It used to be that if you needed help – with your rent, your gas bill, your grocery bill, or your abusive spouse – figuring out whom to call for that help was nearly as complicated as the problem itself.FORT WAYNE – A marketing firm is involved in an investment of up to $2 million to call Vera Bradley neighbor.
Britton Marketing & Design Group, 1415 Coliseum Blvd. W., will move from its present location to reside across the road from the handbag maker’s distribution center in southwest Allen County. Under a proposed deal, Britton would transfer into an office and warehouse facility after it is built. The company would lease the building from Great Dane Realty.
The Allen County Plan Commission will consider the matter in coming weeks.
“It’s all in the exploratory phase right now, but we would love to see it happen,” said Melissa Schenkel, a spokeswoman for Vera Bradley. “We’d love to have them as neighbors.”
Vera Bradley is Britton Marketing’s largest customer. Moving into a 20,000-square-foot building a stone’s throw away from a major customer “would be nicer,” said Susan Britton, co-founder of Britton Marketing.
“If we can be closer it would be a little more efficient,” she said.
Britton said she expects to add 10 jobs to her 30-person staff if the development moves forward.
“It’s a really good situation to be working closely and to be collaborating with Britton,” she said. “We would welcome them.”
Vera Bradley Inc. is investing $22.5 million at the southwest Allen County site and adding up to 124 new jobs as the company nearly doubles its distribution center.
Construction on Britton’s new location could begin in the spring and wrap up by next fall. The company would be doubling the size of its building space.
Last year, the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association presented Britton Marketing a Retail Award for Creativity Innovation and Excellence during a conference in San Francisco. The company received the silver in the “Print Media” category for work on the Winter 2010 Vera Bradley catalog.
