Los Angeles native Darrell Skaggs’ son might be a professional baseball player, but it’s the business owner’s love for the game that inspired him to open a batting cage and training facility in Santa Maria.
On Deck 2 Batting Cages had a soft opening in mid-May at the Santa Maria Town Center, and will have its official grand opening sometime in June, Skaggs said, after the automatic and instructional machines’ bugs are sorted out and fine-tuned. It’s an affiliate of On Deck 1 in Burbank, and Skaggs is currently working to make it an affiliate of West Coast Baseball School, an exclusive club for which very few baseball businesses qualify. Kids and adults alike can visit the cages to learn how to hit and pitch baseballs or softballs from instructors.
Skaggs’ business is about two years in the making. Opening it was something he’d wanted to do for a long time, and while running another business on the side, it felt like the right time to set up shop, he said. The decision to move from a fast-paced environment to a calm city on the Central Coast was highly intentional.
“I had a business analysis to find out how fast everything was growing out here, and felt it was one of the better places to bring a business into the community,” he explained. “I like it out here; it’s beautiful.”
Now that the business is open for the public to enjoy, Skaggs anticipates putting his promotional ideas into action for the grand opening. He plans for each day of the week to be different; it would start, for example, with Monday Madness, when participants could win an autographed photo of a professional baseball player; Tuesday would be Two-For-One Tuesday; and Wacky Wednesday would connect customers to deals and coupons with other businesses at the mall.
“We got a real good report with customers,” he said. “Everybody seems to enjoy it so far, and everybody has given it the thumbs up.”
The main purpose of the facility is to help people have fun, Skaggs added.
“It’s for anybody that loves to play baseball. We’ll take kids and beginners to hit on a tee to learn the game, all the way to professional baseball players,” he said.
The latter demographic may catch many clients’ eyes; Skaggs said his son, Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs, will be a big reason many professional players would come in during the off-season.
“I’ve been a Dodgers fan all my life, but I’m starting to become an Arizona fan,” the proud papa said, laughing.
So what’s the best part about running the new facility?
“Just watching the kids develop,” he said. “The younger kids get excited about hitting, and [they] like baseball as much as I do. We’re just here to have fun and make sure kids have an education and experience they’ll enjoy.”
On Deck 2 Batting Cages is at 263 Town Center East. To make reservations, call
354-0870.
Intern Andrea Kang wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via mail, e-mail, or fax.
This article appears in May 30 – Jun 6, 2013.