A new Address

The morning drive to my office is less than 5 miles, but it’s always stress-inducing. I’ve tried to vary my route, but since I ordinarily hit snooze one too many times, I end up driving the fastest, albeit most frustrating, way to work. I get on Highway 99 at the shortest onramp ever—compounded now by construction—and risk getting mowed down by highway drivers or rear-ended by cars on the ramp behind me. Once I survive that, I exit on Cohasset Road, a merge requiring me to slow down, look over my shoulder, and speed up before squeezing over, all within a few seconds.

By the time I get to the stoplight at the intersection of Cohasset and East Avenue, I need a breather. The past few weeks, as I have softened my grip on the steering wheel, I’ve noticed some new activity at the vacant building at 2444 Cohasset. There were a few instances earlier this year when I glanced over and saw a man and his dog sleeping on the building’s steps. But more recently, the doors were open, the lights were on and the man and his dog were absent. Mid-May, the signs went up and confirmed The Address is moving into that space.

The furniture and home decor store has resided in downtown Chico’s Grand View Building at Third and Main streets for the past five years, making a move from downtown Oroville in 2009, after seven years there. Tracy Lay, who co-owns the business with Stephanie Houston, said the move is an expansion, noting that profits have been stifled due to lack of space.

“We know that we could sell more if we had room to show people more,” Lay said. “People are visual.”

The new building is more than double the store’s current footprint and will allow them to showcase more of the California custom-made furniture they carry, along with additional rugs and draperies. There will be expanded “looks” with different themed rooms, in addition to a full design center. Plus, there’s off-street parking, restrooms and office space.

Considering the issues that have been aired about downtown Chico over the past year, I wondered—perhaps like many others who’ve noticed that The Address was moving—if that played any role in the move. Absolutely not, Lay said. She was adamant that there was “no demise of downtown” and with the need to load and unload large pieces of furniture, the downtown location just doesn’t work for the business.

This new location, close to the flurry of new home construction that is happening in north Chico, is more ideal and Lay plans to officially open the new Address at the new address in early June.

Lay added that she has heard that there will be even more retail activity coming to the North Valley Plaza and vicinity, increasing traffic in the area. My only hope is that the traffic comes after I’ve already made it to work.