167 comments

Introducing The MMM World Headquarters Building

I’ve been using this picture of a similar space at “Shift” coworking in Los Angeles for inspiration in designing my main room because the size and window/door layout are similar.

Update January 2019: The HQ has been so much fun that we decided to quadruple our interior space and welcome more members – full details at our HQ Page or you can even Join Immediately if you’re feeling really bold!

Almost exactly six years ago, I wrote a simple post about a pawn shop opening up in my town. It was during the very early days of this blog, and I figured it was an easy way to take some shots at that financially predatory industry. Also, the shop was called Mister Money, which had an ironic similarity to my own name, Mr. Money Mustache.

So anyway, in that post I joked that I was going to buy the building next door, and if anyone walked into my shop trying to borrow money, I’d PUNCH THEM IN THE FACE and tell them to embrace frugality and sensible living, rather than high-interest borrowing, as the solution to their financial problems. For some reason, this idea of the “Face Punch” really stuck with the early readers, and became a bit of a brand for MMM.

As sheer coincidence would have it, in early March 2017 a cryptic ad appeared in the local Craigslist.

Commercial building for sale, $230000

There was an address, but no pictures and no other information.

I recognized the address as being right next door to my pawn shop rival.  And we recognized the price as being about half of what a small single-family house or commercial building goes for around here these days. Mrs. Money Mustache was the one who first found the ad, so she called the number.

To make a long story short, the building was a severely run-down joint, but with extremely good potential. A dozen species of insects and animals called its rotting exterior woodwork their home and three dumpsters worth of demolition, debris and dead trees clogged the property*.

But at the core was a 2400 square foot brick and concrete structure, plus a detached 2-car garage, on an immense 7500 square foot lot, directly across the street from a recently-built $23 million building which happens to host one of the town’s best pubs.

The reason it was so cheap, aside from decades of neglect, is that it was owned by a charming man in his 70s who now lives hundreds of miles away. Once a prominent owner of significant chunks of Longmont, he was unloading this last forgotten scrap of real estate just to get it out of his hair. Perhaps he was unfamiliar with the recent boom in our property prices here, and he was definitely unfamiliar with modern property marketing techniques (he had relied on a friend to even get the ad onto Craigslist). The building had been in constant use by a series of retail tenants, but nobody had had much of an incentive to fix the place up.

I called him later that night with an all-cash offer, and after an hour of telling me amazing stories of his life, he accepted it.  A few weeks later, we closed on the property and then I spent the next few months in a full-bore restoration process – a multi-person vortex of flying sparks, brick, sawdust, diesel, sweat, blood, and beer.

Figure 1: Replacing the Infinitely Shitty “doors” to the back yard and future patio, with a reasonably fancy unit I rescued from another builder via Craigslist. I also added some foam insulation and some repurposed siding – leftover materials and design ideas from last year’s backyard studio project. Just one of about 100 similar-scale improvements this building needed.

So Why Did We Buy a Building?

This somewhat wild scheme is the culmination of a few different values:

  • We wanted to get more involved with the local community, by owning a little piece of the Main Street and helping to make it a more joyful place. There’s nothing wrong with selling stuff and making money, but I’m also interested in teaching classes, hosting events and parties, and donating the space for use for non-profit events which are designed to help people. (See the bottom of this article to learn about the first one)
  • Mrs. MM and a good friend of hers both have booming Etsy shops that are ready to break out into the real world. They enjoy working together so much, that they decided owning a building together was the next logical step. So both women, and both of us husbands, teamed up together and split the building equally.
  • From a financial perspective, it would be hard to go wrong because we got the place for such a low price. The land alone is worth more than the $225k purchase price, and if the town continues its current downtown boom, this could increase drastically again over the next ten years. Since the structure includes 2-3 separately rentable spaces, the property could easily bring in $3000-$4000 per month of income (after renovations) if we chose to rent it out in the future. And there were no banks or borrowing involved, so the stress and closing costs were low, and flexibility is high.

But all those points are just the “pretend responsible adult” justifications. In real life, we bought this thing because it seems like a fun adventure.

As this blog has grown so unexpectedly over the years it has presented all sorts of opportunities. As prestigious as they sound, they really all boil down to either spending more time on airplanes, or more time or sitting at the computer, and always less time being here for my son. I don’t really need more fake lifestyle guru nonsense in my life – I want more great stuff going on right here in our own community.

