A new golf simulator entertainment venue is set to be built on the ground floor of the Princess Apartment Building.
For Jackson Trester and Tyler Storer, it has been a challenging three months of planning, consulting with local leaders, applying for licenses and attending public hearings. Now that they’ve received council approval at the Sept. 16 meeting, Trester and Storer can begin building their golf simulator – their fourth business in two years.
However, there’s still a lot of work left to be done before construction begins.
“You have to go and find funding,” Trester said. “You have to agree to lease terms with the owners of the building, and that's all the non-business part. You also have to build projections and come up with a name and logo development.”
In 2023, after Trester graduated from Miami University and while Storer was completing his senior year, they opened their first business, OxVegas Chicken, a late-night fast-casual restaurant specializing in chicken tenders.. They quickly expanded into the business of personal fitness, creating two Fitness on High locations. They haven’t looked back since.
“How does a town with 16,000 college students not have any entertainment other than drinking?” Storer said. “ ‘How has that [gap] not been filled?’ ”
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The golf simulator will include a full bar, nine golf bays and options for large party bookings. Additionally, the golf simulator business will partner with OxVegas Chicken to provide food.
When Trester and Storer first started working on bringing the golf simulator to life, they had to obtain a conditional use permit, which required close collaboration with the City of Oxford Community Development Office.
Sam Perry, the community development director for Oxford, thinks Trester’s and Storer’s golf simulator business will be an interesting way to invite more people to Oxford.
“I [think the golf simulator is an] innovative use we haven't seen,” Perry said. “I'm excited to see something happen with that empty space that's been sitting there for almost 10 years. It’s just great to see people trying to do things to keep spaces occupied and attract and retain people who want to be in Oxford.”
Perry also said that due to a small local economy and a large transient student population, it’s hard for some businesses to succeed, especially once Miami students leave for breaks.
“You have to be able to make it through those times when there [are] no students, or you have [to have] a business that thrives on the student population,” Perry said. “I wouldn't say that it's a guaranteed success for all entrepreneurs. They really have to know what they're doing.”
Now that Trester and Storer can officially begin work on building the golf simulator, the pair hopes construction can start in the next four to six weeks and be completed and ready for people’s enjoyment within the next four months.
“Obviously, we’re pushing [for] before the students come back. End of January,” Storer said. “It's possible.”
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