Project Spotlight: Left Hand Brewing Company 40’ Custom Container Bar
Project Background
Left Handing Brewing Company is one of the most iconic craft breweries in the country (and happens to be 40 minutes down the road from our ROXBOX headquarters), so we could not have been more excited when they approached us about creating a custom shipping container bar concept for their new beer garden. From the get go Left Hand knew what they wanted, an eye-catching, durable centerpiece to their new space that could serve their famous craft beers and beverages all year long. Enter Big Red, a 40 foot shipping container bar with all of the functionality and equipment of a full taproom.
We took this project from “napkin-sketch” through our four-phase shipping container design process – design and analysis in Phase 1, fully stamped and approved plans through the modular program in Phase 2, complete build-out at our Denver facility in Phase 3, and delivery + install on-site in Phase 4.
Specs & Modifications
- 40’ High-Cube one-trip container
- 10’ walk-in cooler that holds 20+ kegs
- Cooler entry from the person-door inside the bar and from the container doors outside the bar
- Custom pipe-tap with 8 taps utilizing a glycol system
- Electrical, lights & plumbing
- Person-door employee entry
- Custom signage and branding
- Three customer windows with retractable awnings and stainless steel countertops (one ADA compliant customer window)
- Additional back bar customer window with awning and sliding windows
- Custom back bar equipment, including: two refrigerators, hand sink, cabinets, and stainless countertop
- Certified modular building with the State of Colorado
Location
The custom BeerCan can be found at Left Hand’s brand new beer garden at their headquarters in Longmont, Colorado. The container bar serves as the centerpiece to Left Hand’s three acre beer garden.
Timeline
Left Hand originally reached out to ROXBOX about the project in 2019, but plans were stalled due to the pandemic. The project picked up the pace again in early 2021 with a finish date of early August so the beer garden could open for summer. ROXBOX began designing the container in January 2021, working hand-in-hand with the LeftHand team to create their custom 40’ BeerCan.
In Phase 1, our team outlined and designed every detail of the build, including: exterior color, signage, beer and tap system design and location, window and door placement, location of bar equipment, etc. With design and Phase 1 completed, we took the project into Phase 2 and developed stamped plans to submit to the Colorado modular program. Our team worked with architects and engineers, alongside the State of Colorado, to get stamped and approved plans for the permanent modular structure. Then the fun part – Phase 3 and building out the unit. Once all of the materials were received, it took us 43 days to complete this build (including modular inspections). We delivered the final product and completed a small amount of on-site work in late July 2021, more than enough time for Left Hand’s beer garden grand opening party on August 14th!
Project Development
If you are interested in learning more about the Left Hand BeerCan, our bar & taproom line of shipping containers modifications, or any of our other products and builds, click here to contact our team or visit our website (www.roxboxcontainers.com).
ROXBOX's HELIOS Solar Containers Accepted into USDA REAP Program
ROXBOX’s HELIOS line of off-grid, solar infrastructure containers have been accepted into the USDA’s REAP program, giving farmers and rural small businesses the opportunity to apply for USDA grants on all HELIOS units.
What is HELIOS?
HELIOS is ROXBOX’s line of solar cold storage and deployable energy containers. Our HELIOS solutions help our customers reduce their carbon emissions and reliance on diesel generators, which in turn allows individuals, businesses, and communities to go green while saving significantly on operations and fuel costs. Specs of our HELIOS refrigerators, freezers, ice makers and generators include:
20' Refrigerator
• 35°F to 39°F
20' Ice Maker
• -11°F to 0°F
20' Freezer
• 2,224 lbs daily
20' Generator
• 30KW Deploying Solar Array
• 20KW+ Useable Battery Bank
• 20KVA Biodiesel Generator (Optional)
The HELIOS line utilizes innovative technology and is pioneering sustainable cold storage and power generation. Each unit is calibrated to a specific use case and is a fully IOT system with remote monitoring and controls. Our HELIOS containers are rapidly deployable, can be transported anywhere in the world, and have state of the art battery banks that allow each unit to run up to 5 days, 24/7 off of a day’s charge . The ability to have 100% solar-powered cold storage and off-grid power generation in a shipping container can drastically improve operations in a variety of industries, including (but not limited to): Defense, Farming, Agriculture, Fisheries, Disaster Relief, Morgues, Food Distribution, Supply Chain, Last-Mile Delivery, Site Power, Off-Grid Ecosystems, Sustainable Infrastructure, Festival & Event Cold Storage, Vaccine Distribution, Construction, and NGOs.
