Boring enterprises are the norm. But if you want to buck the trend, BizBuySell has plenty of off-the-rails options looking for new owners. Paddlewheel boat, anyone?
Buying a small business doesn’t have to mean becoming the owner of a mundane muffler shop or America’s 19,503rd Subway franchise. It can mean investing in a wild, weird, or wonderful and (hopefully) profitable niche. Ever wanted to own a fish farm? A haunted house? How about a combo petting zoo and wedding venue. Or a paddleboat?
The idea of buying a small business instead of starting one from scratch has been a growing trend since Walker Deibel’s 2018 book Buy Then Build was published in 2018. Deibel argues that entrepreneurship through acquisition offers a head start with existing revenue and customers, trading the uncertainty and risk (or some of it) for loan payments and cash.
BizBuySell is your rabbit hole for off-kilter small businesses you can buy right now. The site, owned by Washington D.C.-based CoStar Group (2024 revenue: $2.7 billion) is the country’s biggest marketplace for buying and selling small businesses, leading to the closing of 9,500 transactions last year. (For context, the Chamber of Commerce says there are 33 million small businesses in the U.S. in total.) The site makes money by charging listing fees, which can range from $65.95 to $195.95 per month for a 6-month term.
Most of what’s listed are the usual suspects—restaurants, gas stations, dry cleaners. But tucked in the corners you’ll find the oddballs.
Adam DeBussy, BizBuySell’s marketing director, says he’s come across just about everything. Browsing for strange businesses on the company’s website has even become a fun diversion for his team. “We’ve seen ghost towns, islands, and an independent league baseball team,” he says.
Of course, finding a weird business you want to own is only the first step. Closing the deal is another matter.
Emmet Apolinario, co-founder and president of Ohio Business Advisors, has sold everything from a licensed apparel shop for college sports to a disc golf retailer to a store that just sells lamp shades. He says unusual businesses usually take longer to sell and require more due diligence by buyers than conventional ones. Among other things, it’s harder to find comparables to measure claimed results against. In addition, buyers of offbeat establishments need to consider not only whether they can run the business, but also whether they can win the trust of loyal customers who may have a strong attachment to the founder.
But once the numbers check out, financing isn’t necessarily a problem.
“Cash flow is king,” says Jerry Freedman, a principal at Freedom Business Financing. He has arranged loans for buyers of businesses as unconventional as gun accessory sellers, “male enhancement” purveyors, and holistic health consultants. Even haunted houses and cat breeders can find willing lenders if the cash flow is solid, Freedman says. The process may be slower, and the pool of banks smaller, but rates aren’t automatically higher just because the business is weird. (Note that Small Business Administration guarantees aren’t available for businesses that serve interests of a “prurient sexual nature.”)
With all that in mind, here are some of the most unusual businesses currently listed on BizBuySell. Note: BizBuySell defines cash flow as before tax profit with payments to the owner and interest and depreciation on assets added back.
Haunted Attraction
Location: Robbinsville, New Jersey
Listing Price: $2,850,000
Revenue: Not Disclosed
Cash Flow: $300,000
Oasis Island of Terror covers 20 acres and features a 1.5-mile forested walking trail with the requisite scares along the way. It has been running for more than a decade and the land is zoned for broad agritourism uses, from summer camps to wineries. The owner only opens on weekends in Halloween season, so other uses during other seasons could generate more cash flow. Currently, word-of-mouth brings in much of the repeat business. The property is valued at $2 million and is included in the asking price.
Carnival Rides
Location: Lawrenceville, Georgia
Listing Price: $5,500,000
Revenue: $2,200,000
Cash Flow: $1,300,000
This outfit rents out more than 500 inflatables and 24 carnival rides, from a Ferris wheel (also available for purchase) to mechanical bulls. It has been in business for 17 years and claims $3 million in assets. The seller says customers keep coming back because the gear is clean and reliable, leading to steady referrals. Despite more than $1 million in annual cash flow, the owner says they’d like to turn their attention toward self-storage and truck parking on 40 commercial acres they also already own.
