The Dirt: Market Vision, Alliance Data, Cougar shop

Market Vision finds new home

Spokane marketing and advertising firm Market Vision Inc. has relocated to new offices at 3925 N. Monroe St., in the Garland District.

For about 15 years the company has been based in the historic former city firehouse at 1229 N. Monroe. KPBX Public Radio purchased that firehouse and will use it for its new offices.

Market Vision, with 12 employees, bought its new building and property for $350,000 last fall. President Scott Sloan said the firm will spend more than $500,000 on major remodeling and improvements.

It hired Wolfe Architectural Group of Spokane for the building redesign, with TW Clark Construction as the general contractor.

Alliance Data in ex-Coldwater site

A national company that manages credit card programs for retail brands such as Victoria’s Secret, J.Crew, Eddie Bauer and HSN will cut the ribbon Monday at 11 a.m. on its new call center in Coeur d’Alene.

Alliance Data Retail Services, based in Columbus, Ohio, has moved into a call center built by Coldwater Creek but never used by the former Sandpoint-based clothing retailer. The building is at 745 W. Hanley Ave., west of U.S. Highway 95.

Alliance Data is opening the 44,500-square-foot “customer care center” with 200 employees earning salaries starting just above $11 an hour. In time the company plans to employ 400 people at its Coeur d’Alene location.

This is the seventh Alliance Data call center in the U.S.

Cougar shop sets grand opening

The WSU Connections downtown Spokane gift shop and retail store opened last week at 618 W. Riverside Ave. It’s inside the former Bank of Whitman building.

A grand opening will be Sept. 23.

Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

It sells Cougar Gold cheese along with Washington State University-branded clothing and gear. It’s also a ticket office and a source for WSU Spokane research information.