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pOlympic Rentals
Olympic Rentals Makes Downtown Home by Doria Maselli
The interior of Olympic Rental and Landlord Services’ new office space mirrors owner Todd Monohon’s character – warm, inviting and open. There’s a fire crackling in the fireplace of the rehabbed warehouse and beautiful, exposed original wood beams overhead.
Monohon purchased the building at 115 State Ave downtown about two years ago. And after working in a temporary location on the corner of State and Capitol in the old Olympia Press Building, the team at Olympic Rentals is happy to be settling into their new space.
Monohon started Olympic Rentals about 15 years ago, almost by accident. “I worked in the non-profit world in social services and education for years,” says Monohon. “I began investing in rental properties that were managed by other people and thought: “I could do this.” So, he took control of his own rental properties, started offering his services to others via word of mouth, and his business was a one man show for the first four years.
Fifteen years later, Olympic Rentals and Landlord Services has 12 full-time team members and dozens of contractors. They offer residential property management services, specialize in single family and small multi-family (duplex-type) properties and currently manage over 600 properties in Thurston County.
So how does Monohon feel about his new office location downtown? “When I bought this building two years ago, everyone had some reservations about the location downtown. There was the unsanctioned homeless camp
Photo by Poppi Photography
right near the location, and the team members almost staged a rebellion,” jokes Monohon. He counteracted these concerns by encouraging his team to get involved, support local businesses and learn of some of the initiatives taking place in downtown Olympia.
“Once we really started rehabbing this building about a year ago, we really poured ourselves into downtown,” says Monohon.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THURSTON COUNTY
1. Provided $70,000 for the renovation of the Historic Oddfellows Building.
2. Provided $75,000 to complete the Master plan for the SW Washington Innovation & Business Park.
3. Provided $10,000 for the installation of wider sidewalks, bulb-outs and landscaping along Binghampton Street to build downtown character and enhance the setting for local and visiting shoppers.
4. Provided $20,000 to assist with the design and construction of the community center.
5. Provided $15,000 to support investment in the Lacey MakerSpace project.
6. In partnership with the City of Tumwater and U.S. Fish and Wildlife, developed a Habitat Conversation Plan to provide long-term preservation and management of protected and endangered species.
7. In partnership with the Frank Family, Squaxin Island Tribe and Salmon Defense, developed and maintains the Billy Frank Jr. Park and Trail to provide a historical and educational self-guided walking tour.
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Monohon, who sits on the board of both The Olympia Downtown Alliance and Thurston County Chamber, attended meetings, invested in downtown initiatives and continues to stay involved in the downtown community.
“There are so many good things happening downtown, and I’ve seen so much growth and improvement even in the last year,” says Monohon. “We all need to be working together to change polices that aren’t working and to find better ways of doing things, and if business owners, organizations and downtown residents work together, there’s room for continued improvement.”
Monohon has built his business over the years with virtually no advertising. Olympic Rentals sponsors community events and activities but doesn’t have any paid marketing initiatives. Their business model is exceptional customer service and positive word of mouth reviews. “I try and respond to every review online and contact a client personally if there is a problem or concern,” says Monohon. “Clients are talking to a real person when they contact us, there’s no central corporate call center or central answering system. The service we offer is personal.”
When asked about his business mantra, Monohon keeps it simple: “We have to be extremely competent at what we do and at the same time personable in how we do it. One of our key mottos is “Get it done!” If we can be efficient and effective, we have more time to build personal relationships – that is the real success for our team.
For more info about Olympia Rental & Landlord Services, visit www.olyrents.com. “There are so many good things happening downtown, and I’ve seen so much growth and improvement even in the last year. We all need to be working together to change polices that aren’t working and to find better ways of doing things, and if business owners, organizations and downtown residents work together, there’s room for continued improvement.” - Todd Monohon
