SUCCESS THROUGH
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT FOR RETAIL By
In any business, diversification means branching out into other product categories, industries or marketplaces. While this strategy does present some risks for a business, diversification is often viewed as a safety net against downturns in a single industry, or a way to grow your business. That’s something that many billiard retailers have learned through decades of experience. When recessions happen and people stop buying tables, having other products that are smaller or not seen as “luxury” items can help a business stay afloat. Master Z’s was founded in 1992 by Ken and Tracy Zettelmeier, and the store had just $50 worth of dart supplies and nothing more than a vision. Today, that foresight has turned into one of the largest volume rec room and outdoor living retail store in Wisconsin. In fact, there’s two stores now and a heavy ecommerce platform. 6 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING ISSUE 2019
In 1994, Rob Kahler joined the Master Z’s team as its first full-time employee and 24 years later, he owns the retail stores along with investors Scott Stollenwerk and Michael Baudo. “During the last 24 years, it’s became apparent to us that our brand of customers would buy other things from us if we offered them in our store,” he says. “We then added billiards to our lineup, bringing in pool tables and billiard supplies.” Along the way, Master Z’s slowly added poker tables, bars, barstools, air hockey, ping-pong, foosball, arcade machines, shuffleboard tables, artwork, sports memorabilia, pool table lights, and more. “We then realized that our demographic was too small. We believed we could find maybe one pool table per square block in our area, but realized that every one of those homes had a patio in their backyard,” Kahler says.
