Funko, Inc., a leading pop culture lifestyle brand, has relocated its main U.S. distribution facility from several distribution centers in Washington to one distribution center in Arizona. The company is leasing a 958,000-square-foot facility in Buckeye, Arizona, which will create over 300 jobs.
Funko expects the facility, which will distribute the Funko portfolio of brands including Pop!, Paka Paka, GOLD, Loungefly, Funko Games and more, to be operational in April 2022.
“We’re excited to bring Funko to Arizona with the opening this month of our nearly one million square foot facility in Buckeye,” said Andrew Perlmutter, Chief Executive Officer at Funko. “The demand for Funko products globally is as high as it’s ever been and the company recently surpassed a billion dollars in revenue for 2021. The consolidation of several warehouses to one single facility will better improve our customer experience and maximize growth opportunities as our business scales.”
The Buckeye distribution center will feature an associate gym, green outdoor and indoor spaces and a future retail outlet store for associates and the community. The facility will also include 1,500 solar panels covering over 200 parking spaces for employees, visitors and customers, generating 1.24 million kilowatt-hours of power.
“Funko’s new distribution facility in Buckeye highlights Arizona’s strategic location with access to major world markets,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We are grateful to Funko for choosing Buckeye as the site of their main distribution facility in the U.S., creating hundreds of jobs and furthering Arizona as a logistics destination.”
While Funko’s corporate headquarters remain in Everett, Washington, Funko chose to relocate its main distribution facility from Washington to Buckeye because of Arizona’s strategic location and strong talent pool.
“The news of Funko relocating to Buckeye solidifies our efforts of continuing to attract quality employers to the city,” said Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn. “The possibility of over 300 jobs available to residents benefits Buckeye and the West Valley. Providing our residents an opportunity to work closer to home will improve their quality of life, with a shorter commute and a career that pops.”
"This is the latest example of a company expanding its footprint to Greater Phoenix, maximizing our robust talent pool and scaling in the country’s fastest growing region, allowing Funko to consolidate its distribution services to meet the growing demands of its customer base," said Chris Camacho, President and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. "Funko will provide hundreds of job opportunities to residents and is a valued presence in the region."
Funko’s expansion adds to recent economic activity in Buckeye such as KORE Power’s battery manufacturing facility, and statewide distribution facilities Williams-Sonoma, Inc. in Glendale, KeHe in Goodyear, The Real Real in Phoenix and Amazon’s distribution facilities statewide.