Like many immigrant families of the late 1800s, the Sievers family had very little going for them materially when they left Iowa and settled out West in Everett. What they did have was a strong back, good work ethic, and the strength of family and faith.
Fast forward over 100 years and the man at the helm of the family business, Pat Sievers, is relying on the same qualities as the family forges ahead into yet another venture.
Sievers, 38, is the fourth generation to operate the family business, the H.O. Seiffert Co., named for its Iowa founder. A lumber and building material supplier through the first three generations, the company shifted its focus to real estate in the 1970s.
Sievers knows all about having a strong back. Last year, he was inducted into the Seattle Prep Hall of Fame in recognition of a record-setting three-sport high school career. He leveraged success there into a college football scholarship at Eastern Washington University, where he earned a business degree along with all-conference honors on the gridiron. As for work ethic? Well, that came naturally in this family.
“We enjoy spending the hours it takes to keep our company growing, as well as the time in this community to help make it a healthy and vibrant place to live,” said Pat’s uncle, Ray Sievers, who served as the company’s president from 1969-1999, until nephew Pat assumed the role.
While the real estate market today reads like an obituary to many, Pat is leading the family business in the opposite direction. This month, they will open a 96,000 sq ft. self-storage facility with more than 700 units at 37th and McDougall Ave., one block east of Broadway in Everett. In what seems like a bold move in an uncertain real estate market, Sievers is confident.
“Our research shows there will be enough demand over time for a facility this size. We know the storage business intimately and I am optimistic about downtown Everett,” he said.
The path hasn’t always been easy, but the commitment to keeping the family’s interests in Snohomish County has been consistent. In 1993, the family sold the property where the current Lowe’s Hardware store stands on Pacific Avenue in Everett and invested in apartment buildings and other real estate investments.
A portion of that original family property was developed as a self-storage facility in 1987 and is one that they still own and operate today.
“We believe in Snohomish County and like to keep our investments here,” says Ray Sievers, who remains the family business’ majority stockholder.
This most recent venture is bold and innovative. A former beer distribution warehouse which sat vacant for several years, the building has been gutted and a second floor built to make room for the storage units.
“It’s nice to be able to make use of a perfectly good building,” said Pat Sievers, who saw the vision for converting it to self-storage when occupancy rates began to rise and hold steady in recent years.
Fully climate-controlled with elevator access, covered loading bays, and state-of-the-art security, the facility will offer a variety of unit sizes ranging from 25 to 650-square-feet.
It also offers new technology, including a fully automated electronic kiosk where an interactive computer can process rentals and take payments. Dubbed the Insomniac Machine by its manufacturer, the kiosk speaks interactively in a soothing female voice as it takes you through the simple steps to secure a unit, make a payment or manage your account.
“She never sleeps” quips Sievers.
He’ll still have a fully-staffed office on site seven days a week during business hours, but the added technology allows for conveniences and security that are new to the industry and very attractive to customers.
Already, Sievers and this facility have garnered some national attention and are in the running for the Facility of the Year Award given by a national industry trade magazine. This one will carry the same name as the other two self-storage facilities the family owns and operates, Everett Downtown Storage.
As for family and faith? Sievers has a quick answer.
“This family has kept The H.O. Seiffert Company growing through four generations by working together. We have faith in each other and in this community and plan to be here for a while. This particular business is just what we’re doing today. One hundred years from now, it might be something different. But the family and the company, hopefully, will still be together in some form or fashion long after I’m gone. I’m just the one calling the plays and running the team right now”.
For more information, visit www.everettdowntownstorage.com.
Tom Hoban is co-owner of the Everett-based Coast group of commercial real estate companies, specializing in commercial real estate management, sales, leasing and investment. He can be reached at tomhoban@coastmgt.com, (425)339-3638 or www.coastsvn.com.
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