What is the USDA REAP Grant Program?
ROXBOX HELIOS units were recently accepted into the USDA’s REAP program. The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides financial assistance to agricultural producers and rural (towns with less than 50,000 people) small businesses in America to purchase, install, and construct renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements to non-residential buildings and facilities, use renewable technologies that reduce energy consumption, and participate in energy audits and renewable energy development assistance.
REAP provides grant funding for up to 25% for your HELIOS units and the loan guarantees can cover up to 75% of the cost of HELIOS unit/s. These grants and loans are awarded on a competitive basis. Terms include:
• Grants and loans to fund installation of Solar Renewable Energy systems: $2,500 minimum to $500,000 maximum
• Grants and loans to fund Energy Efficiency improvements: Rebate amount $1,500 minimum to $250,000 maximum
Who is eligible for REAP grants?
There are two groups eligible for USDA REAP grants: farmers and rural, small businesses:
Farmers (Schedule F)
Agricultural producers with at least 50% of their gross income coming from agricultural operations are eligible for REAP. If applying as a farm, there are no size or geographical restrictions. You can be a huge farm or an urban farm and you do not need to meet any of the “rural small business” requirements. However, in this case, very small farms should be advised that more than 50% of household income must come from the sale of agricultural products (determined by the average percentage over the last three years). If this is not the case, your farm business will need to at least be separately incorporated and be considered eligible as a “rural small business.”
Small, Rural Businesses (Form 1065 or 1120)
If you file a 1065 or 1120, you will be applying as a rural small business. The rules for qualifying are similar to those of farms: the majority of electricity consumed on the property must be for business purposes only, and the applicant can’t owe any back taxes. In most cases, businesses that operate out of your residence do not qualify.
Are you rural?
To be eligible, the business must be located in a rural, qualifying area. To determine if your business is in a qualifying area, you can use the USDA’s Eligibility Map. If your property is close to a qualifying area but it’s not quite within the shaded portion, check with a USDA Grant professional to determine whether or not it qualifies.
Are you a small business?
To be eligible, your business must qualify as a “small business”. If you aren’t certain whether or not your business is legally defined as a “small” business, you can check your NAICS code at the NAICS website here. You can also check your SBA-defined business size at the SBA website here.
How to Get Started & Where to Apply
Applications for REAP are accepted year-round at your local office and you can contact your state rural energy coordinator with any questions. It may seem complicated applying for a grant to the government, but don’t worry. ROXBOX has helped many businesses take advantage of these commercial solar grants and will walk you through the application process.
For more information regarding applicant and project eligibility for loans and grants, visit the USDA REAP webpage, read the eligibility requirements in the most recent Solicitation of Applications for REAP funding in the Federal Registry, and/or contact your state rural energy coordinator.
For more information regarding our HELIOS units and/or ROXBOX information, visit www.roxboxcontainers.com, reach out to our team at 303-997-8875 and/or email us at [email protected].
ROXBOX Launches New Product Line Paying Tribute to Lost Team Member
ROXBOX Containers has launched the BillyBox paying tribute to “Wild Bill” Thomson, a member of the ROXBOX team who recently passed away in a tragic motorcycle accident.
