Dojo For Rent?!?

[sensei8]

Well, the time is upon me to begin looking to open a new dojo; Kyuodan Dojo!! This would be the fourth Kyuodan Dojo since 1977. Excited, but I've some apprehensions especially at my age.

February 2015, I moved to Houston, TX to help care for my sister who's not doing so good. As I type this, my sister's in the hospital, and has been there since Thursday night. She's in my prayers, always!!

Houston, TX is the 4th largest city in the USA; over 2 million people!! I came from Owasso, OK; a suburb of Tulsa, which is the 47th largest city in the USA; over 480,000 people live there. Big switch across the board.

So, the first place I looked for commercial space for lease was in Houston's biggest newspaper, the Houston Chronicles. Well, I have to say, I was shocked to see just how small the classified sections are; in comparison, I believe that the Tulsa World classified sections are larger.

No luck, unless I want to rent office space, and I don't.

Next, I drove in a 25 mile radius of where I live, and pursued to find commercial space for lease. Some possibilities do exist, but the pickings were slim to none.

I'm saddened, but I'm quite pro-active when it comes to this.

Now, I turn my attention to the internet!! For one who doesn't believe in advertising via that media for my purposes, I sure depend on the internet quite a lot. But, that's another discussion, for another time!

Where do I zone in on? Craig's List!! Why not?!

No luck!! Unless, I want to rent an office space, and again, I don't.

Hhhhmmmm, now what to do? I type in..."Martial Arts School"...WOW...two pop up. Interesting, I think to myself. Both have pictures, and both are close to where I live. This has to be my lucky day, but I'm doubtful because...both of these commercial spaces are for lease, but...

They're both...DOJO FOR RENT!!

What? DOJO FOR RENT?!?! I must be seeing things. I've never heard of this...HAVE ANY OF YOU??

I jot down the address, and go to my trustworthy Google Maps via satellite view to get an idea of what it looks like overhead as well as its street view.

Well, the first one I look at is on a street in the middle of nowhere, with fields as far as the eye can see...no houses...no buildings...nothing. However, when I look at the pics from Craig's List, I can see outside of one of their windows, and I see many commercial buildings, so I assume that I've not the accurate zip code; a call to the realtor will clear that mystery up quickly.

The second one, via Google Maps, looks promising, except the front door DOES NOT face the street, even though there's a huge signage that can't be missed unless you sneeze, and drive by the darn thing. The overview was nice; many commercial building to be found.

Both Dojo's for rent offer plenty square footage. Both have many windows. Both have nice lobby. Both have nice restrooms. Both have one or more mirrored walls. Both have nice office space. Both are fully equipped!! YES...that's what I said!!

Both are FULLY EQUIPPED!! Both have mats, wall to wall!! Stretching bars!! All of the pads you can imagine lined up the walls!! Both have a wide variety of WaveMasters!! Both have a nice viewing area!! Only thing I'd have to get would be...STUDENTS!! Oh, yeah, of course I'd have to decorate it to my liking, and fill it with Kobudo weapons and Hojo Undo and the like equipment, but, I already have all of that!!

So, I left a message with both realtors to express my interest. They've already contacted me, I'll be visiting them each tomorrow; one at 10am, and the other at 3pm.

So, have any of you EVER heard of a DOJO FOR RENT where you live??

[DWx]

Funnily enough our current premises and the first full time location for my instructor (until recently we trained out of community centres and school halls) is effectively a dojo for rent.

After many year's on and off looking for a venue, my dad found a fully kitted dojo for lease. He's an architect and was discussing with a business acquaintance who happen'd to have dojo he needed leasing. Story was the Kuk Sul Won guy who was in there hadn't paid rent for a while and was uncontactable and the landlord had ended up with this fully matted hall complete with changing rooms, kitchen, offices etc. and no tenant. Rather than him pay to have it converted back to offices or a retail property it was a perfect fit for us to move in.

We did do a little work such as move a few internal walls to create a waiting room and redecorated but pretty much took it as it was.

So this might be a special case but could be that the property has been set up as a dojo in the past and just simpler for the landlord to market it like this.

[Zaine]

My school at one point was in a dojo for rent. It was a really great deal, and we used it for years before the school disbanded. From what I remember the experience that we had was enjoyable, and the requirements (other than rent) were that you left it clean and tidy after completing the class, which is something that most dojos require anyway for their own places.

[sensei8]

Danielle and John,

Very interesting posts, both! Thank you, Danielle and John!!

To each of you, is the concept new or has it been around for some time, and How have I been hiding under some rock in some of the biggest cities in the USA? to have never seen this until now?

John, you're in Arlington, TX, about 4-5 hours north of me, and Dojo For Rent works?? When I was in Tulsa, OK, I was 5-6 hours north of you, and to save my soul, I've never heard of this concept. Not now, now ever!! When I was in Dallas, TX back in 1994, caring for my mom, I never heard of it then. And all of the years that I was in the California, I never ever heard of it there either!!

I like the concept!! It's quite intriguing, and seems like a doable concept. Just have to warm up to the concept. Change might be good for me in this concept because I've always rented a bare space, and spend quite a bit to make ready for the Grand Opening Day. My dojo in Tulsa had something that my other 2 didn't have...Retail Space in the form of a MA Supply Store!!

Danielle, you're across the sea's in the UK, how wide spread is this concept, if at all in the UK?. I like what the landlord decided to save him costs to suit new tenants in renovating the space; quite clever and frugal; to me, this is smart.

Now I'm wondering, out of curiosity, just how global this concept is where the MA is being taught??

Tomorrow, I've more questions to each of the landlords about this concept. How many MA schools have occupied said space? How long have you been Renting Dojo space? Etc.!!

[Spartacus Maximus]

From what I heard, this is not a rare thing. If you are unable for whatever reason to have your own exclusive space, it might be to your advantage to make a deal with another school. The first dojo I trained in owned the space but the instructor accepted a renting deal with a jujitsu school who used our dojo on different days. Another instructor I know rented a space from another school and eventually remained the only tenant after the other one moved out a few years later. I would try it because it's easier than buying and cheaper than transforming a place and fixing it up for the purpose. Getting along with whoever is there might take some negotiations, but it's worth it.

[Nidan Melbourne]

No I haven't seen a Dojo for Rent before. Very interesting concept though.

We rent a space but we have to bring our own mats but have to pack them up at the end of classes.

[sensei8]

Hhhhmmm, interesting!! Thank you both, Spartacus Maximus and Nidan Melbourne!! Possibly, I've not lived under that rock after all, just zoned into what I was doing with my other dojo's, therefore, paying attention to other things.

[Wastelander]

I've seen some "dojo for rent" ads on Craigslist here in Arizona, although they often say "dojo/dance studio for rent." Generally, they are spaces that started off as commercial spaces that were rented out by someone to teach dance or martial arts, and they reached a point where they could no longer pay and were evicted. Rather than sell off all the stuff inside, the owners just leave it and rent it out as a pre-equipped space.

[sensei8]

I've seen some "dojo for rent" ads on Craigslist here in Arizona, although they often say "dojo/dance studio for rent." Generally, they are spaces that started off as commercial spaces that were rented out by someone to teach dance or martial arts, and they reached a point where they could no longer pay and were evicted. Rather than sell off all the stuff inside, the owners just leave it and rent it out as a pre-equipped space.

Thanks, Noah! I've got to get out more often...sheech!!

[ShoriKid]

Sensei8, don't feel bad sir. I haven't heard about something like this until I read these posts. Weird! I can't wrap my head around a fully furnished dojo ready to rent, just add students.