Commercial Real Estate News
Hilliker Newsletter August 2021
CALIFORNIANS MOVING TO ST. LOUIS? Catchy headline though not exactly the case… people are not moving here but the money is. Money from both coasts continues to “move” to St. Louis where investment grade as well as all real estate (including farmland) is seen as a...
Transforming Commercial Space
Former culinary school has the right mix of ingredients for law firm L’Ecole Culinaire, the now-shuttered chef training school, was known as much for its culinary programs as it was for the high visibility of its two buildings on I-64 in Ladue. More than 150,000...
Hilliker Helps Chuck’s Find a “Hot” New Property
Hilliker Helps Chuck’s Find a “Hot” New Property 2758 Highway K, O’Fallon, MO Chuck Taylor and Jon Plawsky have a pretty good idea of how important location is to a restaurant. For years, the partners have owned two outlets of the thin-crust, St. Louis-style-pizza...
Local hot chicken concept eyes O’Fallon, Missouri, for next location
Article Highlight: Local hot chicken concept eyes O'Fallon, Missouri, for next location Congratulations to broker, Rebecca Thessen on helping with these real estate needs! Please go to the St. Louis Biz Journal Article to read more....
Office Space is Alive and Well
During the pandemic, as board meetings quickly moved from conference rooms to Zoom Rooms, all the talk in the media and around the new virtual watercooler was the future of working remotely. After all, after a year of just rolling out of bed instead of rolling into...
Even in the world of emergency services, patience pays off
23 Grandview Park DriveArnold, MO In the autumn of 2020, Bill Franz and his family decided that, after 25 years, it was time to move on from the building at 23 Grandview Park Drive in Arnold, Mo. Franz obviously felt a little sentimental—Arnold was where he and his...
A Hard Sell Made Easier
282-284 East Ave.Webster Groves, MO Retirement is supposed to be a dream come true for men and women who have spent their adult lives building a career or business. But sometimes, pulling yourself completely out of the working world can be nothing short of a...
Hilliker’s Top Seller in 2020 – Patrick McKay
Closing four separate sales in December, Patrick McKay pulled ahead of the pack to become Hilliker's top seller in 2020. Having closed 20 separate sales and dozens of leases, even during a pandemic, Patrick did more than just blaze a path forward for his fellow...
Adaptation
The right property helps a local business stay light on its feet Presort Inc. 513 West Pearce Boulevard, Wentzville, Mo. For the first decade of its existence, Presort Inc. thrived as a St. Louis-based mail consolidator, combining large volumes of mail from other...
The Match Game
A tenant’s needs and a landlord’s wish list line up in O’Fallon Thriveley Consultation 225 South Main Street, O’Fallon, Mo. 63366 Amy Buie always thought she understood child behavior. Afterall, she was a board-certified behavior analyst. She worked with children with...
Hilliker Holiday Card 2020
We wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.
Banking on Visibility
An iconic new home for one of St. Louis’s banking icons Saint Louis Bank9811 South 40 Drive, St. Louis, MO 63124 Saint Louis Bank is a local icon. Since 2005, it has been synonymous with banking and business in and around metro-St. Louis. So, it’s only fitting that...
Opportunity in the time of COVID
Even in a pandemic, there are chances to save money and grow your business. Well, when it comes to the current state of the world of commercial real estate, I’ve got good news and bad news. I’ll start with the bad news…if you can call it news. It’s no newsflash that...
Selling your home away from home
For small-business owners, a business is much more than just a building Hoffman Group Architects 16236 Westwoods Business Park For a small-business owner, the brick-and-mortar store is more than just a building. It’s also often a second home. At least, that was the...
Edwardsville’s Goldenberg Heller & Antognoli, P.C., leases downtown St. Louis office space
A law firm with over thirty years of experience, GHA’s Chad Brigham called on Hilliker’s Will Aschinger to help them establish their presence in Missouri. A Home Base in Madison County Chad Brigham is a lawyer and partner at Goldenberg Heller & Antongoli, P.C., a...