On April 2nd, 2021 ROXBOX lost a member of the team to a tragic motorcycle accident – “Wild Bill” Thompson. Billy was a self-made man who embodied the ROXBOX mentality of hard work and quality craftsmanship. Billy, a lead welder and fabricator, was a friend to all in the ROXBOX shop and showed up every day ready to work. In his honor, the ROXBOX team has developed the “BillyBox”. The BillyBox is Billy – a badass container bar that has a built-in walk-in cooler for kegs and all of the equipment for a full-service bar.
ROXBOX’s most popular container modification to date is the BeerCan, a 20 foot permanent or mobile container taproom with a walk-in cooler for kegs and tap system. ROXBOX has built BeerCans for many clients across the country, including Smuttynose Brewing Co. in New Hampshire and Two Parts in Denver. The BillyBox takes the BeerCan to the next level.
Built out of a 20-foot or 40-foot one-trip container, the BillyBox is a turnkey full-service shipping container bar perfect for any business or event. Able to be run on-grid or by a generator, the BillyBox has the functionality, equipment, and aesthetic to be the perfect addition to any brewery, beer garden, sports arena, music festival, shipping container park, etc.
Modifications and specs of the Billybox include:
- Walk-in fridge that can keep upwards of 26 kegs at the perfect drinking temperature 24/7
- Customizable beer tap system
- Ice maker & ice well
- Merchandise fridge
- Bottle coolers
- Metro rack
- dishwasher
- Stainless steel countertops
- Liquor bar
- Triple sink/dump & hand sinks
- Shelving and storage
- Employee door
- Operable cargo door
- P.O.S. system
- Wall-mounted television
- Three service windows with retractable awnings
- Electric and lighting
- Custom finishes
- Interior & exterior painting
- Signage and branding
The ROXBOX team is looking forward to beginning production of BillyBoxes and paying tribute to a husband, father, friend, son, and brother who was taken too soon. A portion of every BillyBox sale will go to Billy’s wife and young son forever. Rest in peace Billy – this container bar is for you and your family.
For more information about the BillyBox or information on how you can donate to Billy’s family, please reach out to the ROXBOX team at 303-997-8875 or email us at [email protected].
ROXBOX Containers is excited to introduce RxBX, our line of shipping container cannabis solutions.
ROXBOX has developed numerous products to help the cannabis industry. For a lower capital investment, ROXBOX’s line of shipping container cannabis dispensaries solutions allows the cannabis industry to grow and evolve. Customers will be able to choose from our RxBX product line, or design a fully custom solution to integrate into their specific business model. These containerized solutions are considered a piece of equipment, and can therefore be depreciated as such.
The RxBX line provides a fast, cost-effective, socially equitable, sustainable, modular, and innovative line of modified container solutions to fulfill the emerging cannabis opportunities across the country. These turn-key and compliant modular shipping container structures allow cannabis firms the opportunity to capitalize quickly and carve out market share. ROXBOX will also be delivering cannabis research modules to help scientists continue studying the cannabis plant and its efficacy.
Below is an overview of the RxBX line offered by ROXBOX:
- Dispensaries
- Drive-Thrus
- Cannabis Consumption Lounges
- Cannabis Bars
- Commercial Kitchens
- Cannabis Delivery & Pick-Up
- Cannabis Extraction
- Cannabis Vertical Farming
- Offices
- Secure Entry-Ways
- Dehumidifiers
- Cannabis Processing
- Cannabis Cold-Storage
- Cannabis Secure Storage
- Cannabis Distribution
- Cannabis Research
- Ghost Dispensaries
- Solar Power
The ROXBOX team includes cannabis industry veterans that have experience going back over two decades. Team member accomplishments include: winning the first temporary cannabis consumption license in the country in 2019, launching a successful cannabis hardware product, and helping to launch one of the first cannabis-centric publications in 2009.
With the exciting news that Denver is accepting applications for cannabis bar permits in July 2021 (as well as cannabis delivery), now is the best time to invest in this exciting, new opportunity. Along with Colorado, we continue to see progression in the cannabis consumption, cannabis delivery, and cannabis research sectors of the marijuana industry. The ROXBOX team’s experience procuring cannabis consumption licenses, combined with the compliant, sustainably-built, and turn-key RxBX modified containers, gives customers the expertise and solutions to easily enter this nascent opportunity. Additionally, given the low-cost and small footprint of the RxBX line, especially dispensaries, RxBX is a solution in the cannabis social equity conversation by lowering the build-out cost and barrier to entry while solving the ever-present issue of zoning and set-backs.
