Security firm moves to east Riverside from West Plains
Kodiak Security Services Inc., of Spokane, has moved its offices into an about 5,000-square-foot leased space at 2211 E. Riverside from a smaller space in Airway Heights, west of Spokane, says Mike Novak, the security company's sales manager.

The 13-year-old company made the move so it could operate closer to the majority of its clients, says Novak, adding that it's more economical for its mobile security patrols to be based out of the new office.

The services that Kodiak provides include on-duty security guards, mobile patrols that routinely check the security of a location, concert and event security, and bodyguard services, says Novak.

The company has about 65 full-time employees and employs a large number of people part time to help with security at large events such as the Spokane Interstate Fair, says Novak. About one-third of its employees are authorized by the state of Washington to work as armed security guards and undergo regular firearm training, he says.

Peters & Sons Flowers plans to relocate to U-District space
Longtime downtown Spokane floral shop Peters & Sons Flowers is uprooting March 1 to move to a space it's leasing in a building in the University District.

The more than 100-year-old business's new space, at 512 E. Pacific, is roughly 3,000 square feet, similar in size to its current location, at 170 S. Lincoln, says Susie Matteson, who has owned the store with her husband, Ray, for 18 years.

Matteson says foot traffic at the store has declined since it moved to its current location from its former longtime space at 829 W. Riverside, and more of its customers now call to place orders. Given that, the business decided to move to a location with less overhead and its own parking lot, Matteson says.

The store will occupy the front third of the office-warehouse building.

The building's owner is remodeling the space for Peters & Sons, including expanding a former conference room and converting it to a walk-in cooler, Matteson says.

With a 10-year lease, the business plans to stay put in its new location for some time, Matteson says. It has seven employees, including the Mattesons.

Stewart Title closes its South Hill branch
Stewart Title of Spokane LLC, which had four offices in Spokane less than a year ago, has closed its South Hill branch, at 4102 S. Regal, to cut costs in response to a faltering housing market, says Anthony Carollo, the company's president.

The closure comes a few months after the title company vacated its Spokane Valley location at 11917 E. Broadway and leaves it with two branches here.

"When the market is contracting as dramatically as it is, we have to contract as well," says Carollo.

Stewart Title's South Hill branch opened last April in an about 1,400-square-foot space.

Carollo says the company is operating with 21 employees, down from 35 a year ago, but doesn't expect any additional personnel cutbacks.

"Everybody's trying to run leaner than they were before," he says.

Stewart Title's remaining offices here are at 606 W. Third and 8225 N. Division.