Welcome Gabe's

We are excited to welcome Gabe’s to Springfield!  Their recent groundbreaking ceremony is a key milestone in our community’s renaissance and is another catalyst in helping us build a vibrant Springfield and Clark County.  This latest announcement started with a simple vision themed “DREAM BIG!”.

Our community had stopped dreaming big a long time ago.  The city had declined for several decades due to the loss of approximately ten thousand manufacturing jobs, and it was difficult for many leaders to see a path forward.  Our community needed a new vision to help lead it onward.  
The good news is twenty plus years later the community is beginning to believe again and is working closely together on dream big types of initiatives that are helping to move us forward.  With this latest announcement, along with the attraction of companies like Topre and Silfex, and the growth of some of our existing companies, we have gained back the jobs which were lost over several decades and find ourselves in a unique position to grow again.  

Ohio Governor Mike Dewine recently said in a speech, “We are a people who dream big, but we are not just dreamers.  We roll up our sleeves and then get it done!”  We are certainly experiencing a renewed energy in Springfield!  We are rolling up our sleeves and getting it done!
Thank you to our economic development partners and to Northpoint Development for helping to take PrimeOhio 2 from just a vision many years ago to a reality with this momentous announcement.  A special thanks to David Zak, Al Wansing,  Horton Hobbs, Amy Donahoe, and Pat Richards.  These five people persevered through the many trials and tribulations associated with the building, marketing, and operating of this industrial park and never gave up!  Their extra efforts helped us land the largest jobs attraction project in our community’s history.  Thanks to these individuals, we have now achieved what was envisioned long ago for the new industrial park. 

Community leaders began dreaming big in 2006 about the $9 Million industrial park called PrimeOhio 2 that would one day land a 1 million Square Foot Distribution Center and bring 1,000 jobs to our community.  Chuck Ingle, former Partnership Board Chairman likes to say, “Nothing worthwhile is ever easy, but it is worth it in the end if you do not give up!”  

Gabe’s $80 Million investment is a testament to the fact that this team never gave up even when a $9M industrial park seemed financially unattainable.  This team never gave up even when there appeared to be insurmountable setbacks.  This team never gave up even when some leaders said it could not be done.  This team, as our Governor puts it, rolled up their sleeves and then got the job done!

Gabe’s decision to build its largest distribution center in Springfield, Ohio is an important milestone for our community, as it serves to remind us of where we have been and shows us where we are going.  The momentum we are experiencing is being recognized around the country and will help us to continue to dream big as we seek to move our community forward.

Gabe’s, again welcome to Greater Springfield.  We are excited you are here!  Thank you for landing your newest investment in our community.