Two avid climbers believe they have discovered a business opportunity that would cater to traveling outdoors enthusiasts who come to Chattanooga to hike, climb, paddle, hang-glide or bike.
College friends Max Poppel and Dan Rose moved to Chattanooga from the Boston area to take advantage of the great climbing here about six years ago. They said they noticed something was missing right away and a couple of years ago started talking about fixing the shortcoming.
"Most of the great climbing spots in the country have a hub or a center where climbers gather," Rose said. "Chattanooga does not, which is unusual because of its size and everything that is here to do."
Some of those spots are primitive campsites or buildings that provide inexpensive lodging and other amenities, but mainly they are a place for like-minded outdoors enthusiasts to gather and share stories and information, Poppel said.
The two are partnering to build The Crash Pad - An Uncommon Hostel on property they have purchased behind Neidlov's on Main Street. They are in the process of getting final permits and hope construction will begin on the building in the next couple of weeks, with opening day in late winter.
Bed rates will range between $25 and $60, according to Poppel.
The two said they have traveled to many of the climbing centers and visited other hostels and discovered a couple of key elements, which they believe they can address by building a new structure utilizing precast concrete.
"The biggest issue is noise," Rose said. "Most of them are built in old houses, and while you get a cool vibe, they are very noisy. You hear people climbing the stairs, turning over in bed, walking around. We are having our bunk beds custom-made so they won't squeak."
The other big issue is cleanliness.
"If the bathroom is dirty, people won't come back, and that is the first thing we mention on our website - 'spotless bathrooms,' " said Poppel. "It will be clean."
The budding entrepreneurs said they also hope to partner with other businesses and events around town that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
The website for their new venture is www.crashpadchattanooga.com.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.
An Uncommon Hostel
The 5,000-square-foot, two-story building will be precast concrete. It will feature 30 beds - six private rooms with queen-size beds, 12 twin-size bunk beds. The main floor will be divided into three sections with a kitchen/living area, male and female bath/shower and sleeping area. The second floor will mirror the first with an owner's apartment replacing the kitchen/living area.
The owners say they are working to have it certified under Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design guidelines.