Posted onMay 29, 2025|Comments Off on I LOVE THE MOVIES!!!
The smell of buttered popcorn, the cool sensation of frosty Pepsi in my mouth, and an afternoon of escape into a new and exciting world, this is what the movies meant to me. As a kid, I spent endless hours on these magical, plush red seats.
For years, cinemas were our first and most affordable choice for entertainment. Movies were the anchor for some of the best retail in the United States, aping the days when we went downtown for all our entertainment, be it a shopping trip, a movie, a delicious dinner at our favorite restaurant or maybe even a play. While many of us are not old enough to remember those days, they are certainly the model for modern entertainment districts.
Not surprisingly, the Pandemic, streaming, and other technology that allows entertainment and games in the palm of our hands have significantly affected the cinema industry. The North American Box Office Gross (NABOG) in 2023 and 2024 was between $8.5-$9.0 Billion, a drop from the Pre-Pandemic era of $11-$12 billion or approximately 70%. But even before the pandemic, NABOG was not growing, but hovering, as shown below:
Source: BoxOfficeMojo.com by IMDbPro and JB Research Company
In the last 40 years, 1984-2024, compound annual growth rate of cinema revenue has been 2.8%, while the population of the U. S. has increased only 1.0% on the same basis. As a reference, the North American Amusement and Theme Park gross revenue increased at a rate of 5.0% per annum in the past 26 years. Remember, inflation has been 2.6% in the past 26 years, so the real rate of growth is 2.4% for Amusement and Theme Parks. Adjusted for inflation (2.6% for the past 40 yrs.), cinemas revenue has been fairly stagnant in the period. This is a somewhat disappointing point of view.
What are a few of the reasons for stagnation, even prior to the Pandemic:
Technology, including television even before streaming became available to all.
Shifts in consumer behavior and preferences
Shifting Demographics, including the aging of the U. S. population
The availability of quality film product and again, preferences of the moving going public
Over screening
With all of this disappointing news, there are some bright spots on the horizon. First, theaters are seeking to change the business model. While almost half of cinema revenue still comes from ticket sales, other revenue streams are growing. Some new points of differentiation include:
The availability of premium large format screens
Enhanced seating
Enhanced Food and Beverage, including the highly profitable sale of alcoholic beverages
Adoption of theaters as public assembly facilities offering opportunities for live events, gaming, sports, opera, kids movies and other programming.
I grew up going to the movies as a special treat. In my heart, I hope that theaters can evolve with the times and remain as sparkling, special places where one can lose oneself in a special environment for a few hours. Lord knows we need these safe escapes in our very chaotic world!
Posted onJanuary 27, 2025|Comments Off on Exploring Boomer Spending Trends: Insights for Marketers
Unlocking the Spending Power of Boomers
Americans are a diverse group, and their spending reflects it beautifully. Look at the picture above and the chart below and you will discover that Boomers spend the lowest of overall per capita, but they rival Millennials in their entertainment spending. Yet when you casually observe advertising in any format, digital or print, you rarely see a senior enjoying themselves on an adventure tour, or on an expensive trip to a theme park. Doesn’t make sense!
The percentage of global population by demographic cohort and estimated spending shows a similar situation:
Generation
Share of population (2024)
Global spending (2024)
Gen Alpha
19.5%
10.6%
Gen Z
24.6%
17.1%
Millennials
22.9%
22.5%
Gen X
18.3%
23.5%
Baby Boomers
12.1%
20.8%
Greatest and Silent Generation
2.6%
5.5%
Understanding these percentages assists in understanding the social and economic impacts that each generation has on our industry.
When comparing the population percentages with spending percentages, the following observations can be made:
Baby Boomers: Although they make up 12.1% of the population, their spending represents 20.8%, highlighting their substantial economic influence.
Millennials: Represent 22.5% of the population and their spending is almost the same.
Gen X: Consist of 18.3% of the population but account for 23.5% of spending. This generation shows a higher spending power relative to their population size.
