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“Phenomenally convenient, exciting, and cool.”
That’s how Woodstream Corporation CEO Miguel Nistal describes working Downtown. In early September, he and some 180 employees moved from Lititz into the company’s new digs at 29 East King Street.
Although a short distance, it’s a major move for Woodstream, which operated out of Lititz for more than a century. With the Victor Mousetrap as its claim to fame, the company once known as The Animal Trapping Company of America changed its name in the 1960s and has since diversified as a global manufacturer of animal and pest control and lawn & garden products.
According to Miguel, who’s been CEO since 2016, the company had outgrown the original headquarters in Lititz, which dates to 1890. “Lititz is a great place to work,” says Miguel, “however we were unable to renovate our original headquarters in a cost-effective way.”
Now located on King Street, in the heart of Downtown Lancaster, Woodstream occupies three floors of the former home of Garvin’s department store, in a light-filled interior thanks to the original glass atrium. Woodstream hired local architectural firm Beers + Hoffman for the year-long renovation, which includes open seating areas, quiet rooms, and an outdoor deck, all of which, says Miguel, make the new HQ “a warm, uplifting place to work.”
An inside look at Woodstreams' new location on 29 East King Street.
The up-and-coming cool factor of Lancaster was among the deciding factors to relocate, says Miguel. Woodstream’s annual growth rate of three to five percent means there’s an ongoing need to also grow the staff.
“In order to attract new people and maintain our current talent, we’ve got to be in a great location,” he says. “We found this really great building on King Street that had amazing potential. We knew it was the best decision for Woodstream to come here.” Miguel credits the Parking Authority and Mayor Danene Sorace for securing 180 parking spaces, allaying employee concerns about their new commute.
It took little time for Woodstream staff to see just how much Lancaster has to offer within walking distance. “They’re going out to lunch, hanging out at Central Market, getting to know everybody. After work, they’re meeting for dinner, and so are our vendors and customers, who stay at the Marriott (Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square), just across the street.”
Woodstream is keeping its factory in Lititz, which employs 165 workers. (There is an additional factory in Knoxville, Tenn.) Miguel says they have potential plans for repurposing the old HQ into warehouse storage.
This new location provided not only more space but exponential potential.
Meanwhile, Miguel and his team have hit the ground running with their community outreach. Says Erika Herold, who heads up Woodstream’s Community Outreach & Sponsorships, “Woodstream Corporation is committed to helping our community and the organizations within it. We are deep-rooted in our community and dedicated to continue to be more involved.” Woodstream is a Title Sponsor of the YWCA of Lancaster Race Against Racism. 2019 was their first year as the Title Sponsor of the race and they are continuing to move forward as a sponsor of the Extraordinary Give. “We could not be more proud to be a part of the Extraordinary Give celebration that brings together an entire community and supports the organizations that serve as the foundation for that community.”
Simply put, Woodstream is happy to be here.