“It’s an exciting time for both the modular construction and cannabis industries. As legislation continues to be passed easing restrictions in both industries and we continue to see rapid growth in both spaces, we could not be more excited to partner with brands and businesses on RxBX projects.”
Anthony Halsch, ROXBOX CEO
The RxBX line addresses 4 massive issues in the cannabis industry:
- Zoning and set-back regulations
- Sustainability
- Social equity
- Legal spaces to conduct research
With cannabis consumption, cannabis bars, and cannabis delivery seen as the next big opportunity in the cannabis industry, the RxBX line provides proven compliant containerized solutions that allows everyone from first-time license holders to large multi-state operators the opportunity to expand their businesses. Given the low-cost, the ROI on each model is achieved in a matter of months and the opportunity that the RxBX line provides is compelling. Given the malleable nature of the designs and portability, the RxBX line can conform to any State’s strict marijuana licensing regulations. With members of the RxBX team pioneering the social consumption pathway by winning the first temporary social consumption license in Colorado in 2019, we have the expertise to ensure turn-key compliance.
ROXBOX will be delivering the first RxBX unit – a container dispensary with drive-thru capabilities (a.k.a.. a “ghost dispensary”) in May 2021, and has plans for additional projects throughout 2021 and beyond.
If you are interested in learning more about RxBX or are interested in receiving a quote for anything from a shipping container café, cannabis dispensary, or anything else, please reach out to our team by phone (303-997-8875) or submit an inquiry on our website.
Capitalizing on Crypto with Containers
As the cryptocurrency market booms, people are looking for new and innovative ways to scale up their crypto mining capabilities while also minimizing the vast energy costs that come with it. Crypto mining containers offer a variety of benefits in the competitive, and often expensive, space.
With Bitcoin, Ethereum, and many other altcoins reaching all-time highs, more and more people are looking to capitalize on the massive potential gains of the cryptocurrency market. Cryptocurrency mining, most notably Bitcoin mining, is therefore back at center stage on many industry experts and eager hobbyists’ agendas as they look to quickly scale up their mining capacity. Often referred to as the 21st Century’s gold rush, the upsides to running a successful crypto mining operation are limitless. However, it is a costly and challenging operation that is becoming increasingly competitive as more people become interested in and enter the space.
In simple terms, crypto mining means gaining cryptocurrencies (such as Bitcoin or Ethereum) by solving complex equations through the use of powerful computers. The process involves validating data blocks and adding transaction records to a public record known as a blockchain. The computers need to constantly run in order to try and solve the complex equations, which in turn requires an immense amount of power. The cost of electricity and the reliability of the electrical infrastructure are therefore two of the most important factors when it comes to picking a location to house a crypto mining operation. It can therefore be challenging for crypto miners to find a truly cost-effective and easily scalable solution for their operations.
Enter the CryptoCan, a crypto mining shipping container built by ROXBOX Containers. Built from a standard 40’HC container, the CryptoCan is a 2MW UL-certified, high-performance container changing the game in the crypto mining industry. The container can house 560 S9 ASIC Miners or 1,120 S17/S19 ASIC Miners (which are not included with the purchase of a Crypto Can). Other specs include a plug limitation of 3,400 Watts/plug, Service Entry 3,000A Integrated Switchboard, and a robust cooling system. The CryptoCan can be modified and customized to a customer’s preference and ROXBOX has the capacity to produce numerous units at scale. That being said, these units are designed for serious crypto mining operations utilizing a high-quality unit designed with maximum efficiencies.