These comparisons reveal that while some generations may have a smaller population size, their economic impact through spending can be disproportionately large, reflecting their purchasing power and consumption patterns.
Boomers, despite being the lowest in overall per capita spending, rival Millennials in entertainment expenditures. They enjoy expensive vacations, gifts for family, and trips abroad, highlighting their substantial economic influence in the entertainment sector.
How often do you see an ad for anyone over 65 doing anything but taking drugs? But they have money and spend money on expensive vacations, gifts for their family, and trips abroad.
If you are concerned about your return on investment and you are in the entertainment field, why aren’t you pitching to this group? Just common sense, don’t you agree?
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Posted onJanuary 12, 2025|Comments Off on Reviving Community – New Trends in Location Based Entertainment
Now more than ever, we need places for people to congregate and connect. With every lifestyle, regional, and community center showing big empty spaces from tenants that have gone dark (due to Covid-related loss) or just bad management and strategy, innovation is the key to rebranding and renewed Covid has been catastrophic for business with major shutdowns and the explosion of e-commerce.
But some things can’t be replaced, and I believe will never be replaced, such as the need for connection and communal gathering places. The isolation and emancipation screens bring for young and old elicits a more urgent need for human contact. As good designers, developers and owners, we can provide interesting, exciting and innovative experiences, and we can bring visitors back to our shopping centers.
The genres of new concepts are as old as the shopping centers themselves and as new as technology will allow. Here are some of the notable Location Based Entertainment (LBE’s) we think are reinventing the genres.
Eataly
Eataly is the delicious Italian gourmet food market/food court on steroids, with 10 locationsin the United States, including New York and Los Angeles.
Eataly is a global operator in Italian food, offering a concept combining high-end Italian food restaurant with retail.
Eataly’s business model was built around the “eat-shop-learn” concept, offering consumers globally a selection of high-quality Italian restaurants and retail experiences with an overwhelming variety of the finest Italian local “specialties” often impossible to buy abroad.
Eataly operates 27 directly operated flagship stores (14 in Italy, 10 in North America and 3 in Europe) and 26 franchised stores located in the Asia Pacific countries and Middle Eastern region, generating revenues of over €800 million globally (including franchise store sales). This indicates average store sales of £15 million per location.
Eatertainment and Sports
I hate the word Eatertainment, but it has become common in our lexicon. The concept involves combining eating and drinking with fun, sports and games. Anything from baseball to golf to bowling to curling (yes, curling!) are tapped to be themes for these venues, which fit nicely into a retail or mixed-use project.
The first class includes many new restaurants which offer simulators for popular sports such as golf and Formula 1 car racing. Top Golf is the most popular sports themed venue with the highest number of units and top grossing sales per unit of the new sports/food/beverage concepts. This concept combines golf simulators and games with food and beverage. The company offers more than 100 plus units with total sales of almost $1.8 billion, average sales per unit of $17-$18 million on newer units sized at approximately 65,000 square feet. Gross margins are known to be about 40%, indicating an EBDITA of $6.8 million. With an industry standard payback of four years, this indicates a warranted investment of more than $27 million, or $415 per square foot. This is the most proven and mature business model of the sports/food & beverage models.
Other models include:
F1 Arcade is based on iconic Formula One racetracks and is offered in Boston, Washington DC, Las Vegas and London. Featuring craft cocktails and seafood, Kobe beef, and bar fare with an upscale theme, the venue allows entrance to customers from 7 years of age and older. The Boston unit is approximately 16,000 square feet. Kindred Concepts, the parent company, recently raised $130 million in financing for expansion.
Camp Pickle is scheduled to debut in Denver and Tulsa in 2025. This new attraction will be like an old-time summer camp, the kind your grandparents attended. Of course, Pickle Ball is the theme, and food beverage and other activities are offered.
Spin is a concept created by Susan Sarandon in New York in 2009, themed on competitive ping pong. With locations in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington DC, the menu provides farm to table, locally sourced food. Units range in size from 4,000-12,000 square feet, fitting nicely into a shopping center configuration.
