ClubZERO Rewards Founder/CEO shares an overview of the AP Impact Fund
Tropical Reef Travel Cafe Inc.
A ClubZERO Venture Company
Tropical Reef Travel Café™ - where travel dreams meet island vibes - is a one-of-a-kind experiential concept that merges the laid-back charm of a tropical café with the excitement of an active travel planning location your next great getaway. Developed by our founder nearly two decades ago and now fully reimagined for today’s lifestyle-driven consumer, and to serve as the ClubZERO local clubhouse.
The Travel Café is positioned to become a national franchise opportunity for ClubZERO members in the future, and as we grow, so will this chain. It has massive growth potential. The initial signature Travel Cafe planned for Las Vegas, seen in the rendering below, shares the concept well. Once underway, a second and third signature Travel Cafe will be built in California, and Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii. They will become known for their specialty food line - the "BageddAboudIt" pizza. sandwiches, salads and smoothies. They will serve micro-beers, California wines and related products.
Launch Strategy
The first flagship signature Travel Cafe location is planned for Summerlin, Las Vegas, followed by two additional similar build-outs in Camarillo, California and Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii by 2028. The initial location will serve as our operational training model to perfect the menus and develop our smaller unit franchise model and system. The plan is to drive early revenues for its ClubZERO Rewards™ membership community which will use them as sort of clubhouses to meet others. Designed as high-visually immersive tropical destinations, these Cafés will feature:
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Indoor/outdoor tropical garden seating with ocean reef-style design elements
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Multiple saltwater aquariums stocked with assorted reef fish
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On-site digital travel kiosks and concierge desks, and travel related programing
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Private event space for travel-themed parties, workshops, and promotions
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A Fresh Concept for a New Era
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In a world where consumers increasingly see AI displace jobs and personal services, many still seek authentic food experiences, travel planning convenience or assistance, and lifestyle-centric environments. The Tropical Reef Travel Café brand is one of the companies that intends to deliver this within a unique value proposition:
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A relaxing tropical-themed café that serves as a desired destination in itself
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Curated food and drink menus including the famous “BageddAboudIt” pizza, and sandwiches, fresh salads, smoothies, craft microbrews, and California wines.
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On-site travel planning services, helping guests explore and book dream vacations while they dine
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A lifestyle hub that fosters loyalty, membership club-like community, and adventure - all under one roof
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Shares the messages of the CBO Foundation ocean and environment issues.
The Market Opportunity
The Tropical Reef Travel Café is entering the market at a time when three major trends are converging:
1. The Rise of Experiential Dining
Consumers, especially Millennials and Gen Z, crave more than just a meal—they want a story, an escape, and an Instagram-worthy experience. Restaurants with immersive themes and brand storytelling are outperforming traditional models.
2. The Travel Rebound
Global travel has been off the past several years, so locals want to stay closer to home and get better value. In the post-COVID world, even the Las Vegas travel industry has suffered. People are ready to explore again—and want help planning personalized trips.
3. Franchise Expansion & Lifestyle Brands
Franchised restaurants now make up over 50% of the U.S. food service industry, and travel agency franchises are gaining traction as travel demand surges. Merging these two sectors is not only innovative—it’s first to market.
From Island Café to Franchise Chain
Once the core initial signature Travel Café is successfully launched and operating, the next step is to establish three smaller future franchise units in Las Vegas—offering a low-overhead, high-experience café model for the independent entrepreneurial ClubZERO members, who will get first crack at acquiring one. Future franchisees will receive:
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Full build-out and design in select market locations
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Training & operations manuals and sales aids
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Refunds for member discounts
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Collective marketing of Cafes on member website
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Logo-branded merchandise and branding products
GridZero will build-out its Travel Cafes as a standalone company with its own management team, and operate them long-term to support the ClubZERO membership.
Growth could be limited by availability of reef fish for the proposed saltwater aquariums.
Why It Works
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People love tropical escapes—even if just for an hour during lunch
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Food, beverage, and travel are three of the highest-spending consumer categories
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No direct competition with this hybrid concept model
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Growing demand for local businesses that offer meaningful, fun, and community-driven experiences
Franchises Will Be Offered Exclusively To Members
Although we are not looking for partners or investors for this company, we are looking into developing a franchising model for these units in the future - once established and proven. If you're a ClubZERO member entrepreneur, lifestyle investor, or franchise development executive looking to bring a fresh, sustainable, and experiential brand to your region - Tropical Reef Travel Café™ may be your opportunity to ride the next wave.
Our goal will be to build a network of 50+ potential franchise locations within destination resorts, airports, strip malls across North America when we are ready. A Travel Cafe where guests can grab a smoothie, book a cruise, and dream a little bigger… island style - and join the club if memberships are available.