No time to be 'board' - As new owner of skateboard shop, 15-year-old Henry Schwartz ranks as one of Menomonie's youngest entrepreneurs
By Jim Fine, Correspondent
Monday, May 17, 2004 1:23 PM CDT
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Henry Schwartz (left) points out the unique features of a new skateboard to Brett Biederman (right), 16, of Menomonie. Schwartz is the new owner of Board to Death Skate Shop, located on Third Street in downtown Menomonie. Photo by Jim Fine/for Dunn County News
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Most of us can recall pondering the possibilities of what we might do when we grow up. (And some of us are still at it well into our middle years).
Henry Schwartz, however, is only 15, but he has already gone way beyond pondering. The Menomonie High School freshman is already running his own business.
With inspiration and financial help from his mother, Connie Ross, Schwartz has purchased a local skate board shop. Board to Death Skate Shop opened under the ownership of his limited liability company (LLC) on May 5.
The store offers skateboarding equipment and accessories, including boards, wheels, trucks (wheel carriers, for the un-initiated), shoes, helmets, energy drinks and backpacks as well as skateboarding videos.
Quick response
So how does a 15-year-old high school kid get into his own business?
The purchase of the shop actually came about in a fairly short period of time. It was the result of a conversation on March 1 between Connie Ross and Nate Beranek, then the owner of Board to Death. She says his preference was to sell the shop to someone local like Schwartz who loved skating, even though there was already interest in the shop from buyers outside the area. When Ross spoke about the idea to her son, his response was "Oh my gosh! You mean I could own something of value?"
"After that there was no question that the deal would happen," she said, adding that they received a lot of help, particularly from Bob Bossany, Executive Director of Dunn County Economic Development Corporation, Brent Skinner, a Menomonie attorney, Gary Barnett of the Menomonie Recreation Dept., and the UW-Eau Claire Small Business Development Center.
Connie was also able to draw on personal experience with a small business, having started one of her own at age 19.
Solid plan
Their business plan took into account the positive influence of Menomonie's new Phelan Park skate park and the assumption that this new venue would likely draw potential customers from a wide area, including the Twin Cities and Eau Claire.
As the plan became a reality, Schwartz inventoried all the existing merchandise in the shop and prepared an Excel spreadsheet to track sales and expenses. He has also created his own promotional flyers and business cards.
He says the mission of his new business is to promote skating in as many ways as he can. He also wants to do what he can to bridge the gap between skateboarders and the rest of society.
"A few bad apples have given us a bad rep," Schwartz said.
What's it like from Henry's perspective?
"I'm having a blast," he says. "It's great to have people come out and watch movies and talk about skateboarding."
From his mom's perspective, "It's empowering for Henry," Ross said. "Henry is not afraid to try this. He's experienced a lot already, with the loss of a parent and all the traveling we have done. We have visited 33 countries over the past several years, and Henry has written accounts of our travels that have been published."
What would Henry like to do when he grows up? (Actually, some would say he's pretty grown up already.)
He is aware that this experience will be good preparation for future endeavors, but he's really not sure yet.
"I'm just taking it day by day," he says. "I'm doing this mostly to promote skating."
And there are of course his other interests to consider, including music and hockey. But for now, as his friend Trevor Luepke, 15, of Menomonie points out, "It's cool that one of or friends has a skate shop."
Located at 616 Third St. East in Menomonie, Board to Death Skate Shop is currently open Tuesday-Friday from 3:30-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Starting June 12, Tuesday-Friday hours will be expanded to 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more information, call (715) 231-7758. |
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