SixesSocial Cricket offers competition in a sport that many Americans know nothing about… Cricket, with karaoke offered as backup! The food is said to be excellent, featuring typical bar-fare. Bookings include an adjoining table for food and beverage. The first U.S. unit is in Dallas at the Colony.
Goodsurf is an 8,000 square foot sports restaurant based on surf simulator technology that allows waves to be created by machines, taking much less space than a typical wave pool. Food offerings include burgers, fries, vegetarian options, and ice cream for the kids. The first location is in Dallas.
Flight Club is a high-tech dart simulation game with seven units located in the United States in Las Vegas, Denver, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Boston, and Chicago. The food offerings are gourmet versions of flat breads, tacos, salads and fries. The newest unit is in Denver at 10,000 square feet, close to Coors Field and the Ball Arena.
Culture
My favorite in this category is Meow Wolf, which began in 2008 as a collective of anarchic artists in Santa Fe (NM). It offers interactive installations, each with a different theme. The attraction offers six locations including Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Houston, Washington, and Denver. Each location has a different immersive art theme with hundreds of storytellers from throughout the world and local artists’ features.
The newest and largest store is located in Denver and features more than 70 immersive attractions in 90,000 square feet. (The Houston location is only 32,000 square feet.) Convergence Station, as it is called, is a multiversal travel experience between four alien worlds, inspired by the location near two freeway overpasses.
The newest store is scheduled to open in 2026 and is in final lease negotiations that will bring a Meow Wolf exhibition to West Los Angeles. The location is a vacant movie theater complex. The theme will be cinema. Meow Wolf’s move into its largest market yet is intended as a statement piece, a declaration that weirdness and art-focused ventures still have a place in an immersive economy that’s been racked by closures and layoffs, Meow Wolf included.
In April, Meow Wolf announced it would cut 165 employees. Exhibitions in Denver and Las Vegas were heavily affected.
General admission is $40 for adults and $35 for children and passes are available. The business model is based on buying/leasing low value properties in subsidy rich locales.
Destruction LBE’s
Can we talk about Las Vegas, the lab for all new location-based entertainment? How about Dig This, with an admission price of almost $205? This is a wrecking lot with real earth-moving machines, caterpillar D5Ks, bulldozers, and mini excavators. With instructions being the first step, a neon yellow vest and a hard hat are provided with in-cab training. Then, you get turned loose to wreck real things like a car! This is about the most male-oriented attraction of those researched!
Adventure and Technology Driven Formats
Location based virtual reality is a whole world unto itself with a following that includes mostly young boys and men. But the industry is making a Location Based-Social interaction with games to engage the consumer in a community experience. Some of the themes include war, exploration, and adventure. Research shows that female consumers are loving some of these group games, those that don’t require you to keep a body count!
(Now maybe I’m old-fashioned, but explain this to me. A whole bunch of your friends put things over their eyes where they can’t see each other nor speak to each other, nor touch each other. These are group games that seem to me to be a totally weird way to connect. Just this consultant’s opinion, but I think we have lost our way in terms of entertainment value and the sense of connection that is required to be human!)
Still, one concept is killing it!
Sandbox VR is a location-based concept out of the UK and Ireland, with two locations in the UK (one in London, one in Birmingham), and 31in the United States. Of these, seven are in California, one in Chandler (AZ) and another in Mall of America (MN). The average spend is £37 in the UK and $55 in the United States. The UK locations earn between $1.9-$2.6 million, with an EBITDA of 35%. Capital expenditure on the equipment ranges from $500,000-$750,000. Buildout of the average 5,000-6,000 sqft location ranges from $1.5-$3.0 million, cost of which is borne by the lease and/or can be negotiated with the landlord. The games are story driven and can change constantly. Collaborations with Netflix and Paramount are planned to provide content.
At the writing of this blog, Sandbox VR launched a game based on Netflix’s Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon.” This experience has players “gear up with their fellow rebels for battle against the ruthless forces of the Motherworld’s military,” per the game’s description. “Inspired by the vision of legendary director Zack Snyder, players become members of the resistance and are transported to the planet of Daggus, descending through skyscrapers, streets, and a subterranean mine while they defeat enemy soldiers and spacecraft.”