From Retail Assistant Manager to Business Owner with an Office Space in Creve Coeur
A talented manager with an eye toward profitability, Jonathan Hacker caught American Family Insurance’s attention. Now, awarded an agency of his own, he called on Frank Yocum of Hilliker to find office space in Creve Coeur. A St. Louis Success Story Jonathan Hacker...
Lifetime Media Leases New Commercial Real Estate in Westport
Lifetime Media Leases New Commercial Real Estate in Westport Displaced by the Deer Creek Flood Mitigation project, this video production company found surprisingly well-suited commercial real Estate for lease in Westport. Celebrating 20 Years in St. Louis Eric Habert...
Legends Bank Strikes Deal with Cotton Ace Hardware for Franklin County Real Estate
When Legends VP Greg Toelke needed to clear a large piece of retail commercial property off of his books, he called Scott Martin of Hilliker Corporation. Legends Bank: Down-to-Earth and Community-Focused Greg Toelke has worked in the banking industry for...
CHAMP Assistance Dogs Finds a New Home
Helping Dogs Help People Here in St. Louis, CHAMP Assistance Dogs has been raising, training, and placing assistance dogs with people who have cognitive disabilities, as well as with their caregivers, since 1998. The work these animals do make our world a better place...
Constant Evolution: The Eco-Systems Family of Businesses
This St. Louis legacy business continues to grow with second and third-generation leadership. Now, they’ve purchased a new headquarters with help from Patrick McKay of Hilliker Corporation. A Drive toward Progress Eco-Systems is a multi-faceted St. Louis company that...
Automatic Controls Positioned for Future Opportunities
This second-generation family business partnered with Will Aschinger of Hilliker Corporation to find an ideal buyer for their commercial office space. Leaders in Energy Efficiency In 1978, Robert Vogt , Sr., started Automatic Controls, a business that provided...
Meineke franchisee Daryl Stillman buys new branch plus automotive property with help from Hilliker
Full-Service Auto Care Daryl Stillman began purchasing Meineke Car Care centers in 2010, a business he’s found to be both lucrative and rewarding. He’s quick to point out that Meineke has expanded from its roots as a “discount muffler” shop. “Anybody my age is very...
James G. Staat Tuckpointing outgrows previous location, purchases commercial industrial warehouse in Fenton
Staat runs one of the largest tuckpointing operations in MO. Bursting at the seams, he called on Will Aschinger of Hilliker Corp for the next phase of his company’s growth. At just seventeen, Jim Staat, got into the tuckpointing business, having no idea it would...
Don Brown Chevy’s Continued Success
A longtime St. Louis auto influencer, Don Brown Chevy makes another Commercial Real Estate investment in the city with help from Jake Shepley of Hilliker Corporation. Building a legacy “at the entrance to The Hill.” Anyone who grew up watching St. Louis TV knows the...
Archway Electrical’s First Commercial Real Estate Purchase
A Bold Move Archway Electrical Sales, founded by Craig Lampe and Jeff Myers, serves as a manufacturer’s representative for electrical components of all kinds, from pipe and wire to cable ties. Lampe said of his business model, “What ‘manufacturer’s representative’...
The Commercial Real Estate Buyer’s Guide to HVAC
HVAC comprises some of a building’s most vital and expensive systems. HVAC inspector Brian Schraut shares what to ask before making a purchase. St. Louis Entrepreneurs: Do you know what you’re buying? Successful commercial investors (and their brokers) are averse to...
Saint Louis Bank Leases Former L’Ecole Culinaire Building for New Office
Working with Jeff Altvater of Hilliker Corporation, this bank will connect with more entrepreneurs thanks to a prominent location on the I-64 corridor.
Sunrise Telecom subleases office, warehouse, and outdoor storage with Hilliker
Keeping St. Louis Connected In a world of wireless technology, it’s easy to forget the infrastructure upon which almost all telecom is built: Transmission cables strung between poles and buried beneath our feet. Though satellites are a growing part of our daily...
Car-X franchisees open new St. Louis location with help from Hilliker
The Drive Toward Growth Jim Isabell and John Keeley are invested in St. Louis’s economy. As the owners of thirty Car-X franchises, twenty of them are here in the bi-state region. (They also own ten in the Chicago area.) When Isabell and Keeley first began acquiring...
