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Written by Erin Frustaci
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Wednesday, 10 May 2006 |
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The fact that Aaron Bekkela describes himself as pretty boring is exactly what makes him all the more interesting. He’s your average Joe Schmo, happily married with two kids and works full-time. Pretty normal right? Wrong.
Bekkela is the owner of A Hunt Club, the only strip club in Fort Collins. But make no mistake, the ex-cop is the polar opposite of the lawless Mafia strip club owner stereotype.
“I certainly don’t think I am what people envision in their mind,” Bekkela said.
The 35-year-old graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a degree in business administration. He decided to go into law enforcement, but he was a police officer for less than a year. He became discouraged and felt law enforcement, as well as teaching, is one of the worst paying fields.
“It was very politically charged,” he said.
His father was always in the bar business and his brother followed suit.
“They pulled me aside and asked if I ever thought about going into the business,” Bekkela said.
He gave it a go and never looked back. His only complaint is that he is constantly faced with stereotypes.
Erin Frustaci
VITAL STATS
Name: Aaron Bekkela
Company: A Hunt Club
Title: Owner
How long have you worked there: Started working in 1996. Acquired it in 1997
IN HIS WORDS
What is it about this job that makes it challenging?
What we have on our T-shirts, the adult daycare aspect of it. Say you’ve got a guy at a bachelor’s party and you meet him at his job or wherever, and he might be the nicest guy you could ever want to meet. But now he is out with his friends drinking, having a good time or whatever, and trying to keep up their good time... he could be the best guy you’d ever want to talk to any other time, but he’s drinking and having fun and potentially getting carried away... curbing that is a challenge.
Makes you get out of bed in the morning?
Money. The money end of this business is what drives it.
Things that impress you?
Work ethic. I’ve been in everything from working in the casinos to a cop to construction. The absolutely best work ethics I have seen are the single moms or the students who are going to school and trying to juggle this and that and everything and get to where they want in life.
Things that don’t.
The stereotypes. I guess to be politically correct or incorrect the B.S. that goes along with it. How society wants to look down there nose at you while the sun is up but then those are the same people that are in here when the sun is down. That’s probably one of the most frustrating aspects.
How do young/new employees get ahead?
Money. You take a girl who potentially has to take out student loans and buy that $80 chemistry book and get out of college in debt up to her eyeballs. Instead of getting in debt up to her eyeballs, she’s getting out and getting a fresh start where she can take that job that wouldn’t be enough to pay off her student loans. She can hit the door running. It’s from point A to point B. This is not a career move. There are very few people who could turn the entertainment business into a career, but there’s a lot of people who could use it from point A to point B.
Did you ever think in a million years you’d work here?
No. I’m probably the least typical version of what people would see as someone who would own a strip club you could imagine. I would go as far as to say I am boring.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you do?
I can tell you a lot of things I think I would be doing, but it’s hard to say. When I was a cop, my original goal was to get into the FBI. That’s what I thought I wanted to do. Say we sold the bar tomorrow, I would continue with a rock and stucco business I work for. I enjoy being outside. I have lived my life in a cave now for the last 10 years plus. Anything outside would be welcome.
What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done while at work?
I can’t think of anything stupid I ever did at work. I come to work to work. I know society would like to think it’s all drinking and partying and getting crazy and what not. You could count the times on your fingers I’ve even had a drink in here in the last 10 years. It’s a job. What you see on TV is anything but what is reality here.
Smartest?
Treating it like a business. Treating it like a job. Coming to work to work. Not getting caught up in the typical bar stuff that can go on at any bar.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever done to make money?
I think we are seeing it right now. That’s for sure.
Any interesting anecdotes?
People lie, numbers don’t. A lot of the cheesy things you hear growing up: treat people the way you want to be treated and be fair.
What’s the one thing you wish you could do on the job that you can’t right now?
It’s not so much what I’d do here. I guess I wish it was a level playing field. We do everything here absolutely to the letter of the law. The way we run the business is not what you’d find in Denver. For some reason, there are things going on in Denver that are blatantly against the law, but what can you do about it? All we can do is continue to run it as straight up as possible.
What do you do during your breaks?
Like anybody, I sit and watch the Avs game or the Broncos or go outside for some fresh air.
Name one thing in your life that really prepared you for your job.
My father. The man has a backbone like an iron beam and doesn’t take anyone’s shit. He doesn’t care if they look down their nose at him during the day because they are going to come in and spend their money at night. I was definitely taught to take care of my family and not to worry about what everybody else has to say.
What’s the biggest payoff in your job?
Money. Being able to take care of my family. Not worrying about the co-pay at the doctors visit and not having to worry if we have the money to get diapers.
Are you the boss? Do you think you should be?
Yes. As far as do I think I should be, go out and ask any one of them, I’m pretty sure I’d be supported.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
That goes back to the boring part. My life pretty much revolves around my immediate family and outdoors. Hunting, playing recreational sports. The last time I went to a bar other than this one was over six years ago.
Pets?
Weimaraner named Bailey and a big gray fat cat called Kitty.
Family?
A wife and two kids. I have a little girl who is 3 1/2 and a boy who is 3 months old.
Favorite TV shows.
The outdoor channels and ESPN are pretty much all I watch. I’d watch the news but it’s so depressing anymore. I’d say third would be the Weather Channel.
Movies.
I like anything that’s actually a story worth watching.
Books.
I’m not a very avid reader. It’s mostly outdoors magazines like Peterson’s Hunting.
What Web sites do you have bookmarked?
None. The Internet for me is simply a tool. I don’t spend a lot of time on it. It’s more for research. I think the Internet is actually worse than the television.
Where do you play?
Outdoors. And now with children, I spend the majority of my time at home with my family.
Go out to eat?
I’m kind of a steak guy. Steakhouses. I’m not opposed to trying a Chinese place or this or that, but for the most part, I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy.
Favorite spot?
At home. I like being home and spending time with my kids.
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