Looking for startup advise.

[Nospincycle]

This is my first thread with this group. I am totally new to this business & truly appreciate your advise. I just recently was given a severance package and left my job of 36 years. I am looking to start my own business to provide a job and salary for my family and to help get my son started in a business. He was hit by a car at the age of nine and has some residual head injury even now at 26. I don't think he would do well working in a company. I was hit with a grenade in 1968 while in the USMC and stationed afterwards on board a Navy aircraft carrier. Each Marine had to do his own shift plus a sailor's shift as well. (The captain hated Marines!) I was stationed in the ship's laundry/dry cleaning plant and learned a lot! Probably mostly outdated now. But I enjoyed the work and comaraderie. I am now considering opening a mat upstate NY in an Adirondacks vacation area. Many campers in summer and motels in the area. Would like to construct a small strip mall including mat and convenience store for campers and shower facilities (which are not available at many state-run campgrounds). I know that there were times as a scoutmaster that I had to visit a mat after some soggy days in tents so the kids wouldn't get sick. A hot shower would have been nice. This area is in the Adirondacks State Park and would probably be seasonal and most likely use well water. I don't know about propane availability vs all electric in this case. My goal is to provide income for now, help my handicapped son secure a future and ultimately help other scouters and campers by providing a needed resource. After I learn the ropes, I could possibly expand to adjacent areas. Any thoughts regarding this dream (whether good or bad) would be greatly appreciated. I have always tried to help others and have found that there are many knowledgeable folks out there who are more than willing to help you if you are sincere. I look forward to hearing from you and thank you in advance for your kindness!

[pete f]

you sound like you have thought this out, and your idea makes sense. I do know a little about seasonal business, realize you will starve 1/2 the time. Of course many must do well enough, being around as long as the vacation spots themselves. I would say a new venture of the type you want will cost some big bucks. Which means you have to choose very wisley. Have you looked around for an exiting business you can buy, then expand it for your ideas? A small campground, strip center, laundrymat? Buying something with a proven track record is much less risky, and as you learn more about the business,and see if you are suited for it, then you can build your dream store with solid experience. You may already have the perfect site, i do not know. It is really a roll of the dice. You could hit lucky seven or crap out. Having family to help out and your prior experience I will say the odds get more in your favor. That does not mean build it and they will come, but a multi use facility geared towards a need is a good start for thinking. I would just see if anything like that is around first, I mean 50 miles away on the other side of the mountains, see what they are doing..

[Anonymous]

If I were to open a mat from scratch I would want something that would have stable business year-round. A new venture is hard enough, but to have minimal business for a good part of the year would scare the @#%#@$% out of me. That said, you know your market better than I and maybe it would work. I spent many years at summer camp in Brant Lake and used to Ski at Gore mountain - beautiful area. Is there potential in your area to get some of the winter resort business as well?

Do your homework and then ask lots of questions here - people will be glad to give you their opinions. Another good resource is the coinlaundry association (based in Chicago) and can be found at www.coinlaundry.org. For no charge you can subscribe to their monthly journal. They also have many resources for members that are worth looking at before you make such a big first time investment.

Good Luck!

[Nospincycle]

Pete & Kirby:

Thanks for the great advice. I will definitely follow up on your suggestions. I don't have an exact site picked out yet but I know where it should be. Within walking distance of the 300+ campsite campground. This way, kids could walk for a soda or ice cream cone, etc to the convenience store as well as campers driving laundry over to the mat. The Lake has a winter festival. I'll check out the ski situation. Also, WDF might be developed with restaurants in village several miles away or some year round motels. I believe more and more folks will start to move into this area full time in the years ahead. Just natural progression of population explosion. Real estate values in area are doubling every seven years and vacationers here have pretty good disgretionary funds. The state-run camps seem to attract mostly young families and folks who can't afford $1,200 a week for a cabin. Lake front homes are currently about $1,000,000 and up for anything livable. Water from this 32 mile long, spring fed lake is pure enough to drink. I have only seen one mat which was about 5 miles further up the lake. It is for sale at $329,000. It looks like it is closed and has aging equipment. I'll try to get more info regarding this property. It may shed some light on why there aren't more mats around. there are several mats about 10 miles south in town which has a growing year-round population and several new malls. Once you get away from the Lake itself, I believe the year-round residents are mostly hard-working, blue collar workers who are struggling to make ends meet (like most of us)! Perhaps a demographic survey could help here as I get further into my due diligence. I'm sure their washers break down occassionally. On another note, I would think that I should definitely use a HE design in order to be more environmentally friendly. I will also check out town regulations and fees. I really appreciate your insights. It's obvious that you gentlemen are seasoned professionals in the mat arena. Again, my sincere thanks and I will keep you posted. I would welcome any other insights you might share.