Gourmet snack food producer Gary Poppins could be moving into the former Stelrema building north of Knox by the end of this year, but there are still a few issues that need to be resolved first. The sale is in the “final stages of due diligence,” according to Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver.
He told the county council last month that the building’s sprinkler system had to be repaired, after it failed a pressure test. “There were some leaking joints and that sort of thing,” he said. “So it will come back, and they’re going to test it to maintain 200 pounds of water pressure on all three zones for three hours, and then the chief will write off on it.”
But beyond that, Weaver said the amount of time spent on negotiations has caused issues with the incentive offer from the state. “There was one made earlier, but because this thing has taken forever and a day, believe me, they have to go back and redo it because the dates are out-of-date. They’re out of whack.”
He said that if all those pieces fall into place, Gary Poppins could move into the building in November and begin manufacturing in December, but he stressed that nothing is guaranteed yet.
Weaver also reported that Sysco’s Hamlet property has now been listed, and he is optimistic that a new business will be attracted to the site. “We had an opportunity to get a company in earlier, and Sysco just couldn’t move fast enough with it,” he said. “It takes them three weeks to decide whether to get up in the morning, and it’s ridiculous. But we’ve got them going in the right direction now.”
Meanwhile, Weaver said that Outstanding Tradeshow Exhibit Services has settled into its new home near North Judson. He reported the company has hired seven local employees so far, in addition to the two the company brought along from Illinois.
