09/10/2020
September 10, 2020 marks 185 days since BooKoo Bounce was required to immediately halt business operations as a public safety precaution by order of Governor John Bell Edwards’ Proclamation #33 JBE 2020. As an “Indoor Children’s Play Center” BooKoo Bounce was assigned “Phase 3” status in Louisiana’s business re-opening plan. Phase 3 is scheduled to begin tomorrow, September 11th.
My name is Gene Sausse, Founder/Owner of BooKoo Bounce. Since 2008 we’ve hosted over 1 million customers, over 11,000 birthday parties, thousands of school & day camp field trips and hundreds of thousands Walk-In Play guests. We’ve made tons of new friends, reunited with lots of old ones and watched hundreds of families grow, laugh, celebrate and play together over the years.
In 2009, BooKoo Bounce won a coveted CityBusiness Magazine Innovators of the Year Award. Two years later, BooKoo Bounce earned me a spot in New Orleans’ 1st Cohort of the prestigious Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. In 2014 BooKoo Bounce was nationally featured on MSNBC’s Smart Money program, featured in Inc. Magazine and was recognized as one of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses when it received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Award. Additionally, BooKoo Bounce won seven (7) Annual Family Favorite Awards as voted by Nola Family Magazine readers over the past decade. More recently, consistently high customer ratings across all social media platforms and hundreds of glowing reviews were the reward for our BooKoo Krewe’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.
BooKoo Bounce has generated $0.00 revenue over the previous six (6) months. None of our services could have been sold online or to-go. Upon undergoing a special inspection, certain Phase 3 businesses were allowed to operate during Phase 2, but only at 25% capacity. Operating the BooKoo Bounce business model at 25% capacity during Phase 2 was an entirely cost prohibitive option. The expenses of summer air-conditioning, staffing and insuring a 17,000 square foot indoor playground alone made it clear that reopening at only 25% capacity would result in a negative cashflow.
With the long-awaited Phase 3 starting tomorrow, I am announcing today that I will not re-open as Owner/Operator of BooKoo Bounce.
However, in discussions with trusted business leaders over the past few months, I’ve confirmed the universal belief that the BooKoo Bounce brand, reputation and location has a value and that new owners/operators have excellent potential to recapture a sizable and profitable market share.
That said, I intend to sell BooKoo Bounce, the business. As owner and landlord of the BooKoo Bounce building, I recognize the importance of posturing and pricing BooKoo Bounce for sustainability and long-term profitability. A Win-Win scenario is the plan. Part of that plan is my availability in an advisory capacity during the transition period to a new BooKoo Bounce owner/operator.
In the event BooKoo Bounce isn’t purchased reasonably soon, I will make the entire building available for lease to alternative, suitable tenants.
Lastly, and above all…. THANK YOU for embracing with us BooKoo Bounce’s core values of Joy & Celebration for 12 fun-filled, exciting years. I had a blast! Glad y’all did too.
As my big sister Lynne used to say: “Party On!”