Portable Potties
Location: Richland County, Wisconsin
Listing Price: $1,800,000
Revenue: $668,000
Cash Flow: $308,234
It may not be as much fun as a bouncy house, but it’s a way to make a solid living. This 30-year-old portable toilet rental business claims 48% cash flow on revenue. The seller highlights a lack of local competition and a recession-proof model. With five employees and more than $900,000 in equipment included, it’s touted as a turnkey operation. Expansion into new territories could boost growth and the “gross revenue” jokes come free of charge.
Ghoul Tools
Location: Ankeny, Iowa
Listing Price: $65,000
Revenue: $48,000
Cash Flow: $40,000
If buying a haunted attraction seems too scary an investment, why not just sell the gear for finding those ghouls? Ghost Gear designs and sells professional-grade tools for paranormal investigators. Products include EMF detectors and proximity devices. The tiny business positions itself as a cut above the “garage tech” flooding the market, with sleeker, sturdier equipment. Unsurprisingly, sales spike around Halloween.
Monster Trucks
Location: Sarasota, Florida
Listing Price: $10,000,000
Revenue: Not Disclosed
Cash Flow: Not Disclosed
This is less a mom-and-pop shop than a social media spectacle. The business includes three monster trucks used for rides and events. The seller says the package comes with a social media presence boasting more than a million followers. Details are scarce, but the draw is obvious: a ready-made entertainment brand that trades on size, noise, and classic Americana.
Fish Farm
Location: Homestead, Florida
Listing Price: $2,195,000
Revenue: $664,274
Cash Flow: Not Disclosed
This five-acre farm breeds more than 200 types of African cichlids and imports another 300 varieties. The property includes a 4,900-square-foot hatchery, 550 outdoor vats, and a modern home with a pool. It has supplied fish to wholesalers and retailers worldwide since 1979. The seller says a buyer could grow the aquaculture business or convert the land into a tourist attraction.
Wedding Chapel and Petting Zoo
Location: Pahrump, Nevada
Listing Price: $499,999
Revenue: $130,000
Cash Flow: $114,000
This five-acre ranch outside Las Vegas bills itself as a lifestyle business. It combines an Airbnb operation with a petting zoo and a wedding venue. Because, why not? Guests can rent the house, feed goats and alpacas, and get married in the on-site chapel. The property has been featured on HBO Max’s Small Town News and touts strong social media traction. The allure is multiple revenue streams in a region that feeds off tourism.
Cattery
Location: Madoc, Ontario, Canada
Listing Price: $18,000
Revenue: $71,000
Cash Flow: Not Disclosed
This listing offers all the supplies to run a cattery, that’d be a cat breeding business (the owner’s Bengal Cats, he says, aren’t included anymore, since he’s trying to place them into homes separately). Equipment includes cages, outdoor runs, treadmills, and a microchipping kit. The seller, Ian Ruckenstein, 57, is no stranger to unique businesses. He once ran a freestyle dance studio in Toronto, which he says focused on helping people express their authentic selves. When COVID lockdowns made that impossible, he pivoted into breeding Bengal cats. He says you can make money in the cat business, but warns it shouldn’t be the only motivation. “You have to get into it for the love of the animals,” he says.
Pet Cremation
Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida
Listing Price: $400,000
Revenue: $35,000
Cash Flow: $25,000
If raising animals isn’t your thing, how about sending them off? This franchise location of Resting Rainbow, the self-described world’s largest pet cremation company, has been operating for 25 years. It currently works with 18 veterinary clients, does pick-ups and accepts carry-in business. The pitch is steady growth and “tremendous opportunity for expansion,” backed by the franchisor’s support and training. It’s turnkey, the cremator is already installed, and the seller bills it as recession resistant.
Paddlewheel Boat
Location: Tavares, Florida
Listing Price: $595,000
Revenue: Not Disclosed
Cash Flow: Not Disclosed
Buy one of the businesses above and you might be looking to celebrate. Why not do it in 19th century style? The Dora Queen is an 80-foot paddlewheel boat offering sunset cruises on Lake Dora, a 4,500-acre lake in central Florida known for its seaplanes, bass fishing, and chain of connected waterways. The vessel has a liquor license and features a full bar, lounge seating, and climate-controlled decks. The current owners market it for private parties and tours.
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