Meramec Dermatology leases retail space in Jefferson County
Building on Complimentary Skills Dr. Karl Staser and Dr. Rachel Kyllo became friends during their dermatology residency training at Washington University in St. Louis. Staser, who has a Ph.D. in biochemistry and immunology, originally worked for the university in a...
Contract to Close: Managing the Most Demanding Part of Your Commercial Real Estate Deal
Buyers: Do you know what happens once you’ve signed your contract? Deals can happen fast in Commercial Real Estate. But speed isn’t guaranteed. It’s possible to spend months, even years, searching for the right property. Then, negotiating the deal can be intense. When...
Finding office and warehouse space in Fenton – a testimonial
Another satisfied client submitted this testimonial about Hilliker broker Hal Ball! Great work from a great team. When my Landlord of fifteen years informed me that he would not be able to renew my lease, I knew it was finally time to step up and buy a building....
The Minifig Shop goes from online store to brick and mortar retail
Building a Small Business Brick by Brick Mike Atwood is skilled at building things. When he was a kid, he’d work up to 70 hours a week in his dad’s engine repair shop. As an adult, his building skills shine through a different medium — a successful full-time career as...
West County church building becomes new home for St. Louis’s Masons
A Fraternity Dedicated to Tradition and Service John Vollmann is a third-generation St. Louis Freemason. When he first became involved in 1992, he was excited by the organization’s local history. A cursory review of St. Louis’s Masons brings up a broad range of...
Trimarc Metals purchases industrial warehouse in North St. Louis County
A Kootman Family Legacy Marc Kootman has spent his career in the scrap-metal business, and it’s a family affair. His grandfather worked in scrap metal, as did his father. Kootman began by working as a scrap-metal broker for an Atlanta firm, but soon joined his...
Schilli Plastering grows into the future with industrial real estate purchase in Bridgeton, MO
The Evolution of an Industry Dave Schilli, the second-generation owner of Schilli Plastering, is seeing his father’s business thrive in the new millennium. Founded in 1950 by Elmer Schilli, the company started as a plaster contractor on homes, commercial buildings,...
Closet Factory Franchisee Purchases Commercial Real Estate in Fenton
From Executive to Franchise Owner St. Louisan Carl Alsbach always wanted to own a business. With an MBA and sixteen years’ experience at Dow Chemical, he hoped to put his expertise into a proven franchise one day. As such, he had developed an admiration for the...
Ready to Sell Your Commercial Real Estate? Here’s What’s Next.
If you own commercial real estate, there are plenty of smart reasons to hold onto your investment. Perhaps it houses your business, or you count on the income it provides. Perhaps it’s going up in value, and there’s no reason to think that will change anytime soon....
The St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources sells property, leases office space
Serving Those with Developmental Disabilities Shaelene Plank is a licensed professional counselor and has spent the last 25 years working in various roles for those with mental health issues and developmental disabilities. Her background makes her a perfect fit for...
Broker, Frank Yocum, Recognized as “Best of Maryland Heights”
On August 14, 2019, Hilliker Broker, Frank Yocum, was recognized as one of the "Best of Maryland Heights" by the Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce. With years of commitment to the community, Frank Yocum is currently helping 5 businesses find and negotiate...
St. Louis entrepreneur uses business as springboard into investment, then retirement
Multifamily Investment Property in St. Louis’s Metro East Dan Lester is living the American dream. Having begun his career as a mechanic, Lester opened Lesco Enterprises, a pre-owned car dealership and auto repair shop, in 1987. As Lesco grew, Lester was eventually...
Insulite Glass Finds Custom Industrial Warehouse for Sale
A Growing Enterprise When Shannon Waterman was hired to manage the St. Louis branch of Insulite Glass Company in 2004, he found himself at the leading edge of flat glass fabrication. Founded by Beau Guyette in Olathe, Kansas, the company manufactures insulated glass...
St. Louis success story, Pic the Gift, expands with new multi-purpose space lease
Entrepreneur Finds Success in St. Louis Wes Pickering founded Pic the Gift, LLC, in 2012, believing there was a growing desire in the marketplace for on-demand printing. Here’s how it works: Pic the Gift allows customers to choose from a variety of printable products...
