Bouncing into Business

There is a new business in Bloomington and it might be coming to bars or house parties across town soon.\nSeniors Dave Johnson and Pablo Svirsky, and junior Zach Martin are the founders and employees of Three Rivers Jackson, Bloomington's only student-run, custom beer pong table company.\nThe venture began nearly a year ago when the three roommates collaborated and built their first beer pong table for personal use. The table was a hit, and soon friends and neighbors were beginning to take interest.\nThis past June, Johnson began piecing together a business plan for the tables. In late July, he went to bars in Bloomington and pitched his idea of having a night dedicated to this popular drinking game. Johnson spoke with bar owners and presented them with his own financial figures of how having a successful beer pong night could increase revenues and customers.\n"I negotiate all the contracts and make sure the work is getting done according to the date of completion I quote for our customers," Johnson said.\nIn September, the trio received its biggest order yet from Axis Nightclub, 419 N. Walnut St. The club placed an order for eight custom-made tables for its weekly beer pong tournament. Axis manager Ken Nickos said he was pleased with the company's professionalism and the quality of the tables Axis purchased. \n"They made us one table that looks like the floor of Assembly Hall," Nickos said. "They had all of our tables done in four days."\nThe three-man team makes sure each business partner does his share of the work. While Johnson handles the business side of the operation, Svirsky and Martin both work on constructing the tables.\n"It's pretty much one-third, one-third, one-third. We wanted to make sure everyone was doing equal work," Martin said.\nThe 8-by-4-foot tables, which can be customized with different types of wood, are primarily assembled by Svirsky. Once the tables are assembled and have an initial coat of paint, Martin, a fine arts major, applies the artistic designs to the tabletop. Each table can be designed with a logo or piece of artwork to the customer's specifications.\n"It's been a huge learning experience for all of us," Svirsky said. "Since we all come from really different academic backgrounds, we each bring something different to the table and that's what makes this work so easily and efficiently." \nEven though they take their business seriously, the group is enjoying its current success and is looking to expand its operations. The trio is in the process of increasing marketing for the tables in the Bloomington area. In addition to building beer pong tables, they have also taken orders to place custom paint jobs on existing tables.\n"The business is a great way to capitalize on the talents and time of all three of us, and lets us create something people like with time we would have just spent hanging out with each other anyways," Martin said.\nTo learn more about Three Rivers Jackson or to contact the owners, e-mail Dave Johnson at davcjohn@indiana.edu.\n-- Contact staff writer Ron Neroda at rneroda@indiana.edu.