Down to Business: Naperville company specializes in carnival rides, concessions: ‘We work hard for other people to have fun'
Address: Naperville
Phone/website: 630-922-3188; www.alpineamusements.com
President: Donnie Massie III, 56, of Naperville; Vice President: Michelle Massie, 56, of Naperville
Years in business: 31
What does your business do? 'We provide rides, games and concessions for locals fairs and festivals, from small venues to large like Wrigley Field Christmas and Navy Pier. The focus is to partner with not-for-profit agencies and provide a way for them to fund raise (money), whether it's a church festival or a village. … They don't pay for us to come in. We have an agreed-upon percentage of the revenues that we donate back,' Michelle said.
How do you make money? 'We get a majority of the percentage because we have to cover overhead, insurance, fuel and payroll,' Michelle said.
'We are self-sufficient. We bring our own generators. The only thing we ask the town for is Dumpsters, water, Porta-Potties. We bring our own power,' Donnie said.
What's the history? 'My father started it. He grew up in Bloomington and worked for IBM. This was in the late '60s. He went to the Bloomington McLean County Fair and he saw people making lots of money with concessions, popcorn and cotton candy. He told me he went home and told my grandparents, 'I think I may have a side business.' He wanted to buy a cotton candy and popcorn trailer. My grandpa was like, 'Are you crazy?'
'Dad fulfilled what he wanted to do, owning a concession stand at a carnival. After that first weekend, he came home and dropped a bag of coins on the kitchen table. My grandfather said, 'I think you might have something here,,' Donnie said.
'His claim to fame is cotton candy, popcorn and snow cones. For tradition, we keep (selling) snow cones. He started in the Chicago area with five to six trailers. I was born in 1969. Dad expanded into kiddie rides and some games. It was called Massie's Mobile Concessions. It was part of a carnival. He was frustrated because if it wasn't big enough, a carnival wouldn't need outside vendors. Many years went by. … When I graduated college, he said, 'If you want to do this, I'll mortgage my house again,' and we started this business,' Donnie said.
How's it going? 'We've been fortunate. We started with six rides in 1994 and we're up to 22 rides now,' Donnie said.
Where do you keep the rides? 'In Union Grove, Wisconsin. An over 30,000-square-foot building. Storage and maintenance,' Donnie said.
Is maintenance important? 'Yes. We're very high level and meticulous when it comes to maintenance. That's why we're around 31 years. We set the bar high. Safety is No. 1,' Donnie said. 'Our inspections are daily. … And we're inspected by each state. We work in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.'
Do you work year around? 'Nine months of the year. Then we go to the warehouse and do maintenance,' Michelle said.
'Our fun time is January through March,' Donnie said.
Is this still a family business? 'Our daughter, Paige, works in concessions. She's a sophomore in accounting at the University of Kansas. (Our children) started on the payroll at 16 and recruited a bunch of their friends. Our son, Drew, just turned 24. He graduated from (University of) Wisconsin-Whitewater. … He's a driver, does a bit of everything,' Michelle said.
What do the kids say? 'I like driving. I like getting everything ready and tearing it down,' said Drew, who has a commercial driver's license and a business degree.
'You're always moving. No time to eat,' Paige said.
How do you tear down a carnival so fast? 'There's an old saying in the business. 'When you come by Monday, the only things left are wagon tracks and popcorn sacks.' … For us, 17, 18 rides, (tear down) takes about three and a half hours.'
Do you hate rain? 'If it rains, that's God telling us we have a day off,' Donnie said.
What about competition? 'Competition is friendly because there's enough work for all of us,' Michelle said.
Any future plans? 'We have a 45-foot Ferris wheel. We're buying a 65-foot Ferris wheel for next year. We're excited. … It costs $800,000,' Michelle said.
What's your philosophy? 'We work hard for other people to have fun,' Donnie said.
What's your advice for someone starting a business? 'Your employees are your best resource. Find the right people, nurture them, train them, mentor them. That's the diamond in the rough. If you take care of your people and your customers, everything else will fall in place,' Michelle said.
'We have expensive, beautiful rides, but I tell my staff all the time, 'We could not do this without you,'' Donnie added
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