As crypto mining requires an immense amount of energy, mining profits heavily rely on the price of electricity. Unlike a warehouse or basement mining operation, you can easily transport the CrytpoCan anywhere in the world by sea or land and connect it to the cheapest electricity possible for the best return on investment. The containers also allow customers to quickly upscale or downscale their operations, as they are not confined to a set space or set number of racks. Whether a mining operation wants to house one container or one hundred, the CryptoCan offers customers the flexibility to scale at their own pace.
In the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency mining, ROXBOX’s innovation and agility are setting them apart. The CryptoCan’s mobility and scalability offer a unique solution to anyone looking to increase their mining capacity. As cryptocurrency prices continue to trend upwards and more people look to get into the space, the ROXBOX team is excited and optimistic about the future of the CryptoCan.
Please feel free to contact us if you would like more information, pricing, would like to place an order or are interested in our other commercial shipping container structures.
ROXBOX Teams Up with Adidas Golf
As in-person events and festivals start up again in the post-Covid era, Experiential modifications are becoming increasingly popular within the modular industry. Showcasing their versatility within the space, ROXBOX recently collaborated with Adidas Golf on a fully customized container activation for the upcoming PGA Tour.
As in-person events, festivals, and conventions start again and the weather starts to warm up, brands and businesses are looking for new and creative ways to interact with their customers after more than a year of fully digital, online marketing initiatives. Experiential marketing is therefore back at the forefront of many marketing teams’ strategies as we move into the second half of 2021. Experiential marketing, which was seeing a boom prior to the pandemic, is set to take off again as brands are eager to reconnect with their customers beyond the screen.
What exactly is experiential marketing? Experiential marketing is an entire channel of marketing that involves any face-to-face or offline efforts to raise brand awareness, create and nurture business opportunities and develop long-term customer loyalty. It is an incredible way to drive more customer engagement at
off-line events and stand out by offering a new experience to interact with your brand and business. With in-person events popping up again all over the country, many brands and businesses are eager to capitalize as experiential marketing gains traction.
Two companies at the forefront of the movement are Adidas and ROXBOX. The two brands teamed up on an Experiential activation set to hit the road in the upcoming weeks. The build, which will be touring with the Adidas Golf team on the upcoming PGA Tour, provides a new and exciting way for Adidas’ customers to interact with the brand. Built from a 20-foot container on a custom-built goose neck trailer, the modification can be easily set up, tore down, and transported, providing a high-quality, truly mobile solution for the Adidas Golf team as they travel along with the fast-paced schedule of the PGA Tour.
Adidas fans will have the opportunity to peruse gear and interact with the Adidas team on the 100 square foot showroom floor, and then head up to the rooftop terrace where they can practice their golf game on a private putting green. The activation will be making its debut in June at Pinehurst Golf Club in North Carolina, and will then travel across the country alongside some of the best golfers in the game.
Speaking with Beau Bergman, COO of ROXBOX, the ROXBOX team is optimistic about the future of their Experiential line and is excited for future collaborations with brands and businesses.
“It’s an exciting time for both the modular construction and experiential marketing industries. Now that Covid restrictions are easing, brands are eager to up their experiential marketing game, and our modular solutions allow them to truly engage with their customers and bring their vision to life.”
-Beau Bergman, COO
With the Adidas collaboration in its final stages of construction, the ROXBOX team is eager to collaborate on more Experiential projects. From previously built designs to fully customized solutions, the ROXBOX team has the expertise and experience to bring any project to life. Reach out to them by phone or submit an inquiry online to bring your brand’s experiential marketing to the next level.
21 Colorado Startups to Watch in 2021
A new generation of startups ready to break onto the scene in the new year
Roxbox
A few years after launching, Denver shipping container startup Roxbox is no longer just a mobile bar manufacturer, it now touts a lineup that includes outdoor dining options, modular office construction, bitcoin mining and much more. The company recently introduced its Patiobox offering, a product designed to help restaurants remain open and compliant during Covid-19 indoor dining closures. The boxes come in multiple sizes and are able to accommodate up to 36 guests with multiple openings, lights and electrical hookups, heaters and three glass roll-up doors.