With the development of operating economics reported, this is one of the first VR experiences to complete a “proof of concept” and earn economic industry-standard return.
Intellectual Properties
My favorite location-based entertainment center based on an IP is the Crayola Experience. This format is based on (what else) the iconic Crayola Brand, with the flagship attraction in Easton (PA), where the factory and headquarters are located. At 65,000 square feet, and with lots of colorful activities to do, the attraction boasts an adult/child entry fee of $26.99. Other locations include Chandler (AZ), Bloomington (MN), Orlando (FL), and Plano (TX). Activities offered are very creative such as the Activities Studio, The Cartoon Creator, and the Adventure Lab.
In 2022, the brand began a licensing concept. The growth strategy presented in 2022 includes extending the location-based entertainment footprint domestically and internationally. “We are now looking to develop licensing partnerships that bring new capital and expertise to accelerate our LBE expansion, particularly internationally where local market access and expertise are important,” said Victoria Lozano, Executive Vice President Digital Strategy, GM Attractions & Retail for Crayola.
The first Crayola Experience opened 25 years ago as The Crayola Factory in Easton (PA). Crayola saw an opportunity in LBE and in 2013 reimagined the downtown attraction as Crayola Experience. The company also owns and operates Crayola Experiences in Orlando (FL), at the Mall of America in Bloomington (MN), in Plano (TX), and in Chandler (AZ). With venues ranging from 20,000-60,000 square feet, Crayola Experience engages more than 1.5 million kids and adults annually in activities inspired by/and incorporating proprietary Crayola products and technologies.
Crayola is continuing to develop creative concepts that will help scale its events and exhibitions LBE business. Early this year, Crayola debuted IdeaWorks at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute, a traveling exhibition encouraging families to explore innovation, invention and design thinking. The company also collaborated with OceanX, a global ocean exploration nonprofit, on a national takeover tour of the Crayola Experience venues that began this summer and runs through summer 2022.
Other notable concepts of IP-based LBE’s include the LEGO Discovery Centers, branded popup retail locations with characters such as Barbie and Peppa Pig. Today, studios and other IP owners are monetizing their brands by creating places where their properties can be owned or licensed out to the LBE owner. One great example is MONOPOLY LIFESIZED, created by Habro (self-explanatory), and Sony has opened a division to license its intellectual properties for developers.
Other retail pop-ups with a brand LBE include Hello Kitty pop-up cafes, the Rolling Stones pop-ups, and the Barbie branded sales areas at Selfridges in London.
Conclusion
Most of the examples presented must continue proof of concept and financial goals. We hope many will stand the test of time and blossom to enrich our industry!
What are your favorites? Let us know, we always love your input and experiences!
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Posted onMay 2, 2024|Comments Off on Museums Are Telling Stories That Need to be Told
We need a new word for “museum” which calls to mind blank white walls with paintings created by old white men depicting gorgeous scenes of beautiful ladies sitting waterside with flowers and picnics. Don’t get me wrong, these are pleasing images and I love looking at them. But it turns out their interest and subjects leave out about 90% of the population in the world.
The world has changed. The arts are a reflection of our society and our cultural mores. And baby, “the times they are a changin”. In response, museums are listening to the outcry. The modern audience is new, fresh, young, black, brown, yellow, LBGTQ, female, elder, street-wise, colorful! They want to hear about music, history, life-experience, and feeling they understand, both within (or without) the walls of our institutions.
While museums are normally thought of as staid and conservative, our most progressive institutions, those that have realized they must change or perish, are singing a new song. They are changing the location, experience, design, subject, and setting. They are ENGAGING new audiences.
Last week’s New York Times offered two sections on Museums. “More to see, do and feel -Museums are striving to expand the experiences of their visitors.” Rock on, I say. Some examples:
Christopher Wool decided that because galleries are so staid and expected, he would show his famous and very expensive sculptures in a raw industrial space within an office building in Manhattan. He says in an interview that “Imperfection is the goal. You get tension with imperfection and small amounts of chaos in these pieces, which is strengthened by how unfinished and raw the space is.”
