For years, I have driven past The Creative Office located on the corner of Plum and Legion in downtown Olympia. Recently I noticed the building had undergone a complete transformation. I sat down with owner Lowell Gordon to find out a little history about The Creative Office and quickly learned that the new Seahawk-inspired paint job was just the beginning of the changes to this dynamic business, which has been owned and operated by the Gordons for over 20 years.
Lowell Gordon and his wife bought the business in 1995. Known to the community as Meredith’s Office Furnishings, the business sold low budget office furniture to local firms. Lowell knew he wanted to grow the business and offer more services to their customers. They renamed the business The Creative Office to reflect their ability to offer more than just furniture. They quickly acquired an office supply company and over the years have evolved into a complete office solution.
As The Creative Office name suggests, the staff of professionals includes technology experts and an interior design team to create a complete office from scratch or help upgrade and revamp an existing office.
If you are just starting out and want to create an efficient home office or are a multi-million dollar enterprise, The Creative Office can help with everything from carpets to furniture. Even break room snacks and janitorial supplies are covered in their complete office solution. They are uniquely qualified to assist you in creating the most appealing and efficient office space using the latest trends and technologies.
Over the years The Creative Office has become a distributor of several new lines of furniture including Haworth, the largest privately held manufacturer of office furniture in the world. One of the fastest growing segments of their business is promotional products and embroidered clothing. Employees want to be comfortable in both their work environment and their work clothing.
The new paint and logo at The Creative Office represents not only a refresh of their own brand but illustrates how they can help others to refresh their own office space. As Lowell explains, “Today’s workplace is a very different environment, attracting employees and retaining them has become a big challenge.” Employees want to work in a collaborative environment he shares and “the new workforce does not want to work in a box.” The Creative Office carries solutions such as Haworth Enclose, a glass wall system that is easily constructed and can be refigured to suit the needs of a growing and changing company.
Retaining employees in today’s changing markets is easier with the expertise of a company like The Creative Office as a resource. Businesses need to keep up with the needs of their employees. Gone are the corner offices for executives. The new business model includes glass-enclosed offices in the center with other employees lined up along windows to maximize the available natural light.
All of these concepts and more can be seen in the newly designed showroom at The Creative Office where they are putting their ideas to work. Employees are being moved out of the back rooms and onto the showroom floor. The latest innovation in workstations will be on display and visible to customers and passersby alike. “We want our refreshed logo and showroom to illustrate that companies can and need to refresh their own workspaces,” explains Lowell.
The Creative Office just signed a new lease, continuing their commitment to doing business in downtown Olympia. Centrally located with great parking, Lowell loves the easy access to the freeway with the nearby vista of Budd Inlet and the Olympics as an added benefit.
Photo credit: The Creative Office
The newly painted building reflects the owners’ love of the Seattle Seahawks. Original season ticket holders since 1976, the blue and green accents were a natural choice for Lowell.
The Creative Office has clients from all over the state of Washington including Aegis Senior Living, Providence Health Systems and Thurston County school districts. Lowell is committed to supporting his community and has chaired the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce, Lacey South Sound Chamber of Commerce, and the Washington Retail Association. Lowell currently serves as the chair of the Behavioral Health Resources Foundation Board, the HR Chair for The Washington Retail Association and vice chair of the Lacey Fire District 3 Citizens Advisory Committee. Lowell is also an active Gateway Rotarian.
The Creative Office will unveil the first phase of their remodel at the Thurston County Chamber “After Hours” event on May 18. For more information, visit their website www.thecreativeoffice.com or showroom at 721 Legion Way SE in downtown Olympia.
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