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Potential Goldmine?


Jens

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If anyone wants to make some money--- The population density center for the whole state lies on a map somewhere between Tacoma and Seattle and is completey unserved by any kind of rock gym.

 

Millions of people live in the areas of Renton, Kent, Auburn, Covington, Federal Way , Burien, Tukwilla, Des moines, Sea Tac, Summner and many more are unwilling to battle traffic to Ballard, Redmond, or Tacoma after work.

I'll bet any gym opened in this area would be the most profitable gym in the whole state beacuse it is near a buttload of people and would have zero competition. bigdrink.gif

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Remember that the population density center does not imply the highest concentration of people. For example, if you had a state with only two cities the population density center would have a real population of zero. That being said I do agree there is potential and plenty of attractive commercial sites to choose from. In the end, however, ideas are worthless without action.

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  • 2 weeks later...

YMCA gym is for little kids yellowsleep.gif. UPS is fun and worthwhile smile.gif, but small. I don't know of a gym in fort lewis. Where is it at? Is it military only? Spire rock is nasty (easy routes, and not many of them, belaying in piss..not even your own). There's also Evergreen in Oly. I concur with the thread topic though, a gym is needed in T-town.

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*The Ymca wall was entre prises if I remember correctly. The same kind used in world cups. Set any size hold the way you want.

 

*I never climbed at UPS or Fort Lewis.

 

*Spire rock has a few problems that are around V7... greasy balance shit- probably be challenging if you are a steep puller. Also piss is sterile?

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left the army a couple of years ago now so things may have changed, but the climbing gym at ft. lewis is a converted raquetball court. Judson Lang runs it and is a climber and all around nice guy. You don't need to be in the army to climb there, but you do need to be able to get on ft. lewis, which pretty much means either being a soldier, or having a job on post.

 

almost forgot, besides the indoor gym there is an outdoor freestanding wall that the sf group owns. you ain't getting on that one.

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Yos said:

Remember that the population density center does not imply the highest concentration of people. For example, if you had a state with only two cities the population density center would have a real population of zero

 

I know of at least two attempts at establishing a climbing gym in the Kent/Sea-Tac area. On Military Road and about 272nd, an old grocery was converted into a martial arts school. The guy who ran it had an interest in climbing and dedicated a back wall to bouldering/TR. It was the typical late 1980's affair with lots untextured plywood, cut-outs and old-school plastic.

 

That experiment didn't last too long. He sold all of his climbing holds and wall frames to a gymastics/family fun business on the east hill of Kent. I used to go in there after work and climb for $2 (or maybe it was 10 visits for $10 or something). Pretty cool stuff with plenty of steep bouldering, but never...I mean NEVER...did I meet another climber in there. He went out of business maybe 5 years ago.

 

Are there really that many rock enthusiasts south of Renton?

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Any clue on how many climbers are really in the Tacoma area? I've got a few friends down in Tacoma that climb and I know there are the occasional cc'er pub clubs that are hosted in Tacoma. How many climbers show up to drink and talk climbing at the Tacoma pub club (that are from Tacoma?).

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  • 3 months later...

Honestly I dont know if u would get that many people south of Seattle into a climbing gym. I think the population is differnt then that of Seattle. This has nothing to do with climbing, but look at greenlake, lots of fit young people who like to be outdoors. now put a place like that in Auburn or Kent and you would not have nearly as many people. The demographics are not the same as Seattle. Even at the UPS climbing wall, U dont see half as many people as the UW rock. that is just my two cents. Maybe it could work, and if It did why would u tell everyone else =)

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erik said:

"TACOMA PROLLY HAS THE BEST CLIMBING SHOP IN THE STATE. "

 

Brother Erik:

Couple of comments:

Where is this elusive "best climbing shop in the state?" Is it the new Tacoma REI or that over-staffed place on South Tacoma Way? Either of them will do the job but I personally wouldn't call them particularly exceptional.

 

What's the deal with "prolly"? I've seen you and Allison drop that one from time to time and I can only assume it's some sort of hip-hop slang for "probably"?

 

RE: the UPS climbing wall. Technically, you're supposed to be a student or have a membership card offered to a limited number of outsiders for about $100 a year. It's indoors in an athletic facility and subject to open/close hours. So it's not like the UW Rock where one can hang out in good whether and come and go as you please.

 

- Dwayner bigdrink.gifbigdrink.gifbigdrink.gifbigdrink.gif

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I do think the gym in the Kent to Tacoma area would be a good thing. However, the only problem is of course as someone stated--the age group. Younger people without the responsibilities of a house or children have more time on their hands, and therefore can spend the time and money at an indoor rock climbing wall.

 

If I was to look into it, the key would be the amount of softball, soccer, and other intramural sports in the Kent-Tacoma area compared to Seattle. If there is a huge following of these sports, then the idea might fly because it gives an indication of the potential. The indoor gym would also have to be near a large population center of apartments (after all a lot of single people live in apartments).

 

In addition, you might be able to Backpacker's Supply to move their store next to the gym.

 

If there was a location, best location I can think of is just off of I-5 near the Portland Ave exit with the population center of Tacoma being the strongest pull for location.

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Put it in Federal Way, there's tons of apartments down there and it's located close enough to Renton and Tacoma. There's tons of youth down there and I can't imagine the startup costs being too high although the legal/liability side might be a bitch. But then you could always talk with someone who works at VW or Stone Gardens, over a few beers, and find out the inside info rather than paying a consultant.

I know quite a few climbers that live down south and why not? Housing is cheaper down there.

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Kiwi said:

I certainly dread going up to Ballard just to climb.

 

Amen brotha

 

Try timing an after work commute to either of the Ballard gyms from Kent! You are looking at least 75 minutes on a bad day.

 

I think I'd rather run up west tiger cable line or something.

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Perfect location: Southcentre, Tukwila.

 

It has REI, everyone in the south end knows it, easy access, easy to find, hub of the south end (area between Tacoma and Seattle), and there is probably tonnes of lots open to purchase.

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