So, as the headline suggests, I’m outfitting half of this building to become the MMM World Headquarters.

What Happens at MMM WHQ?

 

We found lots of cool ancient brick under the other coverings. Here’s a scene from when I was trying out the new drywall hoist to install the kitchen ceiling.

I’ve decided that my side of the building will become a coworking and hangout space for Longmont-area Mustachian Entrepreneurs. It will be membership-based, with about 50 memberships made available at a price of $50 per month. And for the price of membership, locals get:

  • 24/7 keycard access to a big, open room downtown (about 700 square feet) with couches, tables, benches, stylish design, etc. Plus an adjoining small kitchen area for our food.
  • access to 49 other accomplished entrepreneurial local friends, who can all be part of an active Slack Group.
  • WiFi over Gigabit fiber internet access
  • Free or cheap coffee and fitness-friendly snacks
  • Tool sharing library
  • A big outdoor patio courtyard area out back with grill, chairs, speakers, patio lanterns, etc.
  • Outdoor gym with barbells, squat rack, and bodyweight things like pull-up bars, etc.
  • Garage workshop with welding and metalworking equipment
  • Beer brewing setup with permanent kegerator – members with skill in craft brewing can rotate through to produce guest batches. Ideally, this will provide free beer at all times.
  • Bike fixing station, parts inventory and swapping, helping each other improve skills
  • Talks and classes – from members, and from visitors.
  • Group Advocacy for improving the town.
  • The chance to work together on this new building – learning through doing as we build new features. (I’ve already got all the equipment for a 3.6 kW solar energy system ready to install onto the garage roof when we’re ready)
  • And any other perks and cool ideas we can think of with our collective mind power.

Although $50 per month sounds awfully cheap for all of this, it should actually work out great – paying the taxes and utilities and easily pumping out a monthly surplus to use for continued improvements, tools, supplies, etc. I reserve the right to make a profit off of the place eventually, but obviously this is not my main motivation – otherwise I’d charge a more “normal” coworking membership rate or just stay home and crank out blog articles.

If you’re interested in joining, read this rough agreement then send me an email through the contact form with “Coworking” in the title.  (Please include some biographical background to help me determine that you’re a real, friendly person!)

The primary members will generally live within biking distance since I don’t want anyone to sign up for a mandatory car commute. But if you want to become a patron or long distance member – contributing to the cause and working remotely with the core members (perhaps just to gain access to such a cool group, stop in whenever you are in the area and see your money put to use for interesting hactivism here in Longmont), send me a email with “Patron” – we could probably still keep a close-knit group with up to 10 such members.

Important: Although the building now hosts frequent meetups and other events, please do not just show up at random time unannounced as part of your cross-country roadtrip. Instead, just attend an event if the timing happens to align.

 I feel strange adding this note, but travelers have been stopping by almost every day and as much as I love Mustachians, giving tours to unexpected visitors make it difficult to get work done – which is the kind of the point of a coworking space during the day.

Are you Ready?

Our First Guests

The space is almost ready and the first philanthropic event is already booked: I’m hosting my friend Alan Donegan’s UK-based Pop-Up Business School for their inaugural US event in early September and it’s for everyone – not just members!

You can sign up here:

http://www.popupbusinessschool.co.uk/longmont.html

This is a nine-day class on Mustachian-style entrepreneurship: how to start a business with minimal initial investment and a quick path to cashflow.

Members of the Longmont community** and the coworking space will get first dibs at the tickets, which are are actually worth about $500 each but offered for free due to a unique business model.

(huh?)

Pop-up business school is intended to help anyone – well-established or just scraping by – start a business. Because this is such a powerful way to improve lives and communities, as Pop-Up Business School’s repuation has grown, Alan and company have been able to attract outside funding. City councils, philanthropic foundations, and companies.

So I tried the same thing here for the US debut – inviting a few unusually cool companies that are run by people that understand our mission around here. Almost all of them said yes and chipped in a substantial chunk of money, directly to Pop-up business school. So in thanks I’d like to mention them here:

Betterment Investing – simple, efficient investing platform with behavioral-finance (aka making it fun and easy) at its core. My Betterment Article.

Bluehost Web Hosting – the original and still favorite recommendation for how to get a beautiful website up and running quickly. My related aricle – How to Start a Blog.

Treehouse Learning – a classy and fun way to learn stuff – specializing in software development and other skills – with a meaningful social mission of cutting the cost of higher education.

