designed by PROCON
(l-r) Matthew R Bartlett, asst. to Sen. Kelly Ayotte; Russell Dean, Exeter town manager; John Samenfeld, vice chair of PROCON; N.H. Governor Maggie Hassan; Paul Roy, PROCON; Trudy Abood, VP, Ryan Abood, president and CEO, and Jeff Abood, VP, all of GourmetGiftBaskets.com; Jeffrey Rose, commissioner for N.H. Dept of Resources and Economic Development; Tom Monahan, developer Monahan Companies; Darren Winham, Exeter economic development Director; David Sharples, Exeter Director of Planning and Development.
Exeter, NH – State and local officials, business leaders, and employees joined with GourmetGiftsBaskets.com in early August to celebrate the construction of its new headquarters in Exeter.
The popular gift basket company joined forces with two New Hampshire-based firms: PROCON of Manchester, who is the designer and construction manager, and the Monahan Companies based in Nashua. Monahan Companies is the project developer of Garrison Glen Corporate Park where the new 106,600sf manufacturing and distribution warehouse is currently under construction.
The morning’s festivities included celebratory speeches by attending dignitaries including Governor Maggie Hassan who opened by congratulating the company on its new headquarters.
Rendering of new Gourmentgiftbaskets.com New Hampshire headquarters / PROCON
GourmetGiftBaskets.com has occupied several New Hampshire locales over the past decade, with the most recent in Kingston, where it has been since 2012. However, when it came to seeking a new location, the company wanted to keep its feet firmly planted in the Granite State. After years of searching, Exeter was chosen for the construction of its new home base.
The new headquarters, hi-bay manufacturing/warehousing and distribution facility is comprised of offices, assembly lines, 14 dock doors for shipping/receiving, and extensive storage and will also be home to GourmetGiftBaskets.com sister companies, KingofPop.com, Cheesecake.com, and Strawberries.com. The site also includes a 99-car parking lot and a loading dock on the north side of the building, with connections to the town’s water and sewer. Current work includes installation of the exterior metal wall panels and roofing, with an expected project completion in the winter of 2017.
-more-
GourmetGiftBaskets.com approached Monahan Companies owner Tom Monahan over a year ago about development on his Garrison Glen lot. Both companies mutually agreed to a deal, and negotiations with the Town of Exeter began for a summer, 2016 start. Exeter officials welcomed the company with enthusiasm calling them a “good fit” for their community, and an “ideal attraction” as part of the Town’s economic development initiatives. GourmetGiftBaskets.comChief
Operations Officer Jeff Abood remarked, “The support in the community, the agencies involved, and the Town of Exeter has been astonishing. Everyone involved has wanted this project to be a success, and it has proven to be just that. Exeter has welcomed us, and we are grateful to be here!”
The deal is even “sweeter” for Jeff Abood because of the company’s long association with PROCON that finally materialized into a project. “Our relationship with PROCON has been nothing short of amazing. I have worked with their Director of Business Development, Paul Roy on several projects in the past and the Company always works to create the best building for us. Paul and I share an extra special excitement that this particular project has come to fruition after several attempts in the past. I know that PROCON will deliver a great building because they have a proven track record that holds true to that.”
Jeff was quick to add, “A particular game-changer moment for me on this project was that PROCON, Monahan Companies, and the Town of Exeter truly believed in GourmetGiftBaskets.com and its team. Everyone worked so hard from the beginning and between PROCON, Monahan’s team and GourmetGiftBaskets.com – it’s a perfect all-star team where the best-of-the-best have partnered up!”
Tom Monahan shares the overall enthusiasm stating, “We are very excited to welcome GourmetGiftBaskets.com as our newest corporate resident at Garrison Glen. We have developed a wonderful working relationship with the Abood Family and are looking forward to watching their company grow and succeed here.” Garrison Glen Corporate Park is a 200-acre growing industrial/corporate development located off exit 9 of NH 101. Tom added, “The ideally located park is also home to companies such as F.W. Webb, Cobham and North American Power. It is my hope that other businesses will see that Exeter and Garrison Glen are open for business,” he concluded.
Jeff Abood, along with his brother Founder and CEO, Ryan Abood come from a family of serial entrepreneurs, including their parents, David and Trudy, who have owned and operated several New Hampshire businesses over years. The two brothers grew up working in those establishments. One of them was Chalifour’s Flower Shop in Manchester, and it was in the basement of the family florist that the two brothers and their mother, Vice President Trudy Abood began making gift baskets. The success of the customized baskets leads them to realize the enormous potential of providing handmade, high-quality gift baskets on a larger scale.
In 2002, Ryan launched the idea as a separate business and GourmetGiftBaskets.comwas born. In the last 14 years, the Company has built its reputation on the quality, beauty, and diversity of its offerings, along
with service that includes same-day delivery of some gift baskets. Still privately owned and family-run, GourmetGiftBaskets.comhas grown into a recognizable name in the national online gift-giving market, as sales have exploded nationwide. They have placed multiple times on the Inc. 5000 fastest growing companies list, and are currently ranked at #238 as “One of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the U.S.” Such exponential growth made the eventual move to a larger facility a necessity.