All over the United States from San Francisco, Charleston, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, and Philadelphia, new museums are exploring outdoor spaces as an integral part of the experience. They are creating welcoming, collaborative spaces, where guests feel inspired and also engulfed by beauty. Landscaping and sculptures, street furniture, water, wind are melded together to form an alchemy of stories in these outdoor spaces, which are not gardens, by any stretch of the imagination.
In North Miami, the story of Haiti’s troubled history and a personal story of Manuel Mathleu, the exhibition’s creator, is told through paintings and ceramics, many of which depict violence and tumult.
At the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, industrial history is the subject of a huge exhibition, as part of the Forum Series. The exhibition, a collaboration with Maria Watt and The Poetry Collection utilizes glass, steel and blankets as the materials of her creations
In this tumultuous time of political, racial and ethnic polarization and violence, college protests have become a real campus issue. In the spirit of encouraging calm and empathetic behavior, ten college museums are collaborating on one simple activity voting. Sculptures at the University of Oregon in Eugene provide a deep dive into the false depiction of society in a Norman Rockwell painting.
Mental illness s the subject of a new exhibition at the Mississippi of Art through a display of “What Became of Dr. Smith, a 122-foot long painting of Noal Saterstrom exploring is great-grandfather’s 40-year travails in the Mississippi State Insane Hospital. Among other things, he explores his own battles with depression and depersonalization.
This fresh and sometimes disturbing new museum content and form expand human understanding and connection through art, in a time when the world is anything but peaceful. Perhaps this should be the mission of all museums, in hopes that someday soon, it will no longer be so desperately needed.
As I wrote these words, I discovered that these types of new and thoughtful attractions have always formed the basis of my practice. Our body of work includes museums of motion pictures, television arts and sciences, Native American stories, Negro League Baseball, young female empowerment and carousels, to name just a few. I just never thought about it in that way. JB Research Company has always worked on projects for the 90%!
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Posted onDecember 11, 2021|Comments Off on Retail Trends for 2022 and Beyond
As the Christmas shopping season continues and New Year’s is not far behind, our thoughts turn to the what’s next. What is the future of retail? The question is still on everyone’s mind and no one has answered it adequately. That’s because we are not fortunetellers, but we try very hard to predict the future, in spite of our shortcomings.
This week I listened to a podcast from Dana Telsey, a retail expert I greatly admire. She always says things that I think, “Gee, I wish I had said that, and so eloquently.” She talked about the three Ps in understanding and predicting change in the retail marketplace:
Process
Purpose
Profit
I keep thinking about these words and continue to develop insights that are essential for an understanding of the future of retail. Try it. Just think about the words and the application to your particular product, location, experience or store. You will find you are a brilliant prognosticator!
Just for fun, I came up with my own “10 Trends for Retail” that are practical and may help you plan. They are as follows:
Consolidations, bankruptcies and other market adjustments will continue until retail product, market supply and demand are equalized. They are good for the industry as a whole, however painful they may be for affected entities. The U.S. had too much unproductive space before the pandemic.
E-commerce and omni-channel selling of goods and services will continue. These formats work hand in hand with stores. They supply avenues to sell more goods! In this realm, the consumer is king. They have spoken loudly about their preference for convenience and choice. Things like BOPIS, curbside pickup, warehousing and other trends will continue because they are popular and help sell.
Retail THEATER and EXPERENTIAL RETAIL will drive successful locations. It is time we stopped being lazy about our shopping experiences.
Great locations will continue to thrive. A-mall location will evolve into even more mixed-use destinations.
The opportunity for development and deepening of our outdoor/lifestyle formats has never been stronger. We must recognize and acknowledge the essential change in post-pandemic behavior. Consumers require more space indoors and have a preference for being outdoors if possible.