See you There!

This has been a big and really rewarding project so far. Although it was a big commitment and going out on a limb, the resulting months of hard work and connecting with so many nice people has been exactly what I want out of life – and what I wish for you in your life too.

Here’s hoping that this current project of mine, and your own big efforts in the coming year, continue to crank out lots of opportunities for fun and learning.

 

*on the positive side, there were a number of functional mannequins and assorted body parts for them in the garage, which I have obviously saved for future fun.

** Out-of-towners looking for frugal accommodation might want to check out the RV campground at Boulder County Fairgrounds, tent camping at Union Reservoir, or even just find a spot for a tent in the nearby National Forest foothills, given the beautiful time of year.

 

 

 

  • The Wealthy Accountant August 2, 2017, 8:07 am

    I have to visit Colorado soon. After the eclipse I should swing your way to see the place.

    Reply
  • MyFiInTheSky August 2, 2017, 8:11 am

    Congratulations! Best of luck on the new venture. You guys are an inspiration to the less motivated/creative among us ;)

    Reply
    • Stockbeard August 2, 2017, 7:03 pm

      The way MMM describes it, it reminds me of the “Students’ association building” where many of us usedto hang out back when I was in Engineering school. Sounds like fun.

      Reply
  • Frank August 2, 2017, 8:22 am

    Excellent a business that really can’t lose! My Mother in law lives in Berthoud this might be enough to make me pay a visit one of these days using my ample quantity of RE bandwidth :)

    Reply
  • Mighty Investor August 2, 2017, 8:23 am

    MMM,

    I never cease to marvel at your creativity and forward thinking. Just when we think we have you figured out, you do something that surprises.

    And, of course, it was an insanely smart financial move to boot.

    Good on you!

    Reply
    • Mr. Freaky Frugal August 2, 2017, 9:11 am

      I’ll second that, but I do miss MMM’s more frequent posts. His much earlier posts are what inspired me to FIRE in 2012!

      “But all those points are just the “pretend responsible adult” justifications. In real life, we bought this thing because it seems like a fun adventure.” Right on! That’s what being FIREd is all about!

      Reply
      • Oldster August 2, 2017, 12:25 pm

        Completely agree with MI. FIRE is not just about making your personal situation better, it is about community. This is a great example of that ethos. Kudos MMM.

        Reply
      • Ms. Frugal Asian Finance August 4, 2017, 8:48 am

        I miss Mr. MMM’s frequent posts too! I check back often and always get excited to see a new post like I did this morning! However, I think it goes to show that he’s not all about growing the blog and making money off of blogging. Diversifying and branching out into different passion projects is a great move too!

        Reply
  • Mrs. Adventure Rich August 2, 2017, 8:24 am

    Oh wow, congratulations on the new investment and community hub! This looks awesome! I love how you are deeply investing your time and energy in your community. With so many in the FI community who focus on travel (nothing wrong with that!), I like hearing about folks in FI who have “gone deep” in their community versus going abroad. Being more active and invested in our community is one of the goals (pre- and post- FI) for my husband and I. I look forward to hearing all about the exciting developments that will come from the MMM World Headquarters Building!

    Reply
  • J Savvy August 2, 2017, 8:24 am

    The place sounds awesome. Fun to see a place like this opening. I’m not anywhere near Longmont, but I think places like this add so much value to communities, wherever they may be. Good luck with the adventure!

    Reply
  • Michael August 2, 2017, 8:28 am

    Is the pawn shop still there?If so, you will need to be ready for the inevitable trademark dispute based on the names.

    Reply
    • Mr. Money Mustache August 2, 2017, 8:54 am

      Yup, still there for now. Because of that, my shop/sign will be called “MMM HQ”.

      But if this venture goes well, I do hope to buy the pawn shop building next door. It’s much bigger, and it has 7 garage doors and a parking lot I could rip up to become a gathering space. Could become a bigger MMM HQ, or I could lease it to a small grocery store, which the downtown desperately needs. (Although my friends Devin and Heidi do a great job down the street with their Simply Bulk Market)

      Reply
      • Tyler August 2, 2017, 10:39 am

        Does Longmont have a parking requirement ordinance? If so, ripping up the parking lot might be difficult. Some jurisdictions require a certain amout of parking spaces for commercial property. I’m not sure if the use of the property matters or not. I’m far from an expert on such matters, just aware of them. Hopefully your plans don’t get squashed because of this.

