Inflatable pubs firm expands
AN inflatable pub business based on the border is ‘expanding’, in more ways than one, thanks to huge coverage following their participation at the Chicago St Patrick’s Day parade and their recent announcement that they have secured the rights to the famous Moe’s Tavern from The Simpsons.
Inflatable Pubs founder Lisa McMahon Winters says she is delighted with the coverage the Chicago parade secured for the company, which has a facility in Ravensdale, after the organisers of the event asked the firm to provide the VIP hospitality tent to be located close to the start of the parade.
Lisa, who left her job in sales to set up what has now become the world’s best-known inflatable pub business, said the online videos showing their pub at the beginning of the parade have been viewed millions of times and has created great publicity, particularly in America, for the business founded about seven years ago.
And America is where the business, which can be found at www.inflatable.pub, is concentrating at the moment, having secured the rights from 20th Century Fox to create the famous Moe’s Tavern from The Simpsons as an inflatable.
The best explanation of an inflatable pub is that it’s like a marquee but far more creative and adventurous, with a number of different types of bespoke designs and sizes available and they are often used at weddings, public events like the St Patrick’s parade and corporate events. If you want, you can even ask the company to design and create a replica of your favourite watering hole.
The business has really taken off in the past couple of years with America in particular offering huge potential. The inflatables are manufactured in Ireland, Holland and Romania.
Lisa said: ‘ The success of renting the pubs moved us into sales offering worldwide shipping, rental partners and resellers packages. We knew we on to something when we saw other trying to copy our business model in the rental industry, we took this as a massive compliment, but we do not endorse any other business who are not our rental partners and not using the brand of Inflatable.pub.
‘We have very strict design manufacturing and material requirements that unfortunately are not met on replica units and can give the name of inflatable pubs a bad name.
‘We offer our partners a free listing on our website and also when purchased we offer experience, training, marketing help etc and we don’t charge any fees for this. Hopefully this time next year you will be able to rent an inflatable pub in every city in the world via the inflatable. pub partner listing’.
Just last month, a retail partner in the States ordered one pub and thanks to the bookings he has already received, he has put in an order for a further four, such is the demand.