Discounters and “Dollar” stores provide the biggest growth opportunity currently. This is not permanent. These types of retailers always thrive in a recession. (Yes, we are in a recession!)
Cause and purpose are missions to always keep in mind in retail. Millennials prefer products that offer some good to the world.
“Value” is another concept to understand and build into your mission. It does not mean cheap; it means giving the consumer something she treasurers as she shops.
Exurban and suburban locations supply the best opportunities for growth. Keep this in mind as you develop and expand.
Shifting demographics and the concomitant shifts in Process, Purpose and Profit will drive retail development.
Keep these prognostications in mind as you move along with your day, today and tomorrow. Here’s hoping they will help you bring joy and success to you!
Posted onNovember 10, 2021|Comments Off on Are We Ready to be Happy Again?!
Yesterday, I woke up happy. It was raining and my husband was at work, so I was alone in the morning, as usual. My room looked the same – pretty gray walls, pictures of family all around, and my beautiful nude painting on the east wall.
I didn’t notice I was happy right away, and I don’t think anything monumental happened. I just woke up with a sense of optimism. I gotta say, it’s been a while since the sun has shone on our world. And yet in the past few weeks, my world has peeked over the horizon to show a glimmer of normalcy. I think that may have happened with many of you, if I’m reading our situation correctly.
“It’s gonna be OK”, that’s what we’re feeling. We missed so many things in the past 18 months. What have we missed the most? Probably contact and just simple in-person visiting with friends and family. I’m guessing this is a bit like what solitary confinement feels like, where you get accustomed to a lower level of stimulation, of human interaction. We are an amazing species. We are meant to survive, under any and all circumstances. We are a hopeful breed. We keep on keeping on, today and tomorrow.
Simple pleasures. Feeling free. Not caring if a passerby brushes against you. Leaving the house with no fear. Smiling at a stranger on the street. Shopping!!! Dinner with friends. Lunch at Neiman Marcus (well, maybe that one’s not so simple!). And taking Ricky to help out with children and other people who need a lift.
Ricky at Horse Rescue at the Grove
The holidays are upon us. The stores are already dressed up for Christmas, all gold and red and green. They are sparkling and shining and welcoming! This year, we will have 8 weeks of Christmas, and it couldn’t come at a better time. The sun is rising over the horizon and the year of the winter solstice may be over. The economy is improving; the jobs report was good this month; Americans are ready to share their generosity at the holidays and the Pandemic seems to be a bit better. We’re getting back to (the new) normal!
Let us know how you are doing. We always love hearing from you!
Yesterday was the experience of a lifetime. I was privileged to attend one of several days of pre-opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures (AMMP).
But as they say in the movies, here is the backstory.
In 2005, I received a call from the museum coordinator, the only paid employee at the time, to provide a proposal for a feasibility study for a new museum. I had been involved with the feasibility/concept development for the Dolby (Academy) Theater at Hollywood and Highland several years before, so luckily I was on the radar.
When the Academy decided to finally move ahead with the century long museum planning, I got a call. “Can you help us out with the market research and financial feasibility testing of our museum? We don’t know what it is, where it is, or size, but still, can you help us? All we know is that we want it to be the boldest statement ever made on the history and effect of film!” It was the luckiest call of my life!
The director at the time was a brilliant woman, an entertainment business expert and a published fiction writer. She made the job that much more stimulating and creative! We worked with her on many teams hired (many then fired) to provide concept development, site location analysis, market research, and financial feasibility testing.
In all, we did 15 different analyses of multiple sites, configurations, sizes, square footages, models, retail, dining, and ancillary spaces within the museum. First question, “Should it be in Hollywood?” YES of course. You don’t need an expensive consultant to tell you that!
Please note, the museum is not located in Hollywood, because of about a thousand different reasons.
We first looked at the surrounding area of the Academy Library just north of Sunset and Vine, proximate to the Cinerama Dome Theater (closed for now, went out of business). In terms of the macro considerations, and what the world thinks they understand about Hollywood, that is one of the top 5 locations. And for the first five years of this process, that was the site we tested, studied, analyzed, and then amassed the real estate around the site to provide sufficient space for the new museum. This process was ongoing, before we even knew requisite square footage based on market capture, annual attendance, design day attendance and parking needed.
