The publisher of the Merchandisers, the community newspapers that have filled the mailboxes of central Pennsylvanians for decades, is selling the business.
And the buildings, including 100 E. Cumberland St. in Lebanon.
Bennett Williams Commercial’s Joshua Miller, the listing agent, told LebTown that publisher Kapp Advertising Inc. would love to have the new owners keep current employees on.
“They’re very considerate employers,” he said. The employees “are their No. 1 concern.”
Carol Smith, 77, who owns the second-generation family business with younger sister Susan Longenecker and younger brother George Kapp, told LebTown they decided to sell because “we’re getting up there.”
As Miller emphasized, the employees are the priority. They’re like family, Smith said, with some having worked at the company for 40, 45 years.
Bob Smith, Carol’s husband, said the listing has generated a lot of interest. “We want to keep it the Merchandiser, do it the right way.”
Kapp Advertising publishes the following papers: Myerstown Area Merchandiser, started in 1948; Lebanon Valley Area Merchandiser, started in 1954; Hershey Area Merchandiser, started in 1968; Western Berks Area Merchandiser, started in 1971; Hanover Area Merchandiser, started in 1974; Gettysburg Area Merchandiser, started in 1975; Northern Adams/York Area Merchandiser, started in 1989; and the Hampstead/Manchester Area Merchandiser, started in 2006.
It also produces special editions and circulars.
Kapp Advertising’s website said its Merchandisers serve Central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland, with a circulation of over 230,000 homes. The Merchandisers of Central Pennsylvania are one of the 10 largest groups of independently owned weekly publications in the United States.
The Merchandiser was started in 1948 by Lestor Benson, the website said. In January 1950 it was sold to Robert S. Kapp with a circulation of 2,300 homes.
Listed in the millions
The Cumberland Street property is listed at $1.85 million. Known as the Lebanon Merchandiser Building, it has been the home of the Merchandiser and Kapp Advertising since 1990.
Consisting of about 20,500 square feet of industrial and office space, the building sits on approximately 1.4 acres. In his Facebook post of the listing, Miller wrote: “The general industrial commercial zoning is a developer’s dream, with potential for a wide variety of uses in addition to the current business operations including multifamily conversion, retail, financial and institutional uses and much more.”
The Hanover Merchandiser Building at 300 High St., Hanover, is also for sale – for $1.95 million. It’s 18,700 square feet of flex space on an acre that is zoned manufacturing.
“Currently the York County home of the Merchandiser operation and one tenant (Meier Supply Hanover), this versatile space offers a prime opportunity for investment, expansion of an existing business, or continued use by a new operator of the Merchandiser,” Miller wrote.
The business is being sold, too, for $2.25 million, and that comes with inventory and FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment).
Editor’s note: This article was updated after publication with additional quotes from the owners of Kapp Advertising.
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