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Local News

Saturday, November 28, 2009

He's investing in riverfront property
Hanco EMS
By LOU WILIN

STAFF WRITER

Robert Schuck hopes his new family entertainment center, Pirates Cove, will help revive downtown Findlay and start more development along the Blanchard River.

"Everybody tells me that Findlay needs this," said Schuck, an attorney and Findlay City Council president.

"I hope it will provide family entertainment downtown at a reasonable cost," he said.

Schuck has invested more than $300,000 and a lot of imagination and work toward that end. Pirates Cove opens at 10 a.m. Friday at 230 E. Front St., on the south bank of the river at the former location of Details Auto Spa.

Pirates Cove will offer a "Shiver Me Timbers" laser tag arena and an "Arrrgh-cade" and Treasure Room with 30 games.

A "Walk Da Plank bounce house," to be added in January, will have a plank from which children can jump onto a trampoline. The bounce house will have additional inflatable structures for kids to bounce on.

But the laser tag arena is the heart of it all. Children will approach it via a darkened hallway illuminated by fluorescent paintings, by artist Oscar Velasquez, of pirates and ships on the walls.

Inside, a wooden pirate ship dominates an 18th century New Orleans cove and menaces the nearby storefronts.

Schuck said it's every man, woman and child fighting for themselves in the arena, firing laser guns from the ship's deck, portholes or from the two-story building facades. Nooks and crannies inside the ship add to the disorder, providing hiding places to shoot friends passing by or overhead.

Pirates Cove also will serve pizza and other fast foods and has two party rooms.

"I wanted to do something downtown and I wanted to do something near the river because many towns view their rivers as an asset. We have viewed it as a liability. We need to view our river as an asset and do things like this," Schuck said.

In venturing into riverfront development, Schuck is braving untested waters for himself.

He has a law practice like his parents did. His mother, Margaretta, was Hancock County juvenile and probate judge in the 1960s. His father, Robert, was Hancock County prosecutor in the 1950s and a state representative in the 1960s and 1970s.

But Schuck's legal blood has a creative side. His riverfront development idea began seven years ago and it has evolved.

"I thought this would be a great place for a seafood restaurant," he said.

He called a couple of restaurant chains but could not interest them. So he dropped that idea.

He also researched offering indoor miniature golf. About 18 months ago, he met with the owner of a family entertainment center in Cincinnati to view his miniature golf course. That center has laser tag, and the owner recommended Schuck offer it, too.

"He said what really turns the numbers (at his play center) ... is the laser tag," Schuck said.

So Schuck found a laser tag system online.

"When I paid $20,000 for that laser tag, I said, 'Well, I guess I'm going to do this,'" he said.

Each laser tag vest costs about $1,000, and is part of a computer system that counts points when it is tagged by a laser.

"It's a very elaborate system," he said.

In renovating the 25,000-square-foot building and planning Pirates Cove, Schuck drew inspiration from Walt Disney. He read the book, "How to be like Walt," which discusses how Disney persevered through great difficulty.

Schuck could relate.

"I have had a lot of struggles doing this and I have just set my jaw up, going forward and learned a lot, made mistakes along the way," he said.

One big mistake, he said, was underestimating the size and difficulty of the undertaking. He replaced the two furnaces at the old car shop with three new ones. He replaced the plumbing, installed new bathrooms and upgraded the electrical systems.

He gave the building a new facade with beams and boards from old barns. The pirate ship in the laser tag area was built with old barn materials, too.

It all was exciting to put together but it also took much longer than anticipated, Schuck said.

"Our projected opening date was September 2008, then it was December, then it was March (2009), then it was June and now it is December," Schuck said.

Schuck faced other challenges. The financial crisis hit in 2008, making credit hard to obtain.

Then he got an inner-ear ailment that upset his balance and hospitalized him for a while. In all, he was off work six weeks.

After that, he broke an ankle when a ladder fell from under him while he was working on Pirates Cove.

Now opening day is only days away. Along with his hopes, he brings to it lessons learned from Walt Disney, which he put into practice.

"Never give up, never give up," he said, his voice rising lyrically the second time. "And pursue your dreams, believe."

He is not quitting his day job as an attorney. Pirates Cove will be managed by someone who recently managed a restaurant in Findlay.

Pirates Cove will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays; 1 to 9 p.m. Sundays; and 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. During Christmas break, it will open at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Its party rooms can be reserved by calling 419-423-9999.

