CLASSIC HANDYMAN CHARLOTTE DEPLOYMENT

The office location saga continues. I need to find a space for the business. The dilemma is choosing between retail space in a great location and office space in a not-so-great location. I cannot find any precedent to justify placing a handyman business in a retail strip mall. There seem to be a lot of benefits such as:
1. Spillover traffic
2. Proximity to the home center
3. Visibility to potential customers and employees
4. Amenities for employees (neighboring restaurants, etc.)

But the handyman business is a business of taking care of a home's to-do lists. It is more than repair and maintenance of one singular small job. The opportunity is to provide comprehensive home management services, a services portfolio if you will. Also, the nature of the office functions are:
1. Job dispatch center
2. Planning/scheduling center
3. Small workshop
4. Minimal inventory
5. Disposal of removed/replaced items.
6. Personnel interviewing and training

So, the question remains "Is there a tangible benefit from location in a retail strip center?" Also, "What are the drawbacks to location in a strip mall?"

The drawbacks include:
1. Cost ($1500/month)
2. Having to configure space that was set up for a product delivery business.
3. No covered vehicle parking.
4. Problems disposing of waste
5. Possible noise to the neighbors
6. Distractions

CLASSIC HANDYMAN CHARLOTTE

I spent today with a commercial real estate broker checking out properties from uptown to Pineville. Couldn't really find the right combination of facility with good frontage. The best place I found was in a bad part of town where I will get no walk-ins. But it was cheapest ($750) and allowed a sign with frontage on I-77. Still, I think I need some kind of warehouse space in a better part of town. Today I will look down in Pineville near Hebron Road.

JOHN TANNER SPRINT TRIATHLON RESULTS

I did the JT sprint tri as a kind of warmup race before the big one (Blackwater Eagleman) on 6/8/03. My results were not very impressive. Basically, I blew it on all 3 segments, but especially on the run. My run pace was 9:01 although I know it was about 8:36 on the first, flat, mile. So the last two miles were even worse. I probably lost about a good minute getting into my bike shoes, which I had clipped onto my pedals. I actually had to stop after leaving the transition area, unclip, put the shoes on, then clip back in. The swim was crowded and I could never really get into a rhythm because I kept running into bodies. The bike course was hilly and I really felt the pounds I haven't lost yet. All in all it was a mediocre performance at best but I know what I need to work on for Blackwater.