Azose Commercial Properties, formerly Morris Piha Real Estate Services, Inc., recently moved headquarters from its Bellevue office to Mercer Island. Its new office is at 8451 S.E. 68th St. in the South-end Shopping Center.

Azose Commercial Properties CEO David Azose said the company changed names to better reflect ownership. Azose partnered with the company’s founder and former owner Morris Piha in 1984. Piha died in 2013 after battling cancer, with Azose taking over as CEO. Azose and Piha were cousins through marriage.

“The rebrand reflects who we are. It makes sense to rebrand so people know who we are and kind of move into the next generation,” said Azose, whose son Michael and brother Jay serve as the company’s vice presidents.

Based out of Bellevue for the last 15 years, Azose, a Mercer Island resident of 26 years, said clientele ties helped drive the real estate company’s move to the Island.

“When we were looking for locations, Mercer Island was high on my list,”he said. “Mercer Island is a fairly affluent community with lots of local business owners. We have a lot of investors who are doctors, attorneys and accountants who reside here.”

Locally owned and operated since Piha opened the company’s doors in 1965, the family-owned business offers leasing and brokerage services, with its primary focus being property management. Azose Commercial Properties manages more than 3.5 million square feet of property throughout the greater Puget Sound region, with properties in Bellingham, Olympia and Bainbridge Island.

On Mercer Island, Azose Commercial Properties has managed the leasing for the Rite Aid shopping center, Mercer Island Veterinary Clinic and the True Value move to keep them on Mercer Island.

For more, go to www.azose.com.