Sep 15, 2007

‘A phenomenal deal’ New owner pays $1.3 million to purchase Portage Square PlazaBy Bobby WarrenThe-Daily-Record.com

Wooster — A 33-year-old entrepreneur who started with a downtown gift shop has purchased nearly half of the shopping center along Portage Road incorrectly referred to as Hawkins plaza.

Jason Carrick purchased the building on the west end of the Portage Square Plaza from Earl Hawkins for $1.3 million.

Carrick has more than 50,000 square feet of retail space, which houses two of his four stores — Everything Surplus and Clothing Warehouse, Goodwill Industries’ thrift store and Dave’s Barber Shop. The building, which in years past was a Grant City department store, Kmart and Tractor Supply Co. and parking lot sit on 5 acres.

“The $1.3 million I paid for the property is what (Hawkins) paid for it 25 years ago,” Carrick said. “It was a phenomenal deal.”

Hawkins said he was glad to see Carrick purchase it.

“It’s just amazing how (Carrick) started with hardly anything and he built a business where people are coming from all over,” Hawkins said.

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