Allen Dean
Twentynine Palms, CA (USA)
Role(s):
Founder/Owner/Principal
The ATF Lodge
Find More Startups
Startup
Location:
Twentynine Palms
Industry:
Entertainment
Year Founded:
2008
Number Employees:
1-10 people
Description:
I have spent the last 10 years of my life as a weapons expert, training the Army and Marine Corps on personal security and weapons usage and safety. The town I live in houses the countries largest Marine Corps base. With approximately 5000 new Marines and 5000 supporting staff arriving as well as all of their family members that relocate with them. The only places in town for someone to go in the evening is a massage parlor or bar. There are no military supply stores or gear in town, so I came up with a great idea (the city council is pushing us to do this, the town wants it here to promote a more evening community business and events and many council members that are old war vets have genuinely told us that they would be first on line if they could smoke a cigar and enjoy a drink amongst the boys).I have spent the last year working with the tobacco board, the ABC, and the city and county to create the lodge. A membership lodge (just membership fees should bring in a income stream of over $100,000 per year). A cigar store in the next county over gets a membership fee of over $600 per person for the privelage of smoking cigars in a nice atmosphere and not outside on some bench, so this is a very profitable and proven idea). This lodge would allow the military and local military contractors (well over 50,000 just on base)to have a nice place to go, to meet friends after a day of work out on the range, smoke a nice cigar, have a beer or glass of wine, watch a game on the big screen. As well a library and tactical gear shop staffed with professional, knowledgable experts in the industry. Law enforcement and tactical gear is a multi-billion dollar a year industry yet this town has nothing to supply the guys defending our country. They currently drive a 6 hour round trip to San Diego to gear up. Here is where the lodge is different, we have secured a way to legally be the only establishment in town with indoor smoking areas. Whether you smoke or not, a good investor knows that when these guys get off of work or come back from Iraq that to be able to sit and enjoy a cigar and a cold drink is a highly marketable business. It's actually been forecasted by city officials and successful business associates that just this fact would make this business a instant success and would even draw large crowds from other businesses. There is also franchise opportunity with this idea.
We have the experience, knowledge, and work ethic to do this right. We have located a building in a historic plaza. And, the city has offered to give us up to $100,000 of development funds to build this business. This is truly a great opportunity for the person that believes in us. We are trained and knowledgable, have community ties that draw people to our business, and because we know our stuff we sell at 3 times the rate that an average person would. This is a large specialized, yet often overlooked industry by mainstream investors or companies. Don't miss out. Help us to give back to all of these guys that defend our country and work 10 times harder on any given day than most of us ever will know. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I look forward to speaking with you. (Copies of permits and special licenses are on file with me here for review ).