USIndoor's Official Magazine is a quarterly publication, dedicated to owners, managers, program administrators and other professionals, startups and providers involved with indoor recreational sports facilities.
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wanted to retire, so Scott bought the store. "We brought the merchandise to the Center and discovered that there is a mar- ket here for retail, if we sell the specific things our customers need. We don't sell equipment. We sell shoes, shin guards, and socks, and we sell a lot of them." This dis- covery is what led to the shoe business. Scott Schauer and his son Ryan Schauer have started their own shoe company, Calcio USA. "Many centers like ours don't have $10,000.00 for a Nike order or an Adidas order. They don't have that kind of money for the minimum order. Calcio USA will fit the niche of the facility that wants to buy 10, 20, or 50 pairs of shoes." In preparation for starting the company, Scott took part in a Korean trade mission, where entrepreneurs from the United States went to Korea in order to explore their vari- ous ideas for business. Scott met with manufacturers and toured many plants. The same plants that manufacture shoes for major distributors also manufacture shoes for Calcio. Scott put together his own program, style, and name and brought the shoes to the United States to start his own company. Calcio, which means soccer in Italian, is appropriate for this indoor soccer shoe. Not only does the logo look great, the Italian name fits the quality of the product. "We have a quality product, we provide good service, and our price is very competi- tive. We have a shoe that is similar to an $89.00 Nike shoe that we sell for $59.00." Because of Calcio USA, anybody can be in the shoe business. Facility operators were not always able to buy 10 or 20 pairs of shoes in order to supply their customers with what they might need. "We recently opened an account for a facility that is on a tight budget and has never sold merchan- dise before. We brought in a dozen pairs of shoes and, within four days, they ordered another couple dozen because they had already sold their first 12. Things like that are exciting to us. Facility operators will be surprised to find out how many people buy a pair of shoes just because they forgot theirs at home, or because a new style has come out and the price is reasonable." Anyone who runs a center has the oppor- tunity to open a store without having a lot of capital. "We are giving them an oppor- tunity they didn't think they had. Facility operators can buy one pair of shoes in each size of one particular group. For a couple hundred dollars, they're in the shoe busi- ness, and they'll probably double their money in the first week. They don't need to bring in 500 pairs of shoes. We have six different styles. Facility operators could bring in anywhere from 50 to 100 pairs of shoes and have a great selection." Just as Scott's father was an example for Scott, Scott is an example for Ryan. "The shoe company is something I'm doing for my son. He is really the one who will be running it. I'm letting him do the majority of the work and I'm just kind of guiding him. My goal for him is to stay in school and get the education I didn't." Ryan will be starting his sophomore year as a business major at California State University, Northridge. With Ryan running the shoe company, and a capable staff at Santa Clarita Soccer Center, Scott feels free to set out on anoth- er business venture. "I plan on keeping an eye on the Center and spending most of my time in real estate. It's something I've always wanted to do." After enrolling in real estate classes with Ryan, Scott has already passed the real estate exam and list- ed his first home. Scott's father obviously taught him well. "I'm just hoping that one day I can retire as he has, but I'm a long way from that. I haven't reached my goals, and I enjoy doing what I'm doing. The nice thing about being in the indoor soccer business is that I can enjoy going to work everyday. I'm lucky I get to do something I enjoy and make a living doing it." GOAL Indoor • August/September 2003 • 13 S y l v i e G r e I e nn d i os o a . r r e Sg h p u e r l r a u a c @ c n i o l m c o u b ne d t a o n o o i n .t c s s o tf c G aO t A L e m r d .