If you feel inclined to stop by the office of the Covington-Maple Valley-Black Diamond Reporter, please don’t go to the one in Maple Valley.

You won’t find us there.

At the end of last week we moved into a new office in Covington. The new address is 27116-167th Pl. S.E., Suite 114.We’ve spent nearly five years in Maple Valley — we moved from the Kent office in November 2007 — and in that time we’ve gone through so much change.

This paper, barely two years old, had a different editor-publisher then. We had a new owner, Sound Publishing, after our parent company was purchased in late 2006.We were publishing twice a week. A year after moving into Maple Valley the switch to weekly publication was made and I think that was the right decision for these communities.

I had also lived in the city for about three and a half years, so, my commute went from 30 or 40 minutes one way to less than 10.Executives for Sound Publishing selected this location a year before the economy tanked.

Unfortunately, the company and the property managers could not come to a mutually beneficial lease agreement when it came time to renew so earlier this year the search was on to find a new home that fit better into the bottom line.To that end we are moving into a suite of offices near Covington City Hall which we will share with the Covington Chamber of Commerce.

When Sound Publishing Vice President Josh O’Connor asked us earlier this year if we had any location preference, the one thing I asked was to remain in our coverage area, and I am thankful that if we have to move that we are going to remain in the community we serve.Of course, I like that my commute won’t change much, might be a few minutes more but I can’t complain.

Many of my neighbors here in Maple Valley work in Seattle, Kent, Issaquah, Bellevue, Redmond or even farther away.Now, TJ Martinell is not super thrilled since it will make his commute a little longer, but he’ll manage. We will be in a smaller space but it doesn’t make sense for six people to be in the office we’re in now especially since all of us are expected to be out in the community more than we are expected to be at our desks. I don’t believe I can do my job well from behind my computer.When I show up at events, people should know who I am and they should introduce me to the people who don’t me. Same goes for TJ as well as our advertising consultants.

I feel like that’s something that happens.Now, I know TJ will miss being steps away from Maple Valley City Hall.I, however, will be thrilled to be steps away from Covington City Hall — and Starbucks.

In fact, I know some folks who work for the city of Covington call that Starbucks the South Conference Room. I suspect I’ll be spending a fair amount of time there.Then there’s the upside of being a short walk away from Petco. I have a beagle and a flabby orange tabby cat. Now I won’t have to go out of my way to get their food.

Yep, this move works for me.In addition, we’re getting new business cards. They’re fancy. They’ll have our photos on them.

I know some of you who already have our business cards sans photograph will head straight over to the office to get one so you can gaze at our lovely mugs whenever you are unable to get online and look at them on the Reporter’s website.Oh, and they’ll have our new address on them, too, for things like snail mail or to put into Google Maps in case you can’t figure out how to get to the office.

It’s right off state Route 18, across from Fred Meyer and right by Covington City Hall. And Starbucks. Don’t forget that.The good news is that our email addresses and phone numbers will remain the same. You’ll still be able to get in touch with us in the same way as you have the past three or four years.

In the end this won’t change the way we do things, at least not much, and community members are welcome to call, email or drop by during typical business hours. Well, if you email me and I’m awake, I’ll read it and most likely respond, but that’s just me.In any case, I’m looking forward to getting settled in, unpacking all three boxes which contain my entire professional life and moving along without breaking my stride.

I look forward to seeing you in our new digs. I know you’re going to come by to get my new business card.

Right?

Of course.