Do you want to make your sports store more appealing to customers? Indoor rock climbing walls are popping up all over the place and adding one to your business could increase your sales. The people who come in to rock climb are bound to check out your merchandise and drop a few bucks while their there hanging out on the wall. Building a wall will be expensive but when you think of the additional profit you will make, it's worth the investment. Depending on the size of the wall it can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000. The smaller the wall, the less routes there will be for people to climb. You might want to consider having at least five different routes so you don't have long lines forming in your store. The last thing you want is unhappy customers because they have to wait so long.
Here are five easy steps that will help you get started.
Find a Location and a Good Amount of Space
You will need to think about the best place to put the climbing wall. Will it be in the front of the store so customers can see it right as they walk in? You probably don't want to put it in the back where no one can see it. Do you have plenty of space to make a descent sized wall? Although the wall doesn't have to be 100 feet tall to be good, you'll need some sort of space to work with. If you don't have a really tall wall to work with, you can be creative by making it curve in unique directions, angles and interesting shapes.
Build a Model of the Wall
Don't think you'll be able to just buy supplies and throw the wall up. You'll want to take the time to build a model first because you may want to switch things around. You need to think creatively. If you're having a hard time thinking up things yourself, find someone to help you. Teamwork is always a good thing. This is also the time where you will need to figure out measurements, calculate quantities, sizes and dimensions. It's really important when you're in the design phase of the project to make sure you are going to build the best wall possible.
How Much will it Cost and How Long Will it Take?
Find out exactly how much supplies and labor will cost. You may not be able to figure out the cost right down to the exact penny but you should be able to get a ballpark figure. And shop around a little bit to compare prices. A couple places you might want to look into are Extreme Engineering and American Rock Climbing. Also, find out about how long this project will take. Your store will be under construction during this time and will affect your customers. If you have professionals come in to do it, it should go pretty quickly, but if you think you and your friends are handy enough to do it yourselves, it could tale a lot longer. You may want the installation of the wall to be as speedy as possible to get your store back into order as quickly as possible.
What You Will Need to Make It
If you're considering taking on this project by yourself, there are a lot of different supplies you'll need to purchase. Here are some of the basic tools you will need. You'll need a power saw, drill with screw driver attachment, level, chalk line, tape measure, marking pencils, power jig saw, extension cords, crow bar or pry bar, ratchet, sockets, gloves and safety glasses. Now, this is not everything but just a general idea of some of the major tools. You'll also need things like plywood, paint, sand and a drop cloth. A great web site that gives much more detail as to exactly what you need is Indoor Climbing.
You'll Need a Building Permit
Yes, you will definitely need a building permit. Please don't start work on a wall without one. You can contact your local city's building department. They will be able to tell you exactly what the process is for applying and receiving a permit. Another good resource is logging on to the web site Permit Place. They are a great resource and will be able to answer many of your questions before you go out and apply for the permit.
Making the decision to build a climbing wall is not something you should take lightly. But once you've thought it through and if you come to the conclusion that it's the right thing for you, go for it. You'll be amazed at what a great addition it will be for your business.
