot space at 4600 S. Hamilton Road in Groveport. The space, which is the long-vacant former site of the Sofa Express headquarters and warehouse facility, is more than triple the company’s existing space. CWI’s more than $4.6 million investment will go toward building costs, machinery and equipment, and IT costs.
Hiring for the 10 new jobs, which will include IT, sales and administrative positions, is expected to begin in 2015. All new positions will be incorporated by 2018.
CWI, which was a small business started by a husband-and-wife team in 1975, now serves 27,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada. Two daughters and a son-in-law now join the original owners in the business. During peak season, the company ships 1,200 packages per day.
“CWI’s expansion to Groveport is a win for everyone involved. The company found a suitable facility for its growth needs, and the city is able to see this vacant space come back to life,” said Jeff Green, assistant city administrator, City of Groveport. “We are excited to welcome this family-owned business to Groveport.”