Mor Furniture will relocate to a 146,000 square-foot Visalia warehouse recently built by Diversified Development Group of Fresno. Photo contributed

MWI Animal Health and Mor Furniture for Less are each expanding their operations in the Visalia Industrial Park — and getting out of each other’s way in the process. Both businesses share a 170,000 square-foot warehouse on Plaza Drive at Hurley Avenue but now are each doubling their own space in musical-chairs fashion.

MWI, a pet supply company, will expand its 85,000 square-foot warehouse space now shared with Mor Furniture. Removing one dividing wall, the pet firm will take the entire building. MWI employs around 200 at this location.

MWI Animal Health is an international animal health products supplier for veterinarians. The company is based in Boise, Idaho and distributes more than 10,000 products to more than 350 vendors throughout the US and the UK.

Meanwhile Mor Furniture will relocate to a 146,000 square-foot new warehouse recently built by Diversified Development Group of Fresno — their current landlord at their existing building as well. The new location a mile north is at 9225 W. Riggin Ave. The company is adding a 3,700 square-foot office at the new complex, according to a city permit.

Chinese-owned Mor Furniture is a furniture retailer based in San Diego. It is one of the largest furniture retailers in the US.

Ace hardware, the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world, has already opened 110 new stores in 2021. It is planning to open at least an additional 60 stores by the end of the year, says the company. The Illinois-based firm is building a massive distribution center in Visalia, the company announced Aug. 25. The project will employ more than 400 people, says the company.

 

Developer plans new warehouse

Los Angeles-based YS Industries is planning to build a new 350,000 square-foot, concrete tilt-up warehouse in the Visalia Industrial Park, says agent Freddy Molina. The company has already built two 300,000 square-foot buildings this past year that are now fully occupied. The site is across the street from the new Amazon logistics complex.

Molina says the new warehouse will feature 40-foot ceilings, taller than his other buildings. With plans now filed, YS hopes to break ground in November and be ready in 2022. The “spec” building will be for lease.

 

Kaweah Health approves new clinic

Kaweah Health has identified a location along Plaza Drive that is highly visible and convenient to employees who work at the Visalia Industrial Park for a new health clinic. The site fronts Plaza just south of Goshen Avenue. The unnamed owners of the land are willing to develop the approximately 5,000 square foot clinic and lease it to Kaweah Health. Management evaluated purchasing the land and developing the clinic, but believe that a lease is more attractive.

The new clinic would be designed and finished in a style similar to our new clinic in Tulare and the urgent care center on Demaree Street. The proposed services would include occupational medicine, workers compensation, and urgent care provided primarily by advanced practice providers. They would also place a physician in the site to provide primary care services and general oversight of all services in the clinic. Evening and Saturday hours will also be provided.