Your input appreciated

[maxg]

Yet again I would like to request your considered opinions, thoughts and ideas on yet another nutty idea from the stable that is Max.

My wife and I are considering starting a business and there are 2 options on the table.

SWMBO wants to do something in tourism (availing ourselves in the process to some European funding to assist with setup).

I on the other hand would love to get into the business of audio, although I am concerned that there seeems to be precious little scope for profit in most of the areas I am aware of.

As a bit of background we do own a fairly sizable piece of land, with a fairly fabulous view and abutting its own beach, on an island called Trikeri, which is growing in popularity although still largely undiscovered and totally unspoilt.

On this plot we could build, for example, 40 studio type appartments for rent.

A thought occured - could be combine the 2 businesses? It seems that the idea of theme holidays is growing but I have never seen an option for an audiophile holiday (for want of a better term).

I was thinking something along the lines of 20 1 double bedroom appartments with sleeping for upto 2 more in the living room, 6 audio rooms or varying sizes and shapes (one of which would be a mega home cinema) and the usual shop, swimming pool, tennis, bar, taverna etc. along with an additional audio shop where you can buy records, cd's, SACD's w.h.y. as well as order equipment either to take home or to have delivered to your home later.

Each studio would have its own small sound system of a value of up to around $3-5,000 with guests being able to choose rooms on the basis of systems as well as any other choices, subject to availability.

Additionally anyone can request to change their standard provided source (e.g. CD player for something else like a TT or an SACD / DVDa player).

At any time of the day and probably most of the night anyone can go and listen to the main systems in the 5 dedicated audio rooms. All rooms will be provided with media although guests will be encouraged to bring their own as well.

For overseas visitors I am thinking of making this part of a 2 week combination holiday. Maybe one week seeing the sites of Greece on a coach tour, or a week on a yacht and a week on Trikeri.

There are many other variations possible to add to this:

- our own chat site / forum on the net with access from the rooms as well as global.

- music feature evenings - introductions to classical, Jazz, soul etc.

- system shoot outs for different types of music / different formats etc.

- Visiting systems - maybe one new system a month.

- Live bands once per week to compare live and recorded (in the largest audio room).

- featured manufacturers with a large range of their products (e.g. Klipsch, Aragon etc.)

Of course there will be lots of opportunities to chat with fellow audiophiles from all over the world, compare recordings, favorite music genres and so on.

Anyway that is the basis for the idea - what do you all think?

[Deang]

Focus on the Real Estate angle. If you can work out the financial issues to get this going -- you could potentially retire in 10 years.

Anything related to Audio will only sap you financially and leave you frustrated. You will have your hands full just maintaining the rentals.

At some point, if finances permit -- you could use profit generated from the Rentals to maybe start some Audio retail business.

[mobile homeless]

Interesting, Max.

Unfortunately, I don't think it would float really since most listening to music via ye olde Audiophile system has very little to do with the beauty of an island off Greece! It would be a horrible waste of an amazing place. In addition, sadly enough, many audio types tend to not be gifted with an abundance of taste nor appreciation for some of the finer points in aesthetics. Add to that, most would just as soon put their ducats into a new piece of shiny gear than wander for an excursion to listen in the Greek Isles. I would sure rather EXPERIENCE the culture and beauty of your island and the surrounding area over sitting in a listening room. Actually, the two really don't go hand in hand in any way, come to think of it. Yes, having music there would be a tremendous boon, although I actually prefer the sounds of nature on my excursions into it.

I would count it as some success that your wife didn't toss you out the window upon the unraveling of this plan; I know it might have popped into my skull had I been in her place! heh....

Why not create some great cottages with taste and a eye for integration into the Island's natural surroundings and provide a great place for people to escape and witness the local culture. Please don't put the "American" tourist spin on it. Do this and you have done well and probably set yourself financially.

Perhaps you can have an upscale specialty audio shop someday as well but don't plan on making a lot of ducats. HT and mass culture is what is fueling the high-end market. But you might actually LOVE what you are doing which is worth more in many ways.

kh

[artto]

I wouldn't go into anything having to do with the travel business after the September 11 attacks. People are increasingly cocooning and spending more time & money on their private homes. I see this happening in my own business (architect). Home theaters are still gaining momentum. Some of the Home Theater guys I know are busy as all hell.

[Mike82]

Hi Max:

I wholeheartedly agree with Dean and Kelly. Kelly's comment is good advice:

>>Why not create some great cottages with taste and a eye for integration into the Island's natural surroundings and provide a great place for people to escape and witness the local culture. Please don't put the "American" tourist spin on it.<<

My audio-shop story: I've been an avid audio hobbyist for 33 years (I'm 48 now) and started buying pricey gear back around '76. After moving to Atlanta in '95, I joined the audio society and started writing some equipment reviews for the club's journal. One thing led to another and I ended up becoming a reviewer for SoundStage! (the internet mag). After reviewing a stellar piece of gear (the Audiomat Arpege), I tried to open some dealers in the Atlanta area, but although everyone loved the amp, with Audiomat being a new-to-the-US brand, no one wanted it. So after several months, I decided to open a part-time, after-hours shop in my home- Sounds Right Audio was the shop name. (At that time I stopped doing reviews for SoundStage! having reviewed for about 3 1/2 years by that time)

I carried Audiomat, Vecteur, Art Audio, Silverline, JM Reynaud, Lamhorn, Galante, Equation, Emotive Audio, and Wyetech.

