After nearly 21 years of operating Combat Base out of his Redondo Beach garage, legendary jiu-jitsu instructor Chris Haueter is being forced to close the doors on what many practitioners consider a bucket list training destination. The culprit is not a lack of passion or dedication, it is simple economics. He explained on his podcast:
“We are here in Redondo Beach. Like most areas along a coast, there is a limited resource called the beach. My father, when he purchased his first home in Manhattan Beach for like $56,000, knew that eventually they are going to run out of beach land and that beach land is valuable.”
The neighborhood transformation has been dramatic. Haueter recalls a time when nearby properties housed chop shops and underground operations, when Harley riders would park on lawns. Today, homes are selling for $3 million.
“I have watched this neighborhood gentrify. Eventually I knew we would either, if we could hold on to this thing, we would have a good nest egg, or we would be gentrified out.”
The garage academy, which first saw mats laid in 2005, operates on a fundamentally different model than commercial gyms. Without the financial burden of commercial rent, Combat Base maintained an intimate atmosphere with around 20 regular practitioners, mostly black belts, rather than the 200 student enrollment typical commercial operations require.
Haueter’s wife, Melissa Haueter, who manages the business side of their Combat Base Club online platform, breaks down the harsh mathematics.
“Let us just say we are going to let go of a bunch of the other stuff Chris is doing so we can open up a school. So now we are going to pay six grand a month in rent plus lose four or $5,000 a month in income. So now we are actually in the hole like $11,000 instead of just six grand a month.”
“We cannot afford to do that because we cannot even afford to keep this space. Because if we could afford to go in the hole $5,000 a month, we would be able to afford to keep this space.”
The couple attempted to generate sufficient income for a commercial space but could not gain enough traction.
“At this point in time, I feel like I do not have the desire to pay to go to work. I get paid to work and I will not pay to go to work.”
Haueter contrasts his approach with traditional academy models, noting that successful schools typically need at least a decade to establish themselves through kids classes, consistent programming and long term community trust. He references one of his most successful black belts who became the established school in his area simply by being first and outlasting competitors who cycled through over 25 years.
“The garage, you already live here. It is free. Whereas a school is not a location.”
Without the pressure of maintaining massive enrollment, Combat Base cultivated what Melissa describes as a safe training environment.
“You cannot say that every mat room that you walk into, every gym that you walk into, that you are 100% confident that the people that you train with are going to take care of you. But I could say that about my people here.”
The space has hosted seminars with Clark Gracie, Jeff Glover and Renato Laranja, and attracted practitioners from around the world.
As the February closure approaches, Haueter remains philosophical about the transition, viewing it as an opportunity rather than defeat.
“I know that all things come to an end. Through all that stuff comes new growth. I see this as an opportunity rather than a liability.”
The Combat Base Club will continue operating independently of any physical location, with Haueter maintaining his teaching schedule and seminar circuit. For those wanting to experience the garage before it closes, Melissa advises contacting them before mid January, as they plan to transition open mats to a new location shortly thereafter.
Haueter concludes:
“I am interested in the art of jiu jitsu, not in running a jiu jitsu academy.”
