Hooked On Toys Intending To Move

It appears as though Hooked On Toys will be moving ... right down the street.

The company intends to move just northeast of their current location. Owner Tom Kallas agreed to purchase a parcel of surplused, city-owned land behind State Farm and Smitty's on North Wenatchee Avenue.

Wenatchee mayor Frank Kuntz said, "There's a parcel of land that we own that's the corner of the railroad tracks and the new McKittrick Street. It's a little bit over an acre of property that Hooked on Toys contacted us (about) and said they would like to buy and move their store there."

Tom Kallas, owner of Hooked On Toys, has agreed to purchase the 72,932 square foot parcel for $1,239,844, or $17 per square foot.

The property sale, which is contingent on an environmental assessment and feasibility study, will close by January 20th of 2020. The deal is also contingent on the extension of McKittrick Street and construction of Columbia Street by the end of 2020.

"By the time we get McKittrick Street built, and Columbia Street built, then Hooked on Toys will build their new store." added Kuntz, "Access for where they are at now is sort of difficult. This will be right on a fully signalized intersection right against the railroad tracks. Great spot for them and we think a great spot for us for new development."

The city originally purchased the parcel as part of a larger portfolio of property from Northwest Wholesale. Some land the city was eager to acquire for their North Wenatchee redevelopment plan projects like the McKittrick Street extension. The excess property was then surplused by the city on November 15, 2018.