Labor Ready Plans To Accelerate Growth

Labor Ready Inc., the temporary labor company that got its start in Spokane as a hamburger franchise, Wednesday announced accelerated expansion plans for 1998, and a doubling of revenues in 1997.

Now based in Tacoma, Labor Ready said it will add 160 stores in the first half of 1998. The plan would bring the total to 476.

The company added 116 stores in 1997.

Most of the growth will occur in the Northeast and Southeast, where there are few company outlets now, and in California, said Chairman Glenn Welstad.

Labor Ready moved its Spokane store in November from 121 N. Lee to 2915 N. Division, where it has almost triple the space and far more visibility, Manager Jim Baggett said.

Company sales for 1997 reached $335 million, compared with $163 million in 1996. Same-store sales rose 46 percent. , DataTimes