Remember, this is Southern California. No one is going anywhere without their car. It may be changing a bit now because of environmental concerns and traffic, but Angelenos are still in love with their vehicles.
That was the first of many sites studied because of careful planning, management by committee, and economic circumstances, (which included booms and busts, the Bernie Madoff catastrophe with lots of Hollywood money lost), and change in leadership. All in all, the museum cost over $500 million including all the planning efforts, development and hard/soft costs. Not the most expensive museum in the United States, but one of them.
Some of the planning sessions and meetings were lifechanging. I got into an argument with Jon Landis over projected attendance. I got tongue tied in a meeting with Tom Hanks.
One of the earliest concepts, which I believe I came up with in concert with the gentleman who was head of the Hollywood/Highland project, was the “Red Carpet “ or “Oscar” experience, a chance for everyday folks to experience what it is like to walk the red carpet and then win an Oscar. I came from a show business family. I was enamored with the process from the first ceremony I remember watching. It was always an event at my house, with canapés and a hush over the living room when the awards were presented! I always dreamed of going to the Academy Awards.
It’s been a long, hot, dry, summer recently. Seems hard to get excited about much. But I finally found my inspiration last month when I discovered this place.
“This place” is a brand-new horse rescue operation just a few minutes from my home in Napa County, a nascent operation I visited a few weeks ago to see how I could help. I am a horse lover. The smell of manure makes me happy, brings me home. You see, as a child I fell in love with horses, rode many times a week beginning when I was 7 years old. I rode a breed called American Saddle Bred and they are considered “hot,” which means they like to act sorta silly and bucky. Probably from inbreeding. Anyway, I took lessons and got thrown maybe twice a month, landing on my ass or a few times on my head. But it didn’t matter. I loved it, lived for it. So as a grownup, and with the kids grown and grandkids close, but not my responsibility, I find I have more free time on my hands.
And magically, my stars have aligned! Horse Rescue at the Grove (www.horserescueatthegrove.com) is a 501 C3 nonprofit, home of horses that have been abused by their owners, many entering the facility malnourished and depressed. The equine fellas and gals at the rescues operation now are beautiful and while they may have some PTSD, most are really sweet and thankful for food, exercise and attention/petting. They are now available for adoption with donations going to monthly upkeep and care for the wards.
After I met with the proprietress, Antonella a few times, I realized that my role here would not be mucking stalls, although I would do that. What I saw immediately was that I could put my business development skills to work here. It’s what I do, helping new businesses develop plans to realize their goals. In this case, the operation really needs pre-development funding to improve the facility, to secure donations to support the rescues (that now number 7), and to craft a plan to become financially sustainable. It’s what I do, what I’ve done for the last 30 years.
The mission of the organization is to provide a loving home and safe haven for abused horses. But besides caring for the horses, a program for at-risk and abused children to ride and care for the horses is also provided.
Plans for the future include raising capital to buy and develop a bigger and better ranch, add space for more horses, offer a summer day camp for local at-risk youth, and become financially self-sufficient though donations and earned revenue.
Let us know if /how you lost and found your passion/inspiration. Or what you’re doing to make yourself feel better in these extremely trying times!
Posted onApril 27, 2021|Comments Off on The Best Job I Ever Had
Yesterday on the ABC television network, the entire day was devoted to programming of the Academy Awards. This is always one of the most coveted days of the year for me, having grown up in the entertainment business and living in Beverly Hills. I love the stories and the glitz and glamour. The dresses!! The hair, the make-up, the shoes!
This year is especially exciting since the Academy Museum is opening, honoring the legend and legacy of Hollywood films. I am completely humbled and honored to have conducted the market and financial feasibility study for the museum, as it underwent many twists and turns on its road to being born. This is a re-blog of an article I wrote in 2018 and I think it is appropriate today.
