New Vancouver-based paintball products retailer Xtremez opened its 14,000-square-foot indoor paintball playing field today at 1212 W. Fourth Plain Blvd.
The company estimates having invested between $100,000 and $150,000 in the field, and using their customers’ input to build it.
When the company acquired a building in Vancouver for their headquarters, said President and CEO Adam Stites, it was much larger than was needed for Xtremez’s showroom and offices. The original plan was to divide and sublease it, he said, when a staff member suggested using the space for an indoor paintball field.
Stites responded, “I don’t know anything about a field – we are an online retailer.”
But many of their wholesalers were in the business of running indoor fields, and after lots of input and consulting with their customers, Xtremez designed the field that is opening today.
“Our customers have been very helpful in getting us set up here,” said Stites. He also hired a former indoor field manager that used to run a field in Tigard, Ore.
A grand opening celebration will be held on Sept. 3, with top ranked professional Team Nurv offering free player clinics on paintball tactics and strategy, from noon to 9 p.m.
Up to 40 players can participate simultaneously on the field. Players can bring their own equipment, or rent everything that’s required. The field will be open noon to 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, and is covered with Astroturf , and tournament-grade inflatable air bunkers are set up throughout.
The playing field is adjacent to the Xtremez headquarters, which includes an 1,800-square-foot retail showroom. Currently the showroom displays more of the paintball and airsoft equipment, products and apparel shown on the company’s Web site, and in a few weeks, they will be carrying skateboard equipment as well, according to Director of Retail Tom Balfe.
“And as far at the paintball and airsoft products go,” he said, “if they are not in the store, we can order them from our warehouse (or the vendors) for our customers.”
Xtremez is a designer, distributor, and retailer of equipment, accessories and apparel for the sport of paintball and other action sports. Founded in 1995, the company was formerly PaintballOnline.com of Tualatin, Ore. The company opened its new corporate headquarters on July 11, and has spent the last month finishing the field. Xtremez just hired four new staff members to help run the field, bringing the company’s total staff to 33.
