De Leon Foods Inc., a Spokane-based company that operates a Mexican food store and deli, plans to open a second outlet at 15530 E. Sprague, in Spokane Valley, says owner Sergio De Leon.

De Leon says the Valley store will open when tenant improvements are completed this fall in 17,000 square feet of leased space formerly occupied by a Hancock Fabrics outlet.

De Leon Foods has been operating for nine years at its original location at 102 E. Francis, on Spokane’s North Side.

The Valley store will have tortilla-making equipment with much higher production capacity than equipment at the North Side store, he says.

“Tortilla production is going to be a pretty big part of the new facility,” De Leon says. “We just purchased a larger machine that can supply customer’s demands, and we’re going to dedicate half of the space to production of tortillas to distribute to restaurants and grocery stores.”

De Leon says he’s acting as his own contractor for the tenant improvements.

Spokane Restaurant Equipment Inc. is assist-ing with the layout design for the kitchen equipment, he says.

De Leon Foods has had strong business growth in recent years, he says.

“In the last couple of years, green-and-blue chips have been a big hit,” he says. “People were calling from all over the country wanting chips, and we barely could keep up with demand in the local community.”

With the new facility, De Leon Foods also plans to expand its distribution capabilities.

“We’re going to be concentrating more on supplying grocery stores,” De Leon says. “With our name recognition, I think we have a good opportunity for our customers to pick locally made products over something made out of state.”

The new store will have 20 employees, he says.

Commercial real estate brokers Jim Quigley and Tim Kestell, both of Spokane-based Kiemle & Hagood Co., and Steve Peterson, of Coldwell Banker Tomlinson North, negotiated the Valley lease.

Recent Transactions

C&C North America Inc., the Sugarland, Texas-based distributor and retailer of natural and manufactured stone surfaces, doing business here as Cosentino Center, has leased 22,600 square feet of space in the Spokane Business & Industrial Park, at 3808 N. Sullivan, and plans to move its Spokane Valley operations there in August from smaller quarters at 10717 E. Montgomery Drive. Chase Breckner, of Crown West Realty LLC, and Darren Slackman, of NAI Black, handled the transaction.

Hoskin & Muir Inc., a Livermore, Calif.-based specialty distributor doing business as HMI/Cardinal Shower Enclosures, has leased 13,300 square feet of space for a new distribution center in the Spokane Business & Industrial Park, at 3808 N. Sullivan Road. Chase Breckner, of Crown West Realty LLC, handled the transaction.

Pac-4 Coatings & Waterproofing LLC, of Spokane Valley, has bought a shop building with 2,400 square feet of industrial space, at 4604 E. First, and has moved there from smaller quarters at 910 N. Lake Road. Ryan Towner, of NAI Black, handled the lease.