Seattle, Wash.-based Jones Soda Co. announced it will relocate its current South Lake Union headquarters to a larger new office space in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood. Jones' new headquarters will occupy 9,500 square feet in the Palmer Court Building, located at 1000 1st Avenue South, situated on the south edge of downtown Seattle and home to the city's historic district and professional sports stadiums.
"This move represents another element of Jones 2.0, gaining a fresh new start and joining a vibrant part of Seattle rich with hometown icons, which is a great fit for our company culture," commented William Meissner, CEO of Jones in a prepared statement. "Throughout the last year, we have aggressively focused on restoring Jones to the strong company it once was, and we've made great strides towards that goal. Our results continue to improve. We are distributing Jones Soda and WhoopAss Energy in key new markets around the country and internationally, and we have some exciting new products on the way. The new office space allows for a much more collaborative working environment for our team, space that can better accommodate our future growth and will be a good change for Jones as we chart a course for success."
Jones' new headquarters will occupy the entire first floor of the six-story Palmer Court Building, which is part of the Pioneer Square Historical District. As the building is adjacent to the Qwest Field and the Event Center, Jones intends to take advantage of the ample foot traffic for sampling opportunities and to tie into community events.
"Jones is a great fit for Palmer Court," said Henry Liebman, president and CEO of American Life, Inc. and managing partner of Palmer Court. "Our vision was to attract energetic and innovative brands that will bring positive energy to this building and to the neighborhood."
Jones has teamed with Ankrom Moisan Architects to design the finish and interiors of its new 9,500 square foot space. The design is inspired by Jones and its fans, and will feature a far more open and engaging brand experience than the current space in South Lake Union. Construction is being coordinated by Howard S. Wright. Jones has signed a 5-year lease for the new space with the option to renew.
"We wanted to raise the bar on both the work environment for our team and the consumer interaction that our space provides for us," commented Melissa Kelley, Jones project manager on the move. "The bright and open space integrates our brand identifiers, vibrant colors and photographic elements and really represents the passion Jones employees have for our products and our company."
This relocation marks the first move for Jones since 2000, when it shifted its headquarters from Vancouver, Canada to its current location at 234 9th Ave. North in Seattle's South Lake Union neighborhood on the north end of downtown Seattle. The lease on the current space expires at the end of August 2011, with no option for renewal.