        Reply
        • Ryan August 2, 2017, 11:05 am

          Only parking he needs is a few bike racks !

          Reply
        • Mr. Money Mustache August 3, 2017, 9:05 am

          Thankfully, Longmont doesn’t have a parking rule like that for downtown.

          (Side note: minimum parking requirements a common but horrible thing, and you can lobby your own city government to remove it, as all the good cities are starting to do now.

          Vox recently did a great super-short explainer video summary on this:
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Akm7ik-H_7U

          When you really think about it, requiring subsidized parking for giant personal motor-race-wheelchairs makes as much sense as requiring helipads, plane runways or camel-watering stations on every property. Why lock in a super space-inefficient method of transportation and make it appear cheap or free to those who choose to use it?

          Reply
          • Mr. TYMP August 8, 2017, 7:35 am

            That was a great video. I never really understood why there are so many mega parking structures and sprawling lots in certain parts of suburbia (in Maryland here). I do think we are moving back towards populating cities like Baltimore, which have experienced many decades of middle class flight to the suburbs.

            From what I’ve seen, there is still a ways to go in most urban areas, glad to see you taking an active role in contributing to your community. I hope to be able to visit someday (if I can figure out how to escape these four walls and big screens, possibly work will pay for a dev conference or something in your neck of the woods).

            Reply
          • Liz August 9, 2017, 5:20 pm

            Speaking of wheelchairs, for people with mobility issues, public transport can be pretty scarce in some cities. I don’t suppose you’ve thought about ramps, disabled parking and stuff for MMM HQ? Might not need them immediately but if you’re having community groups over that could be really useful. Folks with disabilities and chronic illnesses often struggle with finances so lots of them could probably benefit from what you’re putting out there.

            Reply
            • Mr. Money Mustache August 10, 2017, 8:32 am

              The building is all at sidewalk level and is right next to the city’s main bus terminal, which I think are good factors for accessibility.

              Even though the outdoor environment in that area is currently pretty harsh due to the level of noisy traffic on Main Street, it’s amazing how much more energy (i.e. people being excited) there is around something that happens “downtown”, compared to just being a few blocks off the strip.

              People really like being in the general presence of lots of strangers, and I’m excited to be part of that scene now.

        • Lou August 3, 2017, 5:59 pm

          We have those car parking requirements in our town too, but a recent restaurant development was granted a waiver for providing parking due to showing that there was enough parking spaces available in the adjacent area. They also argued that because their business generated peak demand in the evening, when many shops are closed, existing parking (at a supermarket) would be sufficient.

          One councillor also argued for the provision of bike racks!

          Reply
      • Polly August 2, 2017, 5:53 pm

        What about starting a member-owned food coop? We shop at one in our area and it is a great way for the community to have a say in the food they buy and it saves us tons of money because the coop doesn’t need to turn a profit, only cover their operating costs.

        Reply
    • Cathleen August 10, 2017, 2:03 pm

      to be honest, for trademark disputes, the prosecuting side would need to have an active trademark registered with the USPTO, or with the state that they are in. Further, there’ is a certain percentage difference the defendant needs to be over the prosecuting side- so given a very brief overview, it would seem that MMM and Mister Money are two different endeavors. Proof would also have to be provided by the prosecuting side that the defendant’s use confuses consumers. A quick check at the library for general books on Intellectual Property law, and USPTO.gov (note: the .gov, not .com ending) has a whole discussion about trademark/trade name infringement.

      Reply
  • Josh August 2, 2017, 8:33 am

    awesome, dude. Congrats, you continue to live dreams!

    Your blog is a long-running reminder that “my” ideas are never original. But whatever gloomy feelings that reflection brings are exceeded by the happy recognition that my values, if not always shared around me, are expressed somewhere in the zeitgeist. Keep up the good work. Thanks!

    Reply
  • PoF August 2, 2017, 8:34 am

    That’s going to be fantastic for the Longmont locals. I’m not sure when I’ll be in Colorado next, but I’d be happy to do a little guest brewing on the homebrew system.

    The place looks shape and I thought that siding looked familiar — hope to see more pics soon — or better yet, see the place in person.

    Cheers!
    -PoF

    Reply
    • PoF August 2, 2017, 8:42 am

      Sharp. Looks Sharp!

