Building's for sale, but Bi-Mart is staying

While there is a “For Sale” sign posted out front, officials with Bi-Mart say they have no plans to leave Cheney.

Travelers on First Street lately may have noticed the sign outside the popular business located north of Yoke’s. The Eugene, Oregon-based company built the building and located to Cheney over 10 years ago.

The 34,950 square foot building is listed as being for sale for $3.5 million on the website loopnet.com. City Administrator Mark Schuller said the building is owned by B.A. Elk Grove, LLC, which is listed with a Vancouver, Wash. address.

In an email, Don Leber, vice president of advertising and marketing for Bi-Mart, acknowledged the landlord is selling the building, but that Bi-Mart has no intentions of leaving.

“We don’t know why he is selling the building,” Leber added. “The sale shouldn’t have any impact on Bi-Mart.”

Bi-Mart is an employee-owned chain of retailers located in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Founded in 1955, it currently has 79 locations.

A typical Bi-Mart houses merchandise including electronics and small appliances, housewares, hardware and power tools, sporting and hunting supplies, apparel, canned and packaged food, personal care products and a drugstore and pharmacy. The median size of a Bi-Mart store is 31,000 square feet.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].