Bearizona is a northern Arizona gem embracing Western-lodge kitsch and imbued with art. Blessed with the an ideal location along Route 66 and on the way to the Grand Canyon, this small family-owned attraction features both a lovely walk-through experience and an impressive drive through. It stands out for its quirky character and strong underlying conservation messages.
My company is just me. And that’s by design. I do not intend to hire employees and I purposefully keep my fees and client volume low. I view it as a complete success, but given the common perception of “business success,” I often wonder if others would agree… In this article, I outline my business strategy of Growing Small as an alternate measure of success.
Believe it or not, many consultants, including yours truly, are actually introverts! Learn the best practices for working with introverts by reading Felis Consulting’s somewhat self-effacing and certainly vulnerable ‘Top Tips for Working with Introverted Consultants.’
As a designer dedicated to the long-term planning of zoos and aquariums, I’ve had to explain the process of master planning many times, and although every zoo and aquarium is different, the best master plans (i.e. those which have been implemented) always follow a similar structure. In this post, we address the most commonly asked questions to help you understand what master planning is, when is the right time to start, and who should be involved.
Bearizona is a northern Arizona gem embracing Western-lodge kitsch and imbued with art. Blessed with the an ideal location along Route 66 and on the way to the Grand Canyon, this small family-owned attraction features both a lovely walk-through experience and an impressive drive through. It stands out for its quirky character and strong underlying conservation messages.
The rustic New York State Zoo in Watertown, New York reflects a clear brand and mission, and translates those into a cohesive guest experience. Not without its flaws—mainly due to outdated habitats, the zoo feels larger than its 30 acres due to an overwhelming sense of being lost in an authentic landscape complete with historic interpretation.
Relatively new and growing, The Wild Animal Park, in rural central New York still has its brand new shine. Efficiently well-planned, aesthetically pleasing, and a wide variety of animals and interaction possibilities makes this a great short stop for road-trippers. However, a few details detract from its potential, including lack of naturalistic vegetation & topography and the compact nature of the site.
The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas is a large ‘small’ zoo located in a small town. Drawing 250,000 in annual attendance from a drive time of about 1.5 hours, the family zoo is a great example of the best of small zoos—lovingly and thoughtfully designed using a blend of modern, innovative zoo design techniques with clean, timeless designs and light touches of theming set in a lush landscape with water features. A timeless, beautiful zoo borne from love—and a desire to be a community asset.
The 20-acre private zoo tucked into the hillside on the outskirts of growing Austin, Texas metro has plenty of challenges to tackle, but the beauty of the site and its proximity to Austin (and being the only zoo within an easy drive of the city) means the Zoo has almost unlimited untapped potential to become very successful—and a “weird” little gemstone to the community.
