Big Red Liquors Plans New 33,000-Sq.-Ft. HQ in Indianapolis

by Adriana Pop, Associate Editor

Bloomington-based Big Red Liquors is planning to turn a vacant 33,000-square-foot building on the south side of Indianapolis into the company’s new headquarters.

According to the Indianapolis Business Journal, Big Red Liquors has recently acquired the facility at 5439 S. East St. from United Leasing Inc. of Evansville. Michael Sloan, a real estate broker at The Broadbent Group, represented the seller in the transaction.

Big Red Liquors CEO Don Rix told the newspaper that the company intends to make a significant investment into the redevelopment of its new property. By Labor Day, the building is expected to house up to 40 employees currently working from the Bloomington and Indianapolis locations. Renovation plans may also include a warehouse and possibly a retail liquor store.

In March, Big Red expanded to Indianapolis by purchasing the assets of United Package Liquors Inc. The company also signed long-term leases for the chain’s 24 local stores with Indianapolis-based LOR Corp., the real estate development firm that owned the assets.

In regional news, The Cellular Connection of Marion will soon open a new corporate office at 525 Congressional Blvd. in Carmel.

The Indianapolis Business Journal reports that the company has invested approximately $5 million in the acquisition and renovation of the 47,000-square-foot building and plans to hire 145 employees over the next three years. The facility is expected to be ready for occupancy by August.

“I think it was time to broaden our base of eligible employees,” said Scott Moorehead, CEO of parent firm Moorehead Communications Inc. “We were out of space here [in Marion], and we have been hiring people left and right.

Last year, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. approved $1.2 million in conditional tax credits for the company’s job-creation plans, along with $200,000 in training grants.

Photo credits: www.loopnet.com