Supplier Gets New Home, Looks to Establish Roots

Spectrum Brands Inc. has a new home in Bentonville.

The supplier recently celebrated the consolidation of all of its products under one roof with an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Bentonville mayor Bob McCaslin. The 22,918-SF building located on SE 5th Street features office and showroom space for Rayovac, Remington, United Pet Group, Russell Hobbs and United Industries.

Sherrie Hargus, senior director of sales for the Rayovac team, said the location was chosen in part because of its proximity to Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s home office and layout center.

Hargus said it’s also “important for us to be in Bentonville because we want to be part of the community.”

That much was evident through Spectrum Brands’ decision to donate $20 to the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County for every person who attended the open house. Combined with a previous pledge, a total of $5,000 was donated, and Hargus said Spectrum Brands also is involved with the upcoming Bentonville Running Festival and American Heart Association Heart Walk.

Building co-owner Bill Norwood said the six product showrooms — one for each division and another for the category managers — total about 7,000 SF. Each showroom also has conference space.

There are three additional conference rooms, 34 private offices and a cubicle area, Norwood said.

The building was built as a warehouse in 1999 and most recently was home to Levi Strauss & Co. Norwood said the transformation for Spectrum Brands was completed in less than 90 days.