“About 16 years ago, I got a call from a perspective client, a newly hired director from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, asking if I would be interested in conducting some market research for a new attraction/museum themed on the Academy Awards. Would I?!?! I had been the one lucky enough to do the work for the Dolby Theater at Hollywood & Highland where the ceremony takes place, so it seemed a good fit and logical that I continue on to do the museum feasibility. But my joy, my heart, for Hollywood, no one knew that! My family had always been in the entertainment business, with my father tangentially involved on the business side, having been a pioneer in the cable television industry. And my aunt was always working for this or that movie star as an executive assistant. I was lucky enough to visit the backlot of 20th Century Fox before it was Century City! I spent countless hours watching movies being filmed, then sitting in theaters watching them roll by me on the big screen.
Would I be interested? Heck, yea!!
Since that time, I have been the consultant called upon to do the background market research, analysis and financial projections for the site selection, sizing and operation of museum. I learned a thing or two during those years. I gained a deep knowledge of large museums and what keeps them thriving; I learned how an endowment can shrink during a deflation; I learned that money earmarked to never-be-touched has a way of disappearing in hard times. And I learned about the conundrum of keeping things fresh so that resident visitors will keep returning time and again. I am thankful that my job always changes and that I always learn, no matter the engagement.
Over the years, we have wrestled with all the issues associated with new development including disagreements about what it should look like, what its mission should be, where it should be sited, who is its targeted audience (please don’t say everyone!), and what’s the best way to keep the project on-time and on-budget. To be clear, these issues are complex and are made more difficult when there are many masters to serve. Still, when the project is to reflect the points of view, hopes, dreams, and legacies of America’s most important cultural export, cinema, careful consideration must be given to each one. “
Last week’s Sunday New York Times reported that as more adults over 50 are vaccinated, and as new rules from the CDC emerge, the renaissance of Boomers leisure-fun times are loosening prohibitions in social behavior.
This market segment is still huge! Currently, approximately 74 million Americans make up the Boomer category, (57 to 75 years), which is approximately 22% of the U.S. population:
BOOMER AGE – 2020 ESTIMATES
Age Range
Population
55-59
21.9
60-64
20.6
65-69
17.5
70-74
14
Total
74.o
Source: U. S. Census Bureau, Statistica & JB Research Company
Many Boomers are still affluent. According to the most current U.S. Census, “Current Population Census 2020,” households in the 55 to 64 group earn $91,687 annually. This compares to the national median of $86,631.
BOOMER MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME – 2020 ESTIMATES
Age Range
Median Household Income
45-54
$105,047
55-64
$91,687
65-74
$74,71
U.S. Overall
$86,631
Source: U. S. Census Bureau 2020, Current Population Census and JB Research Company
Further, Boomers as a whole are the top earners among United States households. They own 53.2% ($59.96 trillion) of US wealth. That’s twice the $28.5 trillion that Gen X holds and 10 times more than Millennials, who hold just 4.6% ($5.19 trillion) of US wealth, as reported by Bloomberg, citing recent Federal Reserve data.
Now, with almost 50% of Americans 65 and over fully vaccinated, older Americans are traveling, attending parties, going to bars and hosting dinner parties. They are sitting by their swimming pools with friends, drinking fruity cocktails and premium wine, and exploring the world once again.
Besides foretelling what’s to come when all Americans who wish to get a vaccine have received one, this party-hearty attitude could signal a roaring 20-ish kind of atmosphere for the foreseeable future. Airline travel is up; retail sales and nonfarm payrolls increased by 379,000 workers in February; and the unemployment rate was 6.2%. Most of the hiring came in the hospitality sector, which saw 355,000 new jobs. This segment is roaring back! The national Retail Federation predicts that 2021 retail sales – excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants – will grow between 6.5% and 8.2% over 2020 to between $4.3 trillion and $4.4 trillion. That could top 2020’s growth of 6.7% (despite the pandemic), which broke the previous record of 6.3% set in 2004.
My husband and I are fully vaccinated. We have seen our grandkids a bunch of times now including visiting poolside on a family vacation.
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