The draw of returning home was just too good to pass up for South Surrey business Soft Stuff Creations.
The company’s original office was in South Surrey, but as the company grew it moved to Richmond in 2009, which owner Barb Kotzer described as – in the business world – the “prevailing place” to be.
“The idea is the closer to Vancouver you are, the better. We swallowed that and moved to Richmond, bought a place there and commuted,” she told Peace Arch News Wednesday.
“It started off as OK, then just became hell.”
She said the company started shopping around for a new location closer to home for its nine employees, and settled on Campbell Heights at the end of last year.
“They have just done an amazing job here providing anything that a light industrial business would need. They blended it beautifully with the existing natural environment… Surrey has done a really good job of building an industrial park within its existing infrastructure,” she said.
Kotzer said there’s nothing the company – or its staff – gave up by moving back to the South Surrey area.
“I’m so proud to be part of the South Surrey, White Rock area. I think that’s the key for life out here. I think instead of always fighting to get in Vancouver, that we build what we need out here.”
Soft Stuff Creations specializes in custom plush toys and other soft products.