VIP Production Northwest Inc. has purchased a 26,300-square-foot office and warehouse building at 724 N. Madelia near the Iron Bridge Office Campus that will more than double the company’s operating space. 

The audio, video, lighting, staging, and rigging company has experienced significant growth over the past two years, says Chief Operating Officer Aaron Hein, which led to the company’s decision to move to a larger space.

“There’s a lot of space needed for storage of our equipment, and then on top of that, the install division of our company has been growing massively and we had nowhere to put them, so we were in desperate need of more space in general,” he says. 

Hein says he expects 2019 to be a record year in terms of revenue, with 30% to 40% projected growth. 

“This is just the beginning of our momentum,” he says. 

The company, which is currently located in about 12,000 square feet at 1011 E. Second, on the northeast corner of Second Avenue and Arthur Street, purchased the building on Madelia for $1.2 million, according to the Spokane County Assessor’s office records. 

Owner and CEO Troy Reit says in a press release, “It’s hard to find a suitable location for our type of business. We need a lot of space, loading docks, and quick access to major roads.” 

Hein says the company also was motivated to move because its trucks, used to transport lighting and audio equipment, are often vandalized, to the point where the company no longer locks the trucks, so they aren’t damaged when someone breaks in, and instead just empty them of any expensive items at night.

“It’s just been a nightmare trying to maintain our property and not have it damaged,” he says. 

The new facility on Madelia is currently undergoing some minor cosmetic updates, Hein says, the bulk of which are being done by VIP’s 11 employees, many of which have construction backgrounds due to the nature of their work. The previous tenant was a flower shop, so a lot of the work needed is simply cleaning up the space and repainting, along with some landscaping. 

He adds that a ramp will also be built outside the building to make loading the heavy equipment easier. 

Ideally, the company will be operating in the new location by September, he says, and will sublease the current property. 

Hein says the company’s lease at its Second Avenue location isn’t up until July 2020 but it found the Madelia location was the right fit and didn’t want to miss the opportunity. 

VIP Production designs and installs production installations for performance venues, theaters, churches, schools, and festivals. Customers can also rent or buy installation equipment through the company. 

The company also provides custom displays, such as the lighting on the trees at the Davenport Hotel during the Christmas season or specialized lighting and audio displays for weddings or concerts. 

VIP Production was founded in 2014 when Reit, who at the time owned Reit Productions, purchased Silhouette Lighting and Staging and merged the two companies to offer both lighting and audio services for performance venues.