Fabric.com expanded last year from 26,000 square feet to 52,000 square feet, then decided to grow even more as its business picked up, says David Rubenstein, Miller Richmond principal. The broker has been working with the company since 2007.

"As neighboring tenants' business slowed, we saw a perfect chance for our client to control the rest of a well-located building to meet its current and future space needs," Rubenstein says. "For well-financed companies, today's soft real estate market can present excellent opportunities to expand operations at historically low rental rates."

Neither Miller Richmond nor Fabric.com will disclose the terms of the lease expansion, though Stephen Friedman, president and CEO of Fabric.com, notes that it was able to lock in on "attractive" rental rates. "We have always prided ourselves on taking advantage of opportunities to improve operations and enhance our bottom line," Friedman says.

Fabric.com offers custom measured and cut fabrics, as well as patterns, sewing tools and accessories. Mark Sheffield of Atlanta-based NAI Brannen Goddard represented Northwest Business Center's landlord, Cobalt Industrial REIT II.