Online shopping service Wantable Inc. plans to move from its Walker’s Point location in Milwaukee to the former Pick ‘n Save store building at 1818 W. National Ave. in the city’s Clarke Square neighborhood.
It will be the fourth move for the four year old company that delivers personalized makeup, accessories and women’s apparel to tens of thousands of customers through a subscription service.
Jalem Getz, Wantable president and chief executive officer, said the company’s growth is being driven by offering an alternative to shopping at sites like Amazon.
The Clarke Square location has more than 112,000 square feet available after the Pick ‘n Save closed earlier this year. Getz said Wantable will occupy about 55,000 square feet and look to lease space to other companies.
Wantable currently has 73 employees and Getz plans to be at 85 by March, when he hopes to make the move. A year after that he thinks employment could reach 120.
The plan is to move all of the company’s employees to the new location, but Getz said that could change as things progress.
The company moved in to its current facility at 112 E. Mineral St. in Walker’s Point in September 2015. Getz said he loves the current facility, but with roughly 28,000 square feet, there just isn’t enough room.
He acknowledged the company is moving from one of the city’s hottest neighborhoods to a more challenged, lower income area. But he also pointed out that it wasn’t that long ago Walker’s Point faced significant issues and said the size of his company combined with those he hopes to attract could bring about a renaissance in the area.
