New owners plan to redevelop former furniture store in downtown Willmar

TRIBUNE / Rand Middleton The former Erickson Furniture building in the 300 block of Litchfield Avenue Southwest in downtown Willmar has new owners. New Minnesota Realty, owned by Sahra Gure and Abdirizak “Zack” Mahboub of Willmar, took possession this week. The couple, also owners of West Central Interpreting Services in Willmar, plan to develop a business center to serve the Somali community in Willmar.

By Linda Vanderwerf
Thursday, February 12, 2015

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WILLMAR — The former Erickson Furniture building in downtown Willmar has a new owner.

New Minnesota Realty, owned by Sahra Gure and Abdirizak “Zack” Mahboub of Willmar, took possession of the building this week. Gure is the president of the company.

Gure and Mahboub, who are married, said they have many plans to make the building a business center for the Somali community in Willmar. Plans include child care services, a coffee shop and space for small businesses. A Somali wedding center is another idea they have had.

The couple also owns West Central Interpreting Services in Willmar.

“We are in the excitement phase,” Mahboub said as the ideas tumbled out in the conversation.

“I have a lot of plans,” Gure said. “Now I need to sort out which one I want to do first.”

Members of the Somali community have offered many ideas, too, she said.

Finding ways to help newcomer Somali families is a passion of hers, she said.

Mahboub said they plan to develop the building in several phases, and they aren’t sure which project they will take on first.

The new company received the building as a gift from UMEC USA, a magnetic components company which had owned the building since 2007.

Local Realtor Don Pearce of Lakes Area Realty helped facilitate the deal. He said he knew of the interest in the building. He contacted Tom Hoffman, UMEC’s general manager now based in North Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I knew of Zack and Sahra’s desire to have this building, so I went to my management in Taiwan,” Hoffman said. “They said it seemed like a beneficial project for the property.”

UMEC tore down two buildings on the property and made improvements to the remaining two, Hoffman said. Improvements included new rubberized roofs and improvements in the gas heating and in the ventilation system. Fire alarms and sprinklers are installed.

During a walkthrough of the building, Hoffman showed the new owners the upper floor, which has been remodeled with hardwood floors and has 13 offices, a reception area, conference rooms, a kitchen and a break room. It was used as UMEC’s offices until 2013.

The building still needs more work.

Pearce said he and New Minnesota Realty worked on the building transfer for about nine months. “We’ve already had a general contractor in to look at the needs,” Pearce said. “The business plans are intact.”

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