Jon Davis built his career on creating events, and now he’s building a new headquarters to produce even more.
Davis is the owner and CEO of Jacksonville-based Sight & Sound Productions and its Mugwump Productions subsidiary.
He intends to break ground in March to develop an almost 34,000-square-foot office-warehouse in the EastPark office and industrial center in Southside.
Davis expects to complete the estimated $3.7 million project within nine months.
It’s near the space he leases now along St. Johns Industrial Parkway North.
“There is no better location than here to serve the entire city of Jacksonville,” Davis said.
The location is a 25-minute drive to Jacksonville International Airport, Orange Park, the Beaches and Downtown, he said.
Sight & Sound, along with Mugwump, leases about 28,000 square feet of space among three buildings. Davis rents the main building from company founder and former business partner Curt Hubbard, who built the facility a decade ago.
Hubbard founded Sight & Sound in 1987 as a small company that rented AV equipment to hotels.
Davis joined the company in 1996 as the director of sales. He became vice president of sales in 1997 and president in 1999.
Davis bought into the business in 2006 as a 49 percent equity shareholder and completed a buyout from Hubbard in June 2011.
The two companies employ 59 people, including some who have been there for more than 20 years.
Sight & Sound produces corporate meetings, concerts, festivals, conferences, award galas and other live events. It also partners with hotels, private clubs and properties to provide in-house audiovisual services.
Sight & Sound and Mugwump services include live-event production, lighting, video, staging and décor, linens and centerpieces, audience response systems, furniture and plant rentals, themed décor and design, and wedding rentals.
Clients include Southeastern Grocers, Florida Blue, Deutsche Bank and Medtronic, Davis said.
Sight & Sound provides live event productions on-site and travels throughout the country with clients for events.
The company partners with nonprofits, such as Ronald McDonald House, American Cancer Society, The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund and the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
Sight & Sound’s parent company, Hubbard Sight & Sound AV Inc., bought Mugwump Productions in 2010.
Davis is CEO, treasurer and director of the parent company. His wife, Karen, is vice president and secretary.
Mugwump was established in 1995 as a themed décor company.
It has expanded to offer wedding decorations, furniture rentals, staging and other props and rental items.
“Some things organically happen, which is awesome,” said Mugwumps Marketing Director Victoria Staszewski.
Over the holidays, Jacksonville International Airport visitors saw Mugwump’s work in decorating it in a tropical theme with 7-foot-tall flamingoes, surfboards and beach chairs.
The businesses are available to clients 24/7. Davis said customers sometimes call in the middle of the night because they need equipment for a morning presentation.
“It’s the whole concept of providing peace of mind,” Staszewski said.
The existing headquarters is 11193 St. Johns Industrial Parkway N.
The new 33,872-square-foot building will be developed on an almost 3.8-acre site along Beachwood Court in EastPark, which is across St. Johns Bluff Road from the current address. Davis is buying the land through JK Davis Land Group LLC.
The contractor is Accelerated Contractors LLC.
Sight & Sound and Mugwump will base their headquarters offices at the new facility as well as store audiovisual equipment, LED lighting, 3-D props, staging, décor and other items in the warehouse.
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