Chewy.com has leased this 155,000 square foot building at 360 Research Drive in the Pittston Township section of CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East. Mericle had constructed the building on speculation. CenterPoint is now home to 67 tenants who together employ close to 7,500 people.
                                 Submitted photo

Chewy.com has leased this 155,000 square foot building at 360 Research Drive in the Pittston Township section of CenterPoint Commerce & Trade Park East. Mericle had constructed the building on speculation. CenterPoint is now home to 67 tenants who together employ close to 7,500 people.

Submitted photo

Pet e-commerce retailer to create $25M pharmacy fulfillment center

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<p>Mikitish </p>

Mikitish

PITTSTON TWP. — Pet e-commerce retailer Chewy, Inc., is expanding its operations in Pittston Township, leasing 155,000 square feet of existing space for a pharmacy center creating 550 new, “family-sustaining” full-time jobs, officials said Tuesday.

With an anticipated opening in late 2021, Chewy’s new pharmacy location will provide fulfillment of pet prescriptions, medications, and special dietary foods.

“This is wonderful news for Greater Pittston,” said Michelle Mikitish, Executive Vice President of the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce. “Chewy.com continues to make a major positive impact on Northeastern Pennsylvania’s economy and we are especially pleased to hear that the facility in CenterPoint will house numerous pharmacists and related positions.”

Chewy currently employs nearly 3,500 Pennsylvanians at its fulfilment centers in Wilkes-Barre, Archbald, Lewisberry, and Mechanicsburg. The project is Chewy’s third expansion in the commonwealth within two years, and the Pittston Township facility will be the first pharmacy location in Pennsylvania.

The company received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for a $450,000 Pennsylvania First grant. The total cost of this project will be $25 million — including the private match to be invested by Chewy at the project site.

The proposal is based on the new operation creating 150 pharmacist and leadership support positions. The project will result in the creation of an additional 400 distribution jobs at the new location, bringing the overall site to 550 employees when fully operational.

The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in the state.

“Pennsylvania is known across the nation as one of the best places to do business, and Chewy’s continued expansion in the commonwealth is a testament to our business-friendly climate and access to major metropolitan areas,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “We are proud that Chewy — a trusted destination for pet parents and partners everywhere — selected NEPA for its first pharmacy location in Pennsylvania, and we look forward to seeing the project grow, creating hundreds of good-paying jobs and benefiting the local community.”

Pete Krillies, vice president of Real Estate, Facilities, Procurement of Chewy, Inc., said the company is proud to expand its presence in Pennsylvania with the opening of its first pharmacy facility in the state.

“This new site joins our four fulfillment centers already in the region, which collectively employ nearly 3,500 Pennsylvanians,” Krillies said. “This expansion continues our significant regional investment with the creation of 550 additional new jobs and will also allow us to provide our customers with even faster delivery of the necessary prescriptions and health and wellness products for their pets. We are glad to have worked in partnership with the state of Pennsylvania and Pittston Township to launch this new site.”

The real estate transaction was coordinated by Mericle Vice president Bill Jones in conjunction with and Chewy Inc.’s real estate brokerage advisory firm.

“It’s a neat project and our construction teams are very busy customizing the space to Chewy’s exact needs,” said Jones. “We are pleased our facility and platform of integrated project delivery met Chewy’s needs and we look forward to completing the building renovations in the near future.”

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.