      Although it does have a nice shape. if you’re into right angles, anyway.

      Reply
    • Chad Carson August 13, 2017, 10:13 pm

      PoF – I second your offer to brew beer there:) That will give me another reason to stop by and check this place out!

      VERY cool project, MMM! I love it! I’ve had a similar pull over the last few years to get involved in my local town. It’s been so rewarding. Although I love the blogging world, the experience of real-world impact that you can see, touch, and smell is even cooler.

      My own project has been organizing and working to get a greenway (bike/ped) path connecting all of the parks and commercial centers in my little southern college town of Clemson, SC. SLOW progress, but we do have progress with a pedestrian bridge being built over a 4 lane hwy and plans for the entire greenway system approved by local town councils (http://www.greencrescenttrail.org/).

      Reply
  • Alex August 2, 2017, 8:36 am

    Your new space looks like it will be a fun adventure! I work at a coworking space, but we don’t have all the features yours will…

    Also, I am impressed you saw that space come up on Craigslist that fast. How did you find it in such a timely manner?

    Reply
  • Vis August 2, 2017, 8:37 am

    Sounds amazing. Thank you for this inspiration and good luck to you MMM. I am sure that it will go better than planned as your projects often seem to. Wish we had one of you in our hometown!

    Reply
  • Mr Crazy Kicks August 2, 2017, 8:42 am

    Very cool setup! If this wasn’t in the wrong state, I’d totally be down there cranking out some squats, writing blog posts, and brewing some tasty IPAs!

    Cheers to the new venture, looks like a lot of fun!

    Reply
  • Scott Trench August 2, 2017, 9:00 am

    Fantastic! Will there be a few acceptable times for non-members or patrons to swing by? I live and work in denver and drove by this back in April (actually the unforgettable day I met MMM!). I’d love the chance to see the finished product in September and maybe one day join when/if I leave the ranks of the employed and become a more fully fledged entrepreneur. I’m sure that many mustachians who are unable to take you up on the generous opportunity to join would still love to see the place and get a teaser of what a day in this community is like!

    Please let us know if there will be a chance to view your handiwork without interrupting anything!

    Reply
  • Cubert August 2, 2017, 9:01 am

    Congratulations on a sweet deal and even better concept. Best of luck on this new adventure, good sir.

    Just another fine example of the fruits of early retirement extreme – you get to create, build, and explore. Rather than scraping through a cubical existence ’til 65. Blechhh…

    Reply
  • Chris August 2, 2017, 9:02 am

    Wow, very cool venture! Congratulations

    Reply
  • Diane C August 2, 2017, 9:08 am

    What a great new adventure! Best wishes for continued merriment.

    Reply
  • neminem August 2, 2017, 9:12 am

    Dang, that sounds super awesome – I wish you lived around here, I would *absolutely* sign up. Be worth it just for membership in the “free craft beer” alone ;). I love the idea, but not enough to sent you a pile of money every month from several states away, obviously – that money (and the rest of it) is going *straight* into Robinhood, so I can eventually join you in the whole “not stuck at my desk” thing. ;)

    Reply
  • Trip August 2, 2017, 9:18 am

    You’ve got a truly amazing project here and a very inspiring idea which you’re executing! I now see why you’ve been so busy lately. The outdoor gym for members is outrageously cool.

    How long have you been turning this idea over in your head?
    How did all the pieces of this idea come together beyond just getting the right property at the right time from the right seller?
    Who helped enhance this idea aside from Mrs. MMM?

    Reply
  • FIONA MURRAY August 2, 2017, 9:19 am

    This is an awesome project and made me hop over to the Pop Up Business School to see what they are doing. I have now signed up for a workshop, I can’t wait until something like this starts in the UK ! Maybe I’ll do it !

    Reply
    • Alan Donegan August 2, 2017, 1:49 pm

      Getting Fiona. Are you from the UK? See you at the workshop! Alan

      Reply
  • Kyle August 2, 2017, 9:21 am

    Adding coal to the fire for reasons I should move to Longmont. Does the membership include free punches to the face if you ask about high interest loans?

    Reply
  • Chris August 2, 2017, 9:21 am

    Wow!! Have you considered using a camera to live-stream the classes?

    Reply
  • Mystery Money Man August 2, 2017, 9:23 am

    Awesome set up! One thing you mentioned in passing that I think is very important is how quickly you moved on the opportunity. “I called him later that night with an all-cash offer…” Lots of people recognize a great investment opportunity but lack the financial flexibility or the boldness to act swiftly. Well done!

