How does Craft Climbing work with you?



We know how difficult it can be to open indoor rock climbing gyms, especially when it is your first one and banks & land developers look at you as a start-up and aren't willing to give you the opportunity. This is where we can partner up building off our existing indoor climbing facilities, providing you with significant investment capital and operational know-how to help you own and run a successful and profitable operation.

FAQ

Who is Craft Climbing?

Co-founders, Jake Crine and Matthew Leach, created Craft Climbing in Denver, Colorado as they were working through the pre-construction process on their Castle Rock location. They realized that they had the expertise and funding to expand, but didn't want to build a large corporation, but create partnerships with local owners where all parties involved share in the success of the business.

Jake Crine Jake Crine | CEO
Jake is the founder and executive director of Übergrippen (ÜG) and opened the facility in 2017. He was a mechnical engineer that built rockets and likes beer and whiskey.

Matthew Leach

Matthew Leach | CMO
Matt is the owner and managing director of the upcoming Übergrippen that is opening in Castle Rock, Colorado by the end of 2020. Matt spent over 12 years teaching graphic design and web programming at the college level, wrote & published four textbooks on design & code, worked for a SF tech startup for a few years before deciding to open and run his own climbing facility. He also was an investor in The Spot Bouldering Gym that opened their Boulder location in 2002 and their Denver location in 2019.

What we look for in partners?

We are in search for perspective entrepreneurs that wish to be the on-ground owners and operators of indoor climbing facilities. You do not need to be a strong rock climber. We are looking for people that are personable and have the foundational skillsets to professional run a facility managing both the staff and financials. We expect you to know your local area & demographics and plan on living near the facility location for years to come.

How much money do I need?

Local managing owner(s) must provide “skin in the game” by making a minimal capital investment of $250k and personally guarantee all loans (this responsibility can be shared with friends & family). Considering the facilities we are building are between $6.5m and $8m, we will bring at least $1m and help you raise the remaining funds (usually around $650k with your own friends and family. We'll provide the business plan and financial details to help you raise the funds, purchase the property, coordinate with the bank and SBA, open the facility, and establish running it as the owner(s).

Is there a wall builder you prefer?

We know most of the well builders in the industry and we prefer to work with Vertical Solutions. We appreciate supporting American businesses and their walls look amazing. We also have a great relationship with them. But this isn't set in stone if you have a strong desire to work with another builder.

Next Steps

Starting the process

Building an indoor rock climbing facility has a lot of moving parts to it and is certainly a process that takes time. But with our expertise, we'll be able to work with you to make this process as smooth & efficient as possible.

It certainly helps if you know the area and the demographics properly to start the converstation with us. We will work with you from securing funding, site selection, design & construction, opening inventory, staff training, to all the daily responsibilies necessary to steer the financial cash flow on your business. Our team will be there supporting you every step of the way in order get the best yearly returns for all your efforts.

First Steps

  1. Send us a quick message using web form below. Share who you are, your contact information, where you hope to open a facility, and why you feel this area is in need for a climbing facility.
  2. We'll set up a time for a phone call (or in-person meeting when possible) to discuss this opprotunity between us even more and get to know each other.
  3. We'll provide a financial application to understand what you can bring to the table and help you plan accordingly for the upcoming financial responsibilities.
  4. Qualified candidates that agree with our operating agreement will have access to all of our intellectual property, our finances to our existing locations, access to all branding, etc. which can be invaluable in securing additional funding and progressing on the proper footing for opening your own facility.

Questions or Inquiries

We are happy to talk...
to you opening a climbing gym in your location. Please reach out with any questions and we'll be happy to see if we can work with together.

Climb On!