Joe Salmeri's new business venture doesn't exactly have him jumping for joy.
But it's having that effect on his customers.
The 56-year-old Sacramentan recently become the somewhat-reluctant owner of a "bounce house" kids' party center in Rancho Cordova.
He and his brother, Rick, own the commercial building where their new business is located.
A few months ago, one of their tenants -- a franchisee for a national bounce house chain -- canceled its lease in a dispute over fees, leaving the Salmeris with a 12,000-square-foot vacancy.
"We went to every bounce house in the area to see if they'd expand into our place," he says. The response? "No takers. No takers at all."
They had no better luck bringing in other kinds of tenants. So, Joe says, "we made a business decision."
They spent $50,000 to buy new inflatable jumping equipment, spent another $30,000 fixing up the place, then opened their Bounce Party USA business.
Salmeri, who retired from running his own machine shop business a few years ago, confesses he'd rather be traveling, scuba diving and golfing than working 40 hours a week getting a new business launched.
But he's philosophical about his unplanned return to the workforce.
"In this economy," he says, "you have to roll with the punches."
For the rest of Bob Shallit's column, see Tuesday's "Our Region" section.
Call The Bee's Bob Shallit, (916) 321-1049.
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