A School with a View

[Tainan Mantis]

I am looking at two locations, similar in most aspects. One big difference is that one school has windows going the length of the school so that there is mucho visibility of the class from the busy 2 lane street.

The 2nd location you have to walk inside to see the actual training area. I would think that the first option would be better, but I would like to hear about your experience on why one might be better than the other.

One of the reasons that I ask is that the buiding with good classroom visibility from the street just had a MA school go out of business there.

While the other location had built up so many students that the 2600 sq feet was too small.

[Oso]

i think location can be important but to compare the success and failure of those two schools you would have to have a lot more data that you may not be able to aquire.

and, i think, convenience of location (as in: how hard is it to drive there) and parking can be more important than windows or no windows.

[WinterPalm]

Just remember that there will be homeless people and drunks and/or kids out there making faces and distracting your class. I'd take the hidden away one...however, the other elements alluded to by Oso should take precedence.

[MasterKiller]

Location, size, and rent are the biggest factors I would consider. If those things are all equal, take the one that needs the less prep work before you can start training.

I don't think having a lot of windows does anything except allow window shoppers to look at you while you train. In fact, it might be more beneficial if people actually have to walk in to see what's going on because then you at least get to talk to them.

I keep my windows covered because A) my classes are not for the entertainment of others and B) some students seem to get anxious when people are watching them and I want to limit distractions.

[sanjuro_ronin]

i think location can be important but to compare the success and failure of those two schools you would have to have a lot more data that you may not be able to aquire.

and, i think, convenience of location (as in: how hard is it to drive there) and parking can be more important than windows or no windows.

Parking, parking and parking.
Did I mention Parking?

[Oso]

I like the private approach as well but have had window frontage on both places I've been in...and have had some real *******s do some stupid **** too

I've like the new gym space we've been in because it's a- huge and b- downstairs away from the main workout areas...but, now they are talking about changing things around and putting powerlifting downstairs and creating a new class room upstairs...not sure how I feel about it.

[TenTigers]

well, considering Tiger Schullman always has schools with windows looking onto the training floor, I would say go with the windows. TS seems to know exactly what it takes to do well financially in the Martial Arts industry, and is the benchmark for all other schools.

[Oso]

well, considering Tiger Schullman always has schools with windows looking onto the training floor, I would say go with the windows. TS seems to know exactly what it takes to do well financially in the Martial Arts industry, and is the benchmark for all other schools.

dat's true

[sanjuro_ronin]

well, considering Tiger Schullman always has schools with windows looking onto the training floor, I would say go with the windows. TS seems to know exactly what it takes to do well financially in the Martial Arts industry, and is the benchmark for all other schools.

Who ?
never heard of him.

[David Jamieson]

Who ?
never heard of him.

because his brand of school doesn't operate in canada.

the closest thing to it is the cheesy variety of tkd joints you see popping all over the place. belts and tests and black belt 9 year olds etc etc. that sort of thing.

it's ok as a starting point, but it's really quite generic

[Lucas]

windows gives the opportunity for actual martial artists to 'spy' on what you are doing, which can help them decide if they even want to walk in the door.

I can tell you from seeing what some guys are doing through the windows, I'm glad they helped me save my time by not having to go in.


though the private situation will be more comfortable for people actually training....


again though, its not a bad thing to learn how to work through distractions when training. fighting is one big distraction.

[sanjuro_ronin]

because his brand of school doesn't operate in canada.

the closest thing to it is the cheesy variety of tkd joints you see popping all over the place. belts and tests and black belt 9 year olds etc etc. that sort of thing.

it's ok as a starting point, but it's really quite generic

Like Villari?

[David Jamieson]

sure, or the billion tkd schools all over the gta.

...of which perhaps 1 or 2 are quite decent and the rest are belt mills for human puppies.

[golden arhat]

Just remember that there will be homeless people and drunks and/or kids out there making faces and distracting your class. I'd take the hidden away one...however, the other elements alluded to by Oso should take precedence.

it could help people with confidence issues tho

e.g performing under pressure or with otuhers watching which can do alot to a person and to their martial ability

[TenTigers]

actually, not like Villari at all. They have a MMA curriculum, where to qualify for rank-which is awarded in class without formal testing, but on the Sensei's observation, is based on specific amount of hours in three catagories: core-which is drills and bag/pad training and s.d., Kickboxing, which is with leg kicks, and submission grappling. Tiger schullman was a Kyokushin guy-look up Danny Schullman. Of course, they charge an arm and a leg-but..it's based on buying a block of hours. So, if you take more classes, you eat up more hours. If you need help in grappling, yuo take more classes, which amounts to more dollars spent. It makes sense, but it ain't cheap. To this, he opens up in high visability strip malls with good anchor stores, in affluent neighborhoods. He does extensive demographic and market research, his teachers are well trained, his staff-especially his porgram directors are very well trained.
Only people who are in the system can own a school. No silent partners, no outside investors.

[EarthDragon]

interesting question Taninan,

If you are deciding only on the twe facts in your orginal question then............

as a bouncer of night clubs for years... the super always busy clubs WANTED windws to show off how busy and popular they were. this would be great if your clases are always packed.

the clubs that had dead or slow nights wanted you to pay the cover before you went through the darkness to find out there was no one theres after you were already in..

we are on a very busy main Ave. When I have a packed full class I open the blinds all the way to show this is the place to train... same goes with slow classes OR private lessons..
the blinds are shut.. no one knows those lessons are private when the peek in or drive by.....

why would someone eat at a resurtant with no cars or people sitting inside...

[Tainan Mantis]

Thanks all for your tips, advice and points of view.

This morning I read everything, then my wife and I went to look at the school with little windows.

My wife liked the school better. On taking a look at it she believes that a part of its success was do to the feng shui of the lay out.

I liked the design since it was already set up as a MA school.

windows gives the opportunity for actual martial artists to 'spy' on what you are doing, which can help them decide if they even want to walk in the door.

I can tell you from seeing what some guys are doing through the windows, I'm glad they helped me save my time by not having to go in.

My feelings and experience matches this.

[sanjuro_ronin]

sure, or the billion tkd schools all over the gta.

...of which perhaps 1 or 2 are quite decent and the rest are belt mills for human puppies.

All too true, sadly.

[EarthDragon]

Hey kevin,
you should have just mentioned which school your wife liked in the first place.. would could have saved a lot of typing .. LOL

you know they have the final say on everything we do, they just let us think we can make our own decisions .. be well....... good luck with the school.

[Reverend Tap]

Just as an aside, having a windowless school is no guarantee against people messing with your class. The WC school I went to was basically hidden in a basement, and at one point we had like three or four fully-costumed "ninjas" run in, jump around and do all the crazy faux-Bruce Lee noises, then run off. Just a bit more distracting than having people making faces through the window. :p

Of course, at my present school the big windows fog up so quickly they're pretty much only useful during warmups.

[Lucas]

next time kill the ninjas!