Increasing Investment Value – a Testimonial
A successful client sent in this letter describing Hilliker Senior Vice President, Principal, and all-around great guy Hal Ball. It takes time and energy to send positive feedback, and we appreciate that Mr. Anderson did so! I am writing to recommend the services of...
Dave Spence sells pharma HQ for $12.2M
The North County headquarters of Legacy Pharmaceutical Packaging has been sold for $12.2 million. The buyer was New York-based Royal Oaks Realty Trust, which owns more than 3.6 million square feet of property across 13 states. The sale, which closed Aug. 14, includes...
Divest for Success — Here’s When to Sell Your Commercial Real Estate Investment
Over my thirty-three years in the commercial real estate business, I’ve helped hundreds make smart property investments. The market is complicated, but with an average rate of return of 10.6%, real estate consistently outperforms the S&P 500 Index (roughly 8%)....
How Hilliker Thrives in the Cutthroat Commercial Real Estate World
The independent, Brentwood-based firm credits a hyperlocal approach with national connections for its success in face of its heavy-hitter competitors. When Ben Hilliker started his real estate firm more than 30 years ago, he could count his competitors on one hand....
Impact Agape Ministries Finds Church Building Home
The Need for a Church Building in St. Louis Pastor Kenneth “Coach Kenny” Haynes has been in pastoral ministry for over 25 years. Two years ago, he founded Impact Agape Ministries, an independent, ethnically-diverse congregation, motivated by practical Biblical...
Wayne Contracting Consolidates Remote Workforce by Purchasing Westport Office and Warehouse
Brad Burns was working for a general contractor in the St. Louis area when he caught the entrepreneurial bug. He believed he could build a multi-faceted business by curating a strong base of project managers, office staff, and contractors. He began his first venture,...
Ambulance District Buys Raw Land in St. Charles County
The Need for Raw Land in St. Charles, MO St. Charles County is an exciting place to be. Its growth over the past three decades leads to some compelling numbers. In 1990, the county’s 592 square miles only supported 213,000 residents. In 2019, the numbers are closer to...
Roofing Services and Solutions Leases Commercial Warehouse and Office
124 Years of Excellence Joe Lauberth, president of Roofing Services and Solutions (a division of Tecta America), has a packed schedule, and he’s happy about it. Roofing Services and Solutions, or RSS, is an elite multi-state commercial roofer. They’re in the midst of...
Screaming Eagle Purchases Historic St. Louis Property for Development
Making an Investment in St. Louis City Matt Masiel, one of St. Louis Business Journal’s “40 under 40,” is invested in the success of downtown St. Louis. A native of Perryville, MO, Masiel attended Vanderbilt University and received his Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering....
Better Deals, Less Stress: How to Choose the Right Commercial Real Estate Broker for You
I was in my early-30s when I got started in Commercial Real Estate. That was over thirty years ago! Then, as now, newer Brokers teamed up with more experienced Brokers to learn the ropes. That’s when I met Wallace McNeill. Wallace was the first person to show me how...
New business Owner Buys Commercial Real Estate with Hilliker Corp
A Lifelong Dream Come True Jenny Sturm, a St. Louis native more than twenty years into her sales career, stood at a crossroads. Her full-time job, working in sales for a pharmaceuticals company, had her spending too much time on the road. Further, she had spent many...
A Family Tradition: Aschinger Electric Calls on Hilliker Corporation for Property Management
An American Entrepreneurial Success In 1912, St. Louis native Otto Aschinger borrowed a book on electricity from the library. After reading it, he hired two electricians to rewire a house for him. He observed their work, making a note of everything they did. Based on...
EverLove Day Club Chooses Hilliker Corporation for Webster Groves Commercial Real Estate Purchase
Steve Benz lost his father to Parkinson’s Disease in 2004. His dad battled the disease for years, and the Benz family gained perspective on the difficulties long-term caregivers face. With his experience informing him, he saw a need in St. Louis for respite care that...
The Business Owner’s Guide to Preparing to Buy Commercial Property
If your current commercial lease is coming up for renewal, you’re likely asking yourself questions about your next steps, wondering what it’s like to start building equity in real estate instead of paying rent to other people. You may also like the idea of increasing...