    Reply
  • Imran Chaudhry August 2, 2017, 9:27 am

    All the best with this amazing venture MMM!

    I wish there was an equivalent of someone like you here in the UK. If I won the lottery tomorrow I would definitely do something like this – I’d cycle to it every day and really engage with people. It’s just human and natural and good. It really fires me up when I think about it.

    Reply
  • Brian Bailey August 2, 2017, 9:29 am

    Congratulations MMM! Brick-and-mortar Mustachianism – brilliant! Keep up the good work: if the growth trajectory of Mustachianism stays on this course for a your remaining 60-80 years here on Earth, you may yet Save The World.

    Any chance at live-streaming the PopUp Business School presentation? I’d love to attend but will be hanging out with a new baby here at home! I’ve been plotting to create a solar-installation startup here in Indiana, where nucleation sites for solar are badly needed. PUBS seems like a perfect crash-course / kick in the pants to get that up and running.

    Cheers from the Great Midwest,
    Brian

    Reply
    • Jeffrey August 2, 2017, 12:02 pm

      +1 for some sort of streaming or delayed webcast… I’d come , and even live in the area, but I still have one of those jobs, sigh, for now. ;)

      Reply
    • Alan Donegan August 2, 2017, 1:56 pm

      Brian, you have given us an idea, I would love to do that. We will speak to MMM about
      Live streaming the first session how to start a business for free

      Alan

      Reply
      • BC August 2, 2017, 3:27 pm

        I’m so happy to read this! I’ll be one of the first to sign up for a potential live stream!

        Reply
      • Brian Bailey August 3, 2017, 6:47 am

        Thank you Alan! I would certainly attend.

        And when you are ready for your Midwestern debut, I will be happy to facilitate, help you look for sponsors, etc. At least here in Fort Wayne, Indiana I am sure there would be interest. In my native Chicago the crowd of attendees might be large indeed.

        Reply
  • Vicki August 2, 2017, 9:31 am

    This is terrific and I love the focus on community, sharing, learning! And since we’ll be empty nesters with my son heading off to college in a few weeks – we just got tickets! SO EXCITED! We were hoping to head west right after Labor Day – and now this? AMAZING opportunity and we’re going to take advantage! Thanks so much, MMM!

    Reply
  • Dylan August 2, 2017, 9:31 am

    This gives me another reason to move back to Colorado!

    I hope this inspires similar co-ops in other cities. As Mustachians, we have the power to make a positive impact in our own communities, and being around other like-minded people working on passion projects sounds awesome. I wouldn’t mind the beer, either.

    Reply
  • Zheffafa August 2, 2017, 9:41 am

    What a beautiful and inspiring project! I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel in a dual-zoned transitional neighborhood here in Nor-AL where I think I might be able to do something similar for a lower entry fee… office/co-working plus an AirBnB and education/outreach area, amidst a wave of redevelopment. Thanks for the ideas!

    Reply
  • Lauren August 2, 2017, 9:44 am

    Hey – I just registered for a ticket for the Pop-up Business event on their site, but I am not a member of the Longmont community. Is my ticket guaranteed now or should I hold off on booking flights and accommodations?

    Reply
    • Mr. Money Mustache August 2, 2017, 9:46 am

      Hi Lauren, sure go ahead. I’d prefer local people in general (other out of towners might wait a week before applying), but I don’t want to police the pop up business school registration page either.

      Reply
      • Lauren August 2, 2017, 9:51 am

        Awesome – thanks for the quick reply. Also, my first reply directly from MMM himself… I think I might faint. :)

        Reply
        • Alan Donegan August 2, 2017, 1:57 pm

          Can’t wait to meet you Lauren! It is going to be fun! Alan

          Reply
      • Vicki August 2, 2017, 10:10 am

        We’re not from Longmont either, so I’d certainly understand if you need to have some us wait for locals to sign up to see if room is available. Just let us know MMM. We’ll probably drive and camp – so not a big deal to change plans.

        Reply
  • Jeremy Stone August 2, 2017, 9:53 am

    Congratulations on getting this going! Although I can’t believe you are trying to take business away from us poor lawyers with that whole “agreement not to sue” business in the membership terms :)

    Reply
  • Mustard Seed Money August 2, 2017, 9:53 am

    That is so awesome that you bought a place. Is it bad that I imagined that you were going to turn this into Rob Dyrdek”s fun factory with tons of fun and money to be made. Can’t wait to see how you bless the community with it.

