What would you do?.....

[Jim Warfield]

"Wetlands!" How many years would customers pay to see only "The Creature From The Wet Lagoon?"
See the Creature roam and pillage!
See the Creature tap dance!
See the Creature recite lesson plans!
See the Creature demonstrate which pimple cream works best for him!
See the Creature explain his sea food diet.
See the Creature sell you a time-share piece of wetlands.
See the Creature eat a live chicken off the hood of your car!
("Is he really doing that , Daddy?")
See the Creature eat the Geico Gecko!!!!! YES!

[TheGallows]

Be careful

There are several things that I would recommend before getting into this location.

1. If it is in the basement, does it have enough emergency exits to meet code. The zoning in most cities will have strict guidelines to how many people can be in a building with your use and they will need so many exits per the size of your building. In our City, a 20,000 sf building needs 6 to 7 exits. Crazy but better to be safe then sorry.

2. If it is an older building will it meet a seismic test. When you go from a building that was a manufacturer or office or storage or something in that area they tend to not have as strict of guidelines but when you cram 300 to 600 people at time in a large area then the City wants to make sure that the building will not fall down in case of seismic activity. At least that is how it is here.

Make sure that the location would work and meet all the codes before you sink money into it. Even if it is something that you try to use under the eyes of the law until the season of the haunt, don't spend money and precious time to fix something up that won't work.

As for your location....Don't under estimate the desire that people have to get scared. Most haunted attractions are not an impulse buy type of business. They are a business that people plan to attend hours before or days before. Very few visitors will come by without some type of planning. Its not Mcdonalds that will satisfy their palettes. Look at Disneyworld. Did Walt build that place in a convient location in Florida? Nope! He built it where he new he had plenty of cheap land. But the people came and the cities where built around him.

Remember you drive the customers desire not your frontage.

Ryan

[Jim Warfield]

That frontage can entertain and stimulate those waiting customers. Building anticipation and expectations. Afterall these two things are vital to the whole haunted entertainment process.

[TheGallows]

I agree

Having a great business frontage and look is vital.... What I meant as frontage was perfect walmart style frontage from main roads that can be seen by thousands. Many popular resorts and theme parks are not seen from major roads and not seen as a impulse area. Very little people drive by disneyland and say "Hey I got an idea, let's go to that theme park over there, right now. Cuz they's got a funny lookin mouse to take pictures wit."

Great frontage is great to get the word out but not vital in this type business. The proper front of the actual building or entrance is ideal. You have to create a great look to improve the clients exectations. But if you were down an alley with creepy trees and rusted gates then it could improve your business (As long as people knew you were there)

Summary: You don't have to be on a major road to be successful in this type business, just have to be easy to find. People plan ahead to visit. Does anyone agree with me or am I just nuts?

Ryan

[Spookyfinder]

You don't even want to know how many times I think...

"Man, oh how I could fill that old Wal-Mart with a GREAT haunt!"

I know of 4 EMPTY Wal-Mart buildings (vacant for years) that NO ONE will use. Why? Because the newer built Wal-Mart may shut them down! But a haunt in this type of building!.... LARRY!!! (screaming for the phone) LOL!

-Tyler

[Jim Warfield]

It takes about three years for enough people to find your place to actually have a customer count you can bank.
Impress them, they will return bringing others , shaft them by over-pricing what you have for a show and they might return one more time to give you a second chance, but beyound that...? No.
In many ways I have the absolutely poorset location for a haunted house , in some ways I have the absolutely best location. (Because it is a haunted house!)
Getting free national publicity in magazines and tv shows helps people find you even if by other's standards your location is very poor.
Since I am open year-round I do have some impulse customers.
then I usually have the impulse to take their money, give them a tour.

[TheGallows]

I agree Nightgore

Nightgore-

I have actually looked at leasing old walmart locations and great that they may be, they are truly pricy for my cup of tea. The average walmart in my city is 75,000 s.f. and at 12.00 to 17.00 per ft a year. Then even if we average it at 15.00 per foot then that is $1,125,000.00 per year in rent!!! I don't know about you but that is insane! I know that I couldn't make money doing it but if it was at 1.00 per foot then I could justify it.

Anyway, we are on the same wave length brother! We just need to be millionaires with millions to spare on hobbies.

Ryan

[TheNightMare]

I will comment on some things said and ask questions if they come. But, I wanted to say Thank You for all your kind words and inspiration. It sure does make me think about the building I don't like. haha