Mark Barnes, owner and president of Spokane-based National Furniture Store Inc., has sold his companys warehouse at 1004 N. Calispel to the Inland Northwest Blood Center.


Barnes says he sold the 7,800-square-foot warehouse with a 5,000-square-foot mezzanine last month, and bought about a half-acre of land, at 213 E. Ermina, where hes building a new warehouse.


Barnes says he decided to buy the property, owned by Steve and Darlene Rouse, and build the new warehouse because he couldnt find a suitable building with enough space. National Furniture outgrew its old warehouse about two years ago, he says.


The new warehouse will have 11,500 square feet of floor space with a 6,000-square-foot mezzanine, Barnes says.


Construction of the warehouse began late this month and will be completed in May, he says. Spokane Structures Inc., of Spokane, is the general contractor for the project.


Barnes declined to say the projects cost estimate.


Barnes says he chose the location on Ermina, less than a mile away from the National Furnitures 22,000-square-foot store, at 1230 N. Division, to ensure easy warehouse accessibility.


I wanted to keep it convenient for customers and keep everything in stock that they desire, he says.


Barnes says the new warehouse should satisfy the companys space needs for the next 10 years.


National Furniture employs 12 people and doesnt plan to hire any more employees, Barnes says.


Judi Young, Inland Northwest Blood Centers chief executive officer, says the blood center doesnt plan to move into or remodel the warehouse on Calispel now, but might offer the space for lease at the end of June, after National Furniture has moved to its new location.


The blood centers 58,000-square-foot main building sits just east of the warehouse on Calispel. It also owns a 2,700-square-foot garage building there where it keeps its bloodmobiles.


The blood center bought the warehouse to secure more room for expansion, Young says.


Having that piece of property gives us lots of opportunities in the future, she says.


The blood center plans to use the warehouse sometime in the next five to 10 years, though it hasnt decided what that expansion will include, Young says. It will start using some of the six parking lots surrounding the warehouse once National Furniture has moved, she says.


The blood center currently employs 138 people.


Michael Meagher, of Kiemle & Hagood Co., of Spokane, handled both of the transactions. Jim Quigley, of Kiemle & Hagood, assisted with National Furnitures purchase of the property on Ermina.