Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Lawson.
Hi Alicia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Port Lawrence Homes was the name of the projects located near Downtown Toledo, OH, where I grew up, and my husband Nathan grew up as part of a middle-class family in Toledo as well. Both of us would never have imagined being the 1st African American couple to create and build the 1st Black owned recreational RV resort near NASCAR and then coming back home to become a part of Downtown Toledo’s revitalization.
We have been married 33 years, and most of my career was spent in marketing and sales in the pharmaceutical industry. Nate is a Veteran and became an owner-operator for more than 30 years and we shared a love for the outdoors. After camping for over 30 years together, we decided to make owning a campground a family business. Although we had never been to the state of Alabama before, we thought the land that was presented to us was perfect for building an RV Resort. We were seeking to build in warm weather, we were seeking 20 or more acres and an area that was close to a major highway. We found an advertisement for land for sale that fit our criteria and discovered it was within walking distance from NASCAR in Talladega. Once we purchased the land, we began building the resort with the help from enthused camping fans from our Facebook page that we created. The new resort featured the area’s first large, family swimming pool. We installed 100 big-rig friendly, long pull-through sites, full hook-up, Wi-Fi, and cable access, plus a host of high-end resort amenities. We provided an enjoyable stay to enhance the overall experience for RV travelers, whether guests arrive for an extended vacation, a quick get-away, hope to take advantage of the thrill of the Talladega Superspeedway or visit nearby local attractions: horseback riding, go-cart track, river rafting, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing. Shortly into building, Nathan became ill, which we would later find out that he had bladder cancer, and we thought our camping days were over. We decided it would be best to sell the park and rebuild closer to home, where we would work closer with family and friends. After accepting a decent offer for the park, we began to search for land closer to home to rebuild the RV Resort. However, once attending a presentation by a representative from the Toledo Metro Parks, we decided that investing into downtown Toledo would be a great idea. We purchased 3 buildings along with a 48-space parking lot along with our daughters Arlinda Self (37 years old) and Shiley Lawson (32 years old), and we decided to explore their vision of helping new entrepreneurs start or relocate their business by offering affordable office space. We truly understand that the 1st 2-5 years are challenging for new businesses, and by offering suites starting at $350 truly helps them fucus on offering a great product without worrying about expensive rent. We have 24 suites in which all are currently rented, and now focusing on building an 8-space salon along with dance studio in the 3rd building. We are truly excited to be a part of Toledo’s downtown growth.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The biggest obstacle we faced was being black and trying to receive back financing. We tested the banking system several times and pretending to be causation always got us further in the process, however, ended once we had to expose our true selves. I decided to have a heart-to-heart talk with one of the banks in Alabama and explained that we only wanted to be treated fairly, and I believe it helped. While building the RV Resort, we decided to market ourselves personally to the new Talladega area for several months prior to the park opening so that they would become more familiar with the fact that the park would have black owners. At first, it was not accepted, however, after consistent marketing who we were, they began to accept us.
We’ve been impressed with Superior Made Spaces, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My husband and I are business partners with our daughters and proud to run a family-owned business. Nathan is training our daughters on the infrastructure upkeep while I train them on the company vision along with marketing and sales. Affordable multi-purpose office space downtown Toledo is now affordable starting at $350/month for a 250-350sf. Now, business owners don’t have to rent out all of the suites in an office space which makes it expensive. Now, they can just rent a suite to grow their business and focus on providing a great product or service and not have to worry about an expensive office. We provide parking on-site which is a major plus for being downtown. We also offer suites that include all utilities, janitorial services, a kitchen, private restrooms, a conference room, along with a premium location downtown, close to everything.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
We offer flexible lease agreements, 3 – 12-month leases, and an opportunity for them to personalize their space.
Pricing:
- Executive Suite – $350
- Presidential Suites – $400
- Superior Suites – $450
Contact Info:
- Website: www.superiormadespaces.com
- Facebook: superiormadespaces
- Linkedin: Superior Made Spaces