    Reply
  • Richard Meadows August 2, 2017, 9:57 am

    Oh man, this is like my dream co-working space. Most definitely going on a pilgrimage to the Mustachian World HQ some day!

    Reply
  • Keenan August 2, 2017, 10:03 am

    Sweet idea! I love how you’re this great incubator for mustachianism, I can see this new headquarters as leading the charge for the next generation of mustachians to change the world.

    Are you considering using a key card to allow 24/7 access without you needing to be there? Similar to those 24 hour fitness gyms?

    Reply
  • Gwen August 2, 2017, 10:07 am

    Amazing. I’d love for something like this to happen in my area. One day….

    Reply
  • Mr. Smart Money August 2, 2017, 10:16 am

    Awesome!

    I WISH you had this building where I lived. $50 a month for all that value is a STEAL. Not to mention being in a room w/ other like minded people – that’s invaluable. Congrats and best wishes w/ the new building :)

    Reply
  • Justin August 2, 2017, 10:18 am

    I know this isn’t necessarily a financial independence post but this is exactly the type of thing that’s possible when someone becomes FI. Sure we may not all buy a commercial building in our towns but we could start a non-profit, volunteer, or any other type of random thing that we think will help the world be a better place.

    Kudos to your new place MMM. We don’t live anywhere close but if we ever come through Longmont I’ll surely drop by and say hello.

    Reply
    • Trip August 2, 2017, 10:30 am

      Well said Justin! After I hit FI a few months ago, pure magic started happening in my life simply by being open to allowing the magic to happen.

      I want others to have this feeling and experience what I’ve been experiencing. Let’s keep the MMM community growing and cause a cascading effect. I’d like to see early retirement philosophies spreading like a wildFIRE of LOVE and not being spread like a religion.

      The greatest luxury purchase we can each make is to buy back our own time.

      Reply
      • Kathy Abell August 7, 2017, 12:16 am

        Re: “The greatest luxury purchase we can each make is to buy back our own time.”

        How profound.

        I was just asking my hubby less than an hour ago how many more years does he think he has that he will even want to travel like we have been. He couldn’t answer me. I had been anticipating one major (read “expensive”, so deserving of a face punch since we are not frugal travelers or travel hackers *sigh*) vacation per year for the next few years, but thought we should start doubling up on these trips because who knows how many “good” years we have left? Although not too old old (he’s 62, retired since one month before turning 50; I’m 59, retired at 55), we certainly are no longer young nor are we as energetic as we were even just a few years ago. (Guess dealing with chronic health issues is wearing us down more than I realized!)

        Anyway, looking back on things, I wholeheartedly recommend retiring sooner rather than later. Buy back your time as soon as possible! It’s one of those rare luxury purchases that is absolutely worth the price!!!

        Reply
  • WantNotToWantNot August 2, 2017, 10:38 am

    Pete, you never cease to amaze! Congratulations on a great idea and on your energetic commitment to the LOCAL. How about, for those of us who live too far away to be full members, having an afternoon a week for long-distance fans to drop by (for a fee) and meet with the regular Mustacheans? (and shop at the attached Easy establishment—ahem,not the pawn shop). Thanks for your inspired writings and for helping to make the Sanity of Frugality a cool thing….

    Reply
  • Kermit August 2, 2017, 11:22 am

    Let me know when you want to franchise out to Fort Collins. I’m up for a partnership.

    Reply
  • Biglaw Investor August 2, 2017, 11:27 am

    Why doesn’t my town have a cool co-working space like this with all the relevant tools to keep your bike and biceps in great shape? Is there a subtle message here that I should be starting one in my town? :)

    Look forward to seeing this place in person at some point. You’re doing great things MMM.

    Reply
  • American Dividend Dream August 2, 2017, 11:30 am

    This is awesome! One day I hope to be able to visit Longmont and check it out.

    Reply
  • Ben August 2, 2017, 11:55 am

    Wow this sounds pretty cool. If I still lived in Longmont, I would be signing up this very moment. I ended up moving closer to work in Golden now, so unfortunately, it would just turn into a commute.

    I’ll keep an eye on what non-member events you host and I’ll probably drop by on some of those.

