Cellular Company Opens Fifth Store

Thu., June 15, 2000

By Isamu Jordan isamuj@spokesman.com

Consolidated Cellular is celebrating its grand opening at a site that has been a graveyard for other businesses over the years.

The cellular telephone business opened May 1 at the southeast corner of Division and Glass, which has been a ice cream shop, a pizza parlor, and a couple of taco joints. And don’t forget the Fingers eatery.

Regional Manager Rick Hedding said the location is better suited for Consolidated Cellular because it is not a food service store. Plus, it offers some good exposure to traffic heading north on Division.

“When people are heading back north in the afternoon, they are gridlocked at Garland and stuck in front of the reader board, the flashing sign and our key, trademark balloon,” Hedding said.

Consolidated Cellular, based out of Sedro Woolley in Skagit County, boasts being the largest cellular service provider, carrying five different companies, Hedding said.

Consolidated Cellular specializes in breakthrough cellular technology such as laptop connections and mobile Web browsing.

There are 20 stores in Washington, with five of them in Spokane.

Hedding said the company plans to expand to central Washington and North Idaho.

The store did promotions with nearby businesses and shares parking with the neighboring Happy Time Tavern.

Hedding said the store’s presence will help decrease the crime that was happening when the building was vacant.

“There was a lot of negative activity with the place being empty and next to a bar.” Hedding said. “While we were cleaning up, we found everything from needles to bags of dope.”

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