Which Direction to Sanity? -Vent

SlartyBartFast · 03-02-2006, 09:15 AM

Alright, this morning I decided I just had to get this off my chest and vent.

Every day, right next to my day job, in the mornings coming in, and the evenings going home, I have to confront it.

It screams to me. It incites my passions. It begs me to risk my savings and pursue a dream.

What is it? A building...

To be precise, an unused building that has been empty or only partially used for months. On which is a GIANT sign proclaiming 155,000sq.ft. for rent. A warehouse with small offices and a beautiful sun-room type cafeteria. Right next to a major highway exit/entrance.

Right on the edge of an affluent bedroom community with a population of 24,000. Which is part of a merged city with a population of 350,000. Which is adjacent to a city of 3,548,775.

You can almost see the 250 store mall on the other side of the highway.

It’s got to be viable. Right?!? But then there’s 3 indoor places 45 min to 1 hr away, a huge outdoor place 1hr 30min away, and other outdoor places...

But the place is HUGE! It’s AVAILABLE! Oh, the possibilities. A skate park, indoor soccer, climbing walls, karting...

How to keep my sanity? Do I continue to fight the demons? Or do I give in to their call? Will giving in lead to redemption? Or a decent into the depths of insanity...

SlartyBartFast · 03-02-2006, 12:20 PM

Back from lunch. I have to stare at that damn building through the cafeteria windows.

Keiser Sosei · 03-02-2006, 01:49 PM

Good luck fighting the demons. I am still battling them myself. It's either start a business here that I know I could run well but maybe there's no market for, or it's move out of this crap town.

MarcoWasRight · 03-02-2006, 02:05 PM

GO GET AIDS AND DIE!

Might as well give them a call. See what kind of numbers they are looking for.

Investorguy · 03-02-2006, 03:03 PM

yeah, running some actual numbers will diminish the demons.

For a while at least.... eventually like me you'll have to just bite the bullet and start something. 60-70K later, you'll find yourself in my position....

SlartyBartFast · 03-02-2006, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Investorguy

yeah, running some actual numbers will diminish the demons.

Demons don't listen to logic.

EZ Air · 03-02-2006, 04:22 PM

155,000 Square feet at $6 Net a year...$930,000 devide by 12 ....lets see $77,500 per month rent plus $10,000 for utilities and stuff. Another $5000 for employees, comes to about $90,000 per month. Wow, at $30 profit per player that is only 3000 guys per month! You can do it! We sell air compressors and fill stations if you need one.

**TargetIndy** · 03-02-2006, 05:53 PM

Dang it Eric, why'd you have to introduce logic into this conversation?

EZ Air · 03-02-2006, 06:53 PM

Yea, I was going to rent a K-Mart that went out of business until they kicked me in the cajones with reality. Oh well, we all dream. In theory, if you have enough $$ to do the rock climbing, RC Race track, reball, skateboarding and airsoft then you would be a millionaire.

**Pump Scout** · 03-02-2006, 08:01 PM

Run away, quickly. Or, run the numbers, then run away quickly. I have the same demon, but no viable market to be able to even break even here. I was looking at having to put 300 people a week through the facility just to pay the rent... and the building I was looking at wouldn't support that even if that many paying customers existed here. That was also assuming I ran the whole thing with either volunteer labor, or unpaid family.

Ah, but the location was wonderful.....

SlartyBartFast · 03-03-2006, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TargetIndy

Dang it Eric, why'd you have to introduce logic into this conversation?

I know, the logic undoubtably won't support it.

But, I've sent a message to the representative asking for costs and a floor plan.

An indoor soccer complex on the other side of the main city is FULLY booked and doing very well. So much so that they were featured in the newspaper business section. Supposedly the family now fights between themselves about who gets to run the socerplex and who runs the construction company.

A brand new industril condo project (mini wearhouses and offices) near by is listed at $5.25 a sqft plus $2.25 in operating expenses for 12,000 sqft.

Easiest way to end with a million in the bank? Start with 2.

**TargetIndy** · 03-03-2006, 08:34 AM

I had one of the major mall management companies contact me wanting to know if I was interested in putting a field in on the upper floor of an anchor store. Not hardly fair, considering I'm not in a position to do it.

EZ Air · 03-03-2006, 08:37 AM

Some more small advice. The $5.25 plus $2.25 seems about right but here is a small detail they always leave out. The $2.25 is a pass-along which means "we think it will be about $2.25". Mine went from $2.09 to $3.35 to $4.10 to $5.60. There is abosolutely nothing you can do but move. By the way, a gymnastics place next door to me that always had customers and "is making a fortune" just closed their doors. I can rent that 27,000 Sq Ft for $2.50...We could do Reball, RC Cars, rock climbing, batting cage, skateboarding, rock bands..................

SlartyBartFast · 03-03-2006, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZ Air

By the way, a gymnastics place next door to me that always had customers .........

I know the difference between having lot's of customers and turning a profit. Thanks.

Two of the fields that are already in the metropolitan area operate in "industrial condo" type areas.

Seeing as there's nothing "this side" of the metropolitan area, I'm thinking there might just be a market...

Got to concentrate on one plan/project, damn it!

Then there's the kids, the wife, the house, tennents in the appartment, the day job...