Meet Joshua Trevathan of GoAirheads in Erie

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Trevathan.

Joshua, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2008 I started playing airsoft at the age of 13. I was not the fastest, strongest or quickest kid so traditional sports were not something I was drawn to. However, airsoft did not necessitate having any of these specific strengths. Instead, it focuses more on team work, communication and out maneuvering the opponent to get the best tactical advantage against them (having good aim certainly helps too!). This is what drew me in. I was fortunate enough for my grandpa to have a piece of property in Erie with a bunch of buildings on it from his old goat farm. This was the PERFECT place to start inviting my friends and family to come out to play airsoft with me. I started telling them to invite their friends and with help from my parents the business took off very quickly. I am a very lucky man to be able to do what my passion has been for the last decade.

Has it been a smooth road?
Yes and no. In terms of the demand for airsoft that has been steadily increasing every year. However, there were many legal issues we had to deal with from the county since my grandpa’s “Old goat farm” was not technically zoned correctly for the business that emerged on it. Luckily, the community came together around GoAirheads and went to every public meeting and forum to convince the county to allow us to stay. It has been several years since this has happened but I am still grateful for everyone’s assistance in that process. There have also been several other hiccups simply from being so young when I started this business. Things like learning how to do payroll., business taxes, getting insurance or ordering inventory are not things that I was taught in high school so these were all things I had to learn first hand. While it was somewhat tough to do this (I was also a full time college student too) I look back fondly on these growing experiences.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
GoAirheads is an Airsoft field and store located in Erie Colorado that specializes in giving players a unique battlefield experience through the use of airsoft. Players can come out and rental a rifle, the protective equipment and jump into any host of the unique military has driven game modes. Some of these modes range from simple games like team death match or capture the flag to more nuanced games like hostage rescue, black hawk down or bomb squad just to name a few. While we are the oldest running airsoft field in Colorado what sets us apart from other airsoft/paintball fields is our commitment to being a family friendly environment for the next generation to start coming out and getting involved. We do this through our no profanity rules, our large amount of rental guns and protective gear, having special “Adult Swim” days to separate the “hardcore” older players from the more casual new players. This is along with other more subtle things like misters in the summer months, summer camp programs, plenty of shaded seating areas with tables and chairs and overall a welcoming non-elitist environment that we try to promote. Since I started this when I was so young I know what it can feel like to be intimidated getting into something like this so we try to make that transition as smooth as possible.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Unfortunately, most cities have very strict limits on discharging of airsoft guns, even on your own personal property. Luckily, we are outside of city limits in Weld County so they have been much more lenient with my business. It also helps that this makes the tax rate lower as well. For my type of business, location is key, while it may be possible to run an airsoft field closer to the city the legal hoops most have to jump through to get it approved and the overall price for land/space makes it unfeasible. Luckily for GoAirheads people don’t seem to mind driving an extra 20 minutes out of the city to experience what we offer.

Pricing:

• All-Day Entrance Fee: $20
• Gun and Mask Rental: $20
• Ammo: $14 for 5,000 rounds (enough for 2 people)

Contact Info:

• Address: 4471 County Road 7
• Website: GoAirheads.com
• Phone: 303-495-3233
• Email: goairheadssales@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/goairheads_co
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoAirheads/

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