From design, to launch, to units in our home State within weeks – The PatioBox comes to Colorado to give restaurants and bars a temporary outdoor dining solution built out of shipping containers.
Denver, CO based ROXBOX has delivered the first PatioBox units to businesses in our backyard to help restaurants and bars in our community continue to serve their customers with an innovative outdoor dining solution. ROXBOX has built and delivered several PatioBox units in Colorado with many more to come and can deliver units across the U.S.!
ROXBOX designed 4 models of modified shipping container patios for outdoor seating ranging in size and price to help a wide array of businesses. By working with numerous building departments and designing the units to abide by COVID restrictions, we are able to offer a solution that is durable, compliant, safe, and badass. Each unit can come equipped with lights and outlets plus electric heaters with numerous other options and customization available. With quick lead times and a U.S. made product that won’t collapse in the snow or fly away in the wind, The PatioBox is the ideal solution for outdoor dining.
The PatioBox was recently featured in:
ROXBOX is working directly with the Colorado Restaurant Association as a verified vendor and highly recommend restaurants and bars in Colorado apply for the grant program that covers outdoor dining costs. Other States are also offering similar grant programs and we have reduced our margin to help our friends in the hospitality industry get through these shitty times.
We encourage anyone interested in a PatioBox to consider and design their unit for the “second-life” of the structure post-COVID. Whether that is transforming their unit into a bar, kitchen, experiential marketing or more permanent outdoor dining area, the investment in this depreciable asset/piece of equipment deserves thoughtful consideration of long-term use.
The 4 PatioBox Models:
Ultimately, we want to help restaurants and bars have additional seating that’s not a tent or plastic igloo. ROXBOX has been building shipping container structures for years and we pride ourselves on producing high-quality products with superior customer service.
ROXBOX offers other modified shipping container units to combat COVID-19 problems:
- Shipping Container Bars
- Custom Container Kitchens
- Pick-Up/Delivery Kiosks
- Solar-Powered Cold Storage
- Solar-Powered Generators
- Shipping Container Healthcare Units
- COVID Testing & Disinfection Entrance-Way Units
- And More! Learn more about our Commercial Container Offerings here.
Meet HELIOS The Solar Powered Shipping Container Line By ROXBOX
BACKGROUND
ROXBOX Containers is excited to announce a new line of solar infrastructure containers with our Australian partners, BlackStump Technologies. Our initial focus is on solar cold storage and deployable energy. HELIOS the Greek God and personification of the sun has the opportunity to lead the U.S market in solar containerized solutions. BlackStump will continue to innovate and create solar solutions with shipping containers for infrastructure. ROXBOX, with the creation of the HELIOS line, will be the manufacturer and distributor of the BlackStump suite of products in the U.S. Our partnership seeks to optimize solar containerized solutions in the U.S while helping our customers reduce their carbon emissions and reliance on diesel generators. ROXBOX and the HELIOS line will continue to strive to implement sustainability into all of our products and operations. We believe in environmental quality, clean air, natural resources, a nontoxic environment, and a healthy ecosystem.
This partnership is years in the making and has come to fruition because of our drive to always provide our customers with the best solutions possible. Over the last few years, ROXBOX has been building refrigerated containers for a local food share and community access nonprofit organization. Early on we encountered three major problems with the grid-tied containers that we were building;
- Pulling power from the local site to the container at most locations was very costly and time-consuming.
- Once power got to the container, energy from the grid was mostly from fossil fuels which are bad for the environment.
- Alternatively, when powered by costly diesel generators the containerized refrigerators had a poor ROI and failed to address environmental impact concerns.
After encountering problems with power and sustainability we realized there had to be a better clean energy solution, so we started to research what was out in the market or determine if we could develop a better solution ourselves. After months of searching and much to our elation, we found BlackStump Technologies in Australia. Their technology suite is far superior to anything else currently on the market, and their technology is proven in some of the harshest environments in