GROWTH STORY
From 11 spaces in 11 years to finding home: How a pedal board maker stopped moving and started growing
Holeyboard at a glance:
11 different spaces in 11 years; inadequate loading docks; unreliable management; shipping nightmares
Professional facility with proper loading docks, shipping infrastructure, and reliable management
Increased revenue; time to develop new products; seamless shipping operations; business stability
Chris Trofilio had turned moving into an art form he never wanted to master. In 11 years of building guitar pedal boards, he’d occupied 11 different spaces, sometimes moving twice in the same year. Each location promised to solve his shipping problems, yet each one failed in new and creative ways.
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The constant relocations weren’t just about finding space—they were about finding infrastructure that could handle a manufacturing business that ships worldwide. After two years at WareSpace, Chris has discovered something revolutionary: staying put while his business grows up.
Before WareSpace The Nomadic Years
The Nomadic Years
Chris started Holeyboard as a side hobby while playing guitar in bands around the Twin Cities music scene. When he decided to quit his full-time job 11 years ago, he entered a frustrating cycle of inadequate spaces that forced him to move constantly.
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The problems were always the same: loading docks too small for 55-foot trailers, forcing expensive straight truck deliveries. Management that was “totally flaky” and unreliable. Spaces not designed for manufacturing businesses that needed to receive parts and ship finished products daily.
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Receiving parts became a nightmare that consumed entire days. Chris would sit for nine hours waiting for trucks that might not show up, unable to leave because someone needed to be present for deliveries. The shipping challenges meant less time for the core work of designing new pedal boards and growing the business.
“I’ve been in 11 spaces in 11 years. Some I moved twice in the same year… Either they had a small loading dock or I couldn’t get like a 55 foot trailer in and then every time you order a straight truck, there’s an upcharge.”
Chris Trofilio Holeyboard Pedalboards
Making the Switch Infrastructure That Works
Infrastructure That Works
When Chris toured WareSpace, the loading docks immediately caught his attention. Real loading docks that could handle 55-foot trailers. Covered shipping areas. Security access. Management that seemed competent and reliable.
The spaces were built for businesses like his—small manufacturers who need professional infrastructure without massive square footage. He started in one of the smaller units with room to scale up as the business grew.
The loading dock access alone would eliminate the coordination headaches he faced with every delivery.
Where They Are Now Stability and Growth
Stability and Growth
Chris has found something that eluded him for over a decade: operational stability. Parts arrive when he’s not there, waiting for him when he arrives in the morning. He can send pallets out for powder coating and continue with other work instead of sitting around waiting for pickups.
The shipping infrastructure has transformed his daily operations. UPS, FedEx, and USPS pick up daily. He drops packages in baskets and they get handled without him managing every detail. The time he once spent coordinating deliveries now goes toward designing new products and growing revenue.
The amenities surprised him—photo studio for product shots, conference rooms for business meetings, common areas where he connects with other small business owners facing similar challenges.
“All of a sudden I had time to do the things that I need to do, designing new products and then shipping… Since moving to WareSpace, I’ve gained so much more time back to allow me to spend the time focused on what I need to focus on.”
Chris Trofilio Holeyboard Pedalboards
What They Love Professional Infrastructure at Small Business Scale
Professional Infrastructure at Small Business Scale
For Chris, the loading docks solved his biggest operational problem. No more expensive straight truck surcharges. No more waiting nine hours for deliveries. The covered shipping area means he doesn’t have to drive forklifts through snow in parking lots.
The all-inclusive pricing eliminated the chaos of multiple bills he faced elsewhere—three separate heating bills, internet charges, insurance complications. Now he knows his costs upfront and can focus on building pedal boards instead of managing facility logistics.
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