Hilliker Corp Brokers Skin Specialty Solutions Warehouse Lease in Fenton
Dr. Lindsay Reel graduated from the St. Louis College of Pharmacy in 2006, and has dedicated to herself to working in and managing retail pharmacies. Since entering the field 13 years ago, she’s gained experience at all levels of the business, including as the...
Bimmers R Us Purchases Warehouse on St. Louis’s Florists Row With Help From Hilliker Corporation
Bimmers R Us: A St. Louis-area Auto Tradition When Greg Stroud founded Bimmers R Us in 1991, he hoped to create a shop dedicated to providing “quality service by educated and informed technicians, positive customer relations, and prices lower than the dealers.” Though...
Arthur Murray Franchise Finds Retail Space for Lease in St. Louis
An Unexpected Party on a Weekday Afternoon In 2006, Lola Kim was walking down West Illinois Street in Chicago. It was a weekday afternoon, so she was mystified when she passed a storefront that was pulsing with music and full of people dancing. A trained musical...
New Mosquito Joe Franchisee Calls on Hilliker to Find Office Space for Lease in St. Louis
A Yard Overrun by Pests Laura Strasser lives in Des Peres, Missouri. With two kids and four dogs, she has plenty of reason to worry about mosquitos, fleas, and ticks. More than a nuisance, these insects can carry viruses, so she takes them seriously. To deal with the...
Omni Physical Therapy Works with Hilliker Corporation to Purchase Commercial Real Estate in St. Louis County – Des Peres
A Welcoming Environment for PT Patients Physical therapist Dr. Hunter Knight, DMP, believes each of her patients has a right to her undivided attention. At Omni Physical Therapy, she made it her mission to see only one patient per hour. With three private treatment...
Do You Know What You’re Signing? Here’s How to Understand Your Commercial Real Estate Lease Agreement
Here’s a familiar story. An entrepreneur is outgrowing her current space or is ready to lease new space for the first time. She goes for a drive, sees a sign on a building that looks like it might fit her company’s needs, and calls the number listed. She asks the...
The Future of Retail Properties – KMOX Interview
KMOX 1120 Anchor & Reporter, Michael Calhoun interviews Sentinel Emergency Solutions and Hilliker Broker Associate about their unique development and the future of retail properties.
Naked Boot and Shoe Brings Handmade Shoes to Chesterfield, MO
Bringing High-Quality Shoes Directly to Customers Jim Ferguson has spent his career in the shoe manufacturing business. Relying on years of experience, he knows what it takes to create high-quality handmade leather shoes. He also knows what goes into the price of...
St. Louis Business Purchases and Rehabs South County Retail Plaza
Family-run Fire Truck Business Set to Rehab South County Retail Plaza From Childhood Dream to Thriving Business Bill Franz grew up loving fire trucks. And in 1986, he saw an ad in the paper that changed his life. It had a phone number and a simple message: “Sell fire...
St. Louis Builder Finds New Headquarters and Showroom in Fenton
Mahn Custom Homes and Renovations Purchase New Headquarters, Adding Showroom, in Fenton Creating a Personalized Experience In 1998, Mike Mahn saw an opening in the construction industry. As someone who believed in quality work and service, he noticed too many...
Quality Auto STL, moves to Westport with help from Hilliker Corp.
Quality Auto STL, Built on Foundation of Helping Veterans, Finds Commercial Rental Space in Westport A Dedication to Excellence David Marks founded Quality Auto STL in 2010. Having worked in the industry since 1999, he jokes he bought a “garage with a house in front...
How to find Commercial Property in St. Louis
Looking to Rent or Buy Commercial Property in St. Louis? Here’s How to Start your Search Over the next several months, members of our team of Commercial Real Estate Pros will be sharing their expertise with people like you — business leaders poised to move to a new...
Hilliker Completes 10-Year Office Lease with Capes Sokol
Clayton, Missouri – October 23, 2018 – Capes Sokol, a St. Louis-based full-service law firm, has signed a lease to move into the Regions Centre located at 8182 Maryland Avenue in Clayton. Jeff Altvater and Rebecca Thessen, office brokers with Hilliker Corporation,...