Wilin: 419-427-8413,

Send an e-mail to Lou Wilin


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8 Comments

Latest comments listed first.
Mary Anne wrote:
Pirates Cove Findlay
“ I recently did a search on google and pulled up their prices from their website. www.piratescovefindlay.com

I have to say I was really impressed with their prices. Where else can someone take their kids in Findlay Ohio have hours of fun for $20. GREAT VALUE

This place will take off like a rocket this summer when all the kids are looking for something to do. If you ask me, Bob's doing a tremendous service to the area by keeping the kids off the streets. I believe it will succeed! ”
Monday, March 22, 2010 9:37:15 AM
JLS wrote:
good for Bob!!
“ I think this is a great idea. Kids need a place to go and have some fun with their families. It is ridiculous to have to drive out of town to go somewhere to enjoy any family entertainment. This sounds like a great place for kids to burn off some energy! I hope this takes off and helps revive the downtown area! We need more places like this! Why would anyone be negative about it?? It is a shame that whenever anyone tries to to open a business in this town they are not supported whole heartily from their community; especially since this is a family center!! As for liability insurance, well yes that may be an expense, but an expense that several other businesses like chuck E cheese takes on and if Bob is willing to accept that expense why is that anyone else's problem? If we let downtown die, then it will... waiting for something to happen. I am sure that Bob has taken into consideration about flood issues. ANYONE building or opening a business right now is reminded of it considerably by building inspections and codes and will have to adjust accordingly and carry the appropriate insurance.
You have my support Bob as another business owner getting ready to open in the area! ”
Sunday, December 06, 2009 12:01:50 PM
KC Allen wrote:
Naysayers
“ You should all be ashamed of yourselves. I know Bob and I know he wanted to do something good that people will enjoy. All of you who think that there's nothing to do here in Findlay should think again. For you who are negative about Bob's idea, why not go down and have a good time for an afternoon and try it out? He told me about the idea two years ago, and I for one hope it works out. At least it's a warm place to go this winter to have some family fun! ”
Saturday, December 05, 2009 11:41:32 PM
Jean wrote:
hypocritical actions
“ Anyone who buys this flood plain for development are idiots and are surely planning on stealing the public's money. The whole idea of minimizing flood destruction and waste of taxpayer money is to prevent building in flood prone areas. If they build - No Insurance and no taxpayer bailout should be written into the law for those parcels. The fact that a city "leader" is planning on investing in such an area is like the lead lemming jumping down to a small ledge below the cliff while the rest of the species dive off the rocks to their death. ”
Sunday, November 29, 2009 11:36:20 AM
james wrote:
7 ft water
“ The liability insurances and the forecasted operating cash will be very hard to over come
I for one would never invest in such a thing .

 ”
Sunday, November 29, 2009 8:09:23 AM
j wrote:
Building in the Flood plain
“ Here is a perfect example of why Findlay will never solve the down town flood problem. While one group is trying to buy up property and limit development in the flood plain, another part of government doesn't believe there is a problem and is building in the flood plain. Mean while tax payers will see their taxes go up and up and when time comes to actual implement a flood plain policy nothing will get done. ”
Saturday, November 28, 2009 11:49:34 PM
Jimbo wrote:
Can you say Flood Zone?
“ I find it very interesting to note that as the City, County, State and Federal Government are spending money to buy up land, houses and businesses in the Flood Zone....the president of City Council is investing large money there.

Can you say...."Planned Loss Asset"? ”
Saturday, November 28, 2009 9:03:31 PM
Barry wrote:
Remembering the Findlay Curse
“ Anything new does not last in Findlay. It is just the way the curse works. It will be interesting for awhile then it will slowly peter out. Very risky investing in a downtown business, especially a Flood prone area, right now (economy). Why not just convert it to a really nice downtown walking park with plants and trees to bring song birds and more flora and fauna. I've been to other Pirate Coves (chain) and they are new and exciting at first, till the newness wears off. The punk kids take over and then no one wants thier kids to go there. It starts to go down hill till closure raises its ugly but inevitable head.
Don't get me wrong, I would not wish it, I just don't see the logic in it. Look at the historic record for these types of businesses in Findlay. Once again it sounds as though the city has found another sucker with money to burn. All I can recommend is to build it, make your money quick and sell before the downturn or undertow drags you down. Good Luck!!! Your gonna need it. . . ”
Saturday, November 28, 2009 3:06:56 PM
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