Frazier Financial opens on Lane Avenue in Upper Arlington following move from Dublin

Brian Houts, partner at Frazier Financial, points out May 9 some of the features of their new office at 1690 W. Lane Ave. in Upper Arlington. The offices opened April 22.
Brian Houts, partner at Frazier Financial, points out May 9 some of the features of their new office at 1690 W. Lane Ave. in Upper Arlington. The offices opened April 22.

After a quarter century in Dublin, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC relocated to Upper Arlington with plans to nearly double in size over the next decade.

The company opened a 6,000-square-foot office at the Westmont at Lane, 1690 W. Lane Ave., on April 22.

It marked the first relocation of the firm, which has been headquartered at 6300 Frantz Road in Dublin since 1997.

Brian Houts, a partner and chief planning officer for Frazier Financial, said the move was made for several reasons, including the new office's proximity to restaurants and shops for both its 12 employees and its clients.

Another factor, Houts said, is greater flexibility in Upper Arlington to market the firm via exterior signage than in Dublin's Bridge Park, which also had been a potential site for the firm's new office.

"We wanted to be in a vibrant area that people wanted to visit," Houts said. "We got it, essentially, down to Bridge Park and UA.

"The big differentiator for us was signage – to have signage on Lane Avenue,” he said. “There's a pretty good car count and, obviously, we're trying to work with people who have some higher income and assets."

As was the case when Frazier Financial was based in Dublin, the firm offers advice on wealth management, including in the areas of investing, taxes, tax preparation and financial planning.

The Upper Arlington office is roughly twice the size of the Dublin office.

Houts said plans are in place to grow to 20 to 25 employees over the initial 10-year lease.

"It's around $600 million that we manage, close to 400 tax returns and around 400 families in 35 states," he said. "Ohio is our biggest state. We have a lot of business in the Texas, Florida, Denver areas (and in) Minnesota.

"We're entirely organic,” Houts said. “We don't market. It's just people telling their friends and family about us, which is how we want to grow."

Houts said it's not uncommon to see Romeo, a West Highland white terrier, or Beans, a mixed-breed terrier, greeting visitors and clients at the office.

The new office also features a drink bar and kitchen, which Houts said go toward Frazier's team goal of making the office inviting.

Upper Arlington officials were pleased to help attract Frazier to the city.

Economic Development Director Joe Henderson said the firm's relocation is "proof that employers are seeking locations that offer direct access to great amenities in order to attract and retain the top talent."

"We believe that Upper Arlington has that to offer and more, including quality housing options, excellent schools and services and a convenient, central location within the region," Henderson said. "While we don’t have projections specific to Frazier Financial, the city will receive revenues generated by both the new employees and business net profits, and the shops and restaurants in the Lane Avenue corridor will enjoy increased patronage by these new employees."

Houts said he expects Frazier Financial to carve out a niche along Lane Avenue as it continues to grow and draw clients from throughout Ohio and across the country.

"We're growing at a pace that we really like," Houts said. "We don't want to market to some huge national audience or turn this into a mega firm.

"We like growing at a scale where we know everybody that's starting to work with us."

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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Frazier Financial opens on Lane Avenue in Upper Arlington following move from Dublin