CHARLESTON - A new building will soon begin to take shape in the Coles Business Park, housing two local companies that are expanding their business at an international level. Advantage Information Technologies Inc. and Auctions Buy Us will build a 9,600-square-foot structure east of the business park's existing building. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Tuesday. "This was a small business that started here and has succeeded and is growing," Mayor Dan Cougill said. "It's really exciting to see a local business grow and expand and want to stay here and do business where they grew up."

Coles Together President Bob Luther was enthusiastic about the addition to the business park, and he said that it will likely help draw more businesses to the park, located near the intersection of Illinois Route 16 and Loxa Road. The land for the new building was purchased in February. Construction will begin later this month and should be completed by the fall. The majority of the building will be used as warehouse and for assembly of computers, but it will include offices for both companies.

Advantage got off the ground three years ago, when it started providing computer and Internet service with three employees. Now Advantage employs 10 people and sells new computers, repairs and upgrades computers and offers networking services. A year ago, Advantage moved from Lincoln Avenue to its current offices in the Coles Business Park to provide more space for expansion; now a new building is necessary.

The new venture will create about 10 more jobs, estimated Dick Jones, vice president of Advantage and president of Auctions Buy Us. To accommodate possible future needs, the building will be readily expandable, said Tim Raipley of Architectural Design Group in Mount Carmel. Considering how Internet commerce is growing and becoming more and more commonplace, it is likely that the company will continue to expand, said Jones. "There's no stopping," Jones said. "Once we get started, if it's successful, we're planning on doing more." The auction site has generated 10,000 hits since it went online January, and people from throughout the United States as well as Canada are utilizing the service. Information on the companies may be found at www.advant.com and www.auctionsbuyus.com.

Used with permission from Mid-Illinois Newspapers
Publishers of the Mattoon Journal Gazette and the Charleston Times-Courier

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Coles Together
400 Airport Road
Mattoon, Illinois 61938
(217) 258-5627 FAX (217) 235-9492