    Reply
  • Katie August 2, 2017, 11:57 am

    This looks amazing! My husband and I are both SWAMI self employed entrepreneurs and wish we could join! Unfortunately we live on the East Coast. I will have to investigate being a patron.

    Good luck!

    Reply
  • Alexandra August 2, 2017, 12:08 pm

    you might be the coolest MF on the planet! I can’t wait to get to this point.

    Reply
  • Novacek August 2, 2017, 12:12 pm

    How about a satellite branch in Austin next? :)

    Reply
  • Derek August 2, 2017, 12:12 pm

    How does a $50/membership fit into a mustachian’s budget? I could see it being a bargain if you drop your home internet and don’t have a home workshop. For some of us though, it seems like a rather luxurious expense.

    Reply
    • Eric August 2, 2017, 8:03 pm

      I’d probably think of it more as a social club than in a strict nuts and bolts “what expense does this replace” context.

      But yeah, it allows you to live in a much smaller place, replacing a workshop, patio, and home office.

      Reply
    • The Vigilante August 3, 2017, 5:15 am

      With food, drinks, and essentially a gym membership, it could be worth the money for someone in walking/biking distance even without the awesome intangible benefits!

      That said, I really hope you’re talking to a lawyer, MMM. I’m sure you’ve already considered what I’m about to say, but when you say “no contracts”, it scares me.

      This sounds like a minefield of likely-regulated activities and potential torts. Beer -brewing and weight training in the same facility? You need liability insurance, waivers, and to brush up on any local liquor law you might be violating.

      I know you’re thinking that the people who come won’t sue you, and you might be right. But they might not be the problem. You have their health and life insurance to worry about – people who may not want to pay out for someone taking on what they consider a “dangerous” activity by doing something as simple as lifting weights at your place – and I wouldn’t trust those guys. And you have odd legal theories to consider. For instance, depending on the visibility of your gym equipment, you might have to protect against a trespassing kid who wants to use it and gets hurt when no one is around.

      It just seems like a lot to jump into without anything at all to protect yourself at least a little.

      I do not mean discourage or be a Complainypants nay-sayer. These types of things do exist and do work – and even if they didn’t, there are few people I’d trust more to make it work than you and Mrs.MM! But please, be sure you talk to a lawyer who understands torts better than I do so maybe they can help you avoid having to defend yourself against someone who IS a Complainypants!

      Reply
  • Michelle August 2, 2017, 12:16 pm

    This is awesome. If I lived near Longmont, I would totally join! Someday, I will make it there to pay a visit. Congratulations MMM.

    Reply
  • Norm August 2, 2017, 12:24 pm

    Very cool building. I would be excited to see Alan Donegal. I heard him on Mad Fientist’s podcast and he was extremely good at explaining the right way to go about building a small business. I hope he can bring his UK expertise to America and translate it to our system.

    Reply
    • Alan Donegan August 2, 2017, 2:00 pm

      Thanks Norm. I can’t wait to come to the states in September. It is going to be so much fun. Hope to meet you there! Alan

      Reply
  • Michael August 2, 2017, 12:31 pm

    This is brilliant, and totally enriching the community. I believe the ripple effect of this idea will be spread far and wide.

    I often thought, what if you had a room like Border’s bookstore used to be? Where one can peruse the books, drink coffee and make friends. I would have a room dedicated to speaking events–toastmasters, how-to classes, anything.

    I’m sure MMM won’t have the bldg just for adults. What an enriching idea. Bound to spread joy through the community. My hope is Pete gets the building next door.

    Reply
  • Marc Hastenteufel August 2, 2017, 12:36 pm

    I would love to put my 50$ a month but unfortunate I am in Stuttart/Germany :-(
    That is a killer project – BEST of luck!!!
    marc

    Reply
  • OHAVIA August 2, 2017, 12:51 pm

    Very inspiring and amazing….and making me jealous.
    Any chance you want to franchise this for every town.
    Or make chapters?

    Reply
    • Becca August 3, 2017, 12:11 pm

      This really just seems like the MMM/Longmont version of a badass “makerspace”. Search out maker-spaces around you! The local one in Ithaca has shop space, bike repair, etc., and classes too!

      Reply
  • 130 August 2, 2017, 12:55 pm

    I think its also ironic that MMM HQ’s previous storefront was named *Fancy* Fashion Boutique. ;)

    Reply

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