To promote the shop, I hosted a number of AAS meetings and advertised in Listener. Sales were decent- I broke even my first year, but never enough to earn a living. It was fun having a hobby where you could make a few $$$$, but recently my regular job became too time consuming, so I closed the shop.

I kind of miss it, but it can be a pain dealing with distributors and customers. Many cusomters don't know anything other what they can parrot from the latest Stereophile and don't really seem that interested in learning anything. Distributors often don't have the product you need in stock which can translate into lost sales. It's pretty frustrating. And as Kelly noted, HT is driving the market so if you're planning on 2-channel only, you probably won't see a lot of customers. But if you REALLY have to take the audio shop plunge, I'd pick one company that carries a full product line and stick with that.

Audio Theme Holidays?? Maybe, but you'll likely end up with a bunch or audio-dorks at your place.

Let us know what you do. My wife and I have been wanting to take a trip out your way. I'd love to visit some of the ancient battle sites, Thermopylae, Salamis, Platea, where the Greeks stomped the $#!t out of the middle-eastern invaders.

[WMcD]

I think there is some merit to the approach. But only that up to date home entertainment is a good thing on vacation. This is particularly so if it is family situation.

It seems to me that in many vacation sites there is plenty to do during the day because of the physical setting. Beaches, boating, skiing. But the evening hours are tough to fill. Some have bars and disco, but not that gets old, pretty fast.

My extended family likes set ups where we cook in. Restaurants are expensive and you don't want to haul the kids out for breakfast when a bowl of cerial will keep them happy.

Therefore, a big HT system, Internet, Playstation, makes a lot of sense. Maybe the gadget happy dad will like it; the kids like playstation; and moms like it because everyone is in the same housing.

I don't know whether this will be a success if there is pressure to buy the type of equipment. People smell that as a trap.

Maybe it would work if the guests have a lot of money to spend and a retailer is willing to offer "turn-key" systems.

Gil

[AndyKubicki]

Max, do you need to make a living off this idea or can you live off of something else, and doing this for yourself? Your passion, creativity and drive can take you places...but one must be able to feed one's family first. This is not to say it won't work, but everyone has made some good points about your location: it's a great place to visit and site see. But for those already there, maybe you can provide something. Now if someone like me ever vivsited you, I would make time to see the as much geography as I can, but would also want to hear as much audiography as you would care to show me! But I'm an audio nut, and that's just me!

[maxg]

Well thanks all.

I think I was getting the impression from friends here that this would not be a goer and it seems that people here agree.

It is a pity - I would love to have done something in audio - ah well - just the tourist location side then.

I do like the idea of a games room but am a bit worried about people bringing their kids here only for the kids to spend all day every day playing on a damn console.

That is definitely not the reason to visit a Greek island!!

[JohnA]

I'd suggest a modification to your plan. My brother, sisters, out-laws and parents have gone to the beach and rented condos for a week or so. It was a big hit, our experience much like Gil's. The evenings when everybody is settling down to eat and end the day would have been more enjoyable with a respectable audio system.

My suggestion: build your condos/flats and in a few (20%?) install a moderate to good quality audio system that is nearly bullet-proof (receiver, CD player, Heresies). Supply a few different brands of speakers, for choice. Charge extra. Allow/encourage visitors to bring their own media and TTs if desired. In a very few, install HT systems or in one large auditorium install the HT system and show movies on high occupancy nights. You might not be able to charge admission without paying royalties. I like the live band idea.

[Clipped and Shorn]

Build a giant vacuum tube that people could walk around in to see what happens in there. Hire some local kids to play the electrons, and have the wife make some costumes for them. You could also animate some graphs. In time this could become the audiophile mecca, kind of like Disneyland. When there, the visitors could stay at your beautiful hotels. This retreat would be therapuetic for those whose nerves are shot from the stress of having to maintain adult engineering discussions.

-c7s

[maxg]

I like C&S - he is even freakier than me!!!

That is one wild idea - an audiophile theme park - tubieland presumably...

[Dale W]

Go for it max !!!

Baby boomers are on there way !!!

I attended a conference on small business a year ago and all the topics related to catering to the needs of the baby boomer retiring community. They have the cash and want to travel.

It's tough to go wrong with real estate.

[fini]

I like C&S's idea!! And in the theater you show a movie about how transformers work: "My Big Fat Greek Winding."

fini