Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley and Jeff Amerine sit down with Patrick Randall, Fallon Cardoza, and Jason Lam, co-founders of Boulders and Brews. Boulders and Brews is a coffee shop and rock-climbing gym with a clear mission: Growing the NWA climbing community and helping climbers of all skills grow by providing a premier indoor climbing facility that embodies the climbing atmosphere with an open, welcoming environment for new climbers. Throughout the episode, the crew discusses turning an old Piggly Wiggly into a bouldering gym, learning to pivot and adapt, and creating a safe space and culture for the climbing community and Boulders and Brews’ staff.
Show Notes
(0:58) Patrick’s Origin Story
(2:51) Fallon’s Origin Story
(3:27) Jason’s Origin Story
(5:06) Each Parter’s Role
(8:44) Choosing a Dickson Street Location
(11:21) Investing in Arkansas’s Climbing Culture
(14:57) Learning to Pivot and Adapt
(18:10) Dealing with Vendor Issues
(21:07) Curating a Safe Space for Customers to Enjoy
(23:05) Boulders and Brews’ Burgioning Company Culture
(25:38) Climbing’s Barrier to Entry
(28:47) Creating a Gym That’s Convenient for Students
(31:41) Outreach and Events
(37:03) Advice to the Younger Self
Links
Quotes
“…We’ll bring some health and fitness back. So adding that diversity to Dickson Street I think is really helpful for the community—and exposing the sport to people from all walks of life that would never be interested in climbing, but since it’s in the right location, they’re like, ‘Alright, I’ll maybe give it a shot.’” – Patrick Randall, (10:59)
“We actually have the mecca of outdoor climbing two hours away from us in Jasper—Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. People from all over the world come to develop routes here in Arkansas. It’s such a great beginner place for people to be able to go out. All the anchors and everything is fixed and ready for you. I mean, it’s right in our backyard.” – Fallon Cardoza, (11:51)
“It’s been magical to go into the space and watch people enjoy the safe space that we intentionally created for them to walk into and feel safe and feel happy and feel like they have a community away from their home…I’m told almost daily that people feel all of these really great positive things, and being able to know that we were attributed to that is so reassuring. And it’s beautiful to know that we created that for them.” – Fallon Cardoza, (21:20)
“…Everything that’s inside the gym is great, but it’s only a vessel. Your business is the community.” – Patrick Randall, (21:55)
“I’m looking at our life as a whole, like what is important to us—our friends, our family, the big picture type thing. So when you look at risk in that regard, it’s like, okay, starting this business isn’t as scary because the risk versus reward is a lot higher. So I would tell my younger self to just take the risk and not wait as long as I did.” – Fallon Cardoza, (37:42)
“I guess if I were to go back in time and before starting this journey, I would tell myself to think bigger. Shoot for bigger because at some point, we’re going to max out our location and we’re going to have to find another one. And maybe it would’ve been easier if we just started with a bigger location, but obviously there is risk to that.” – Jason Lam, (40:18)
A Successful Business That Started as a Backyard Idea
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley and Jeff Amerine sit down with Patrick Randall, Fallon Cardoza, and Jason Lam, co-founders of Boulders and Brews. Boulders and Brews is a coffee shop and rock-climbing gym with a clear mission: Growing the NWA climbing community and helping climbers of all skill levels grow by providing a premier indoor climbing facility that embodies the climbing atmosphere with an open, welcoming environment for new climbers. Throughout the episode, the crew discusses turning an old Piggly Wiggly into a bouldering gym, learning to pivot and adapt, and creating a safe space and culture for the climbing community and Boulders and Brews’ staff.
“…We’ll bring some health and fitness back. So adding that diversity to Dickson Street I think is really helpful for the community—and exposing the sport to people from all walks of life that would never be interested in climbing, but since it’s in the right location, they’re like, ‘Alright, I’ll maybe give it a shot.’” – Patrick Randall, (10:59)
Climbing Is on the Rise
Located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, Fayetteville and the greater Northwest Arkansas area is home to several booming communities that revolve around common interests in outdoor sports. Whether it’s cycling, mountain biking, or rock climbing, you don’t have to look far to find a group of people waiting to welcome you into their sporting community.
Arkansas’s rock climbing roots run deep. With climbing hotspots like Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, Sam’s Throne, and Mt. Magazine, the state has attracted some of the world’s most famous climbers, including Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell, two of the climbers featured in the hit movie Free Solo. Though the interest in Arkansas rock climbing might have dipped slightly since its peak, organizations and businesses like Boulders and Brews are doing everything in their power to grow the region’s climbing community and reclaim its place as one of the best rock climbing regions in the nation.
“We actually have the mecca of outdoor climbing two hours away from us in Jasper—Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. People from all over the world come to develop routes here in Arkansas. It’s such a great beginner place for people to be able to go out. All the anchors and everything is fixed and ready for you. I mean, it’s right in our backyard.” – Fallon Cardoza, (11:51)
Creating a Safe Space for the Climbing Community
So far, Boulders and Brews’ mission to grow Arkansas’s climbing community has been a success, and this is due in no small part to the environment the team has created at the gym. Fallon, Patrick, and Jason are focused on lowering the barrier of entry and creating a safe, supportive environment for climbers both new and experienced.
“It’s been magical to go into the space and watch people enjoy the safe space that we intentionally created for them to walk into and feel safe and feel happy and feel like they have a community away from their home…I’m told almost daily that people feel all of these really great positive things, and being able to know that we were attributed to that is so reassuring. And it’s beautiful to know that we created that for them.” – Fallon Cardoza, (21:20)
With members that hang out at the gym from open to close drinking coffee, climbing routes, and working remotely, it’s clear that Boulders and Brews is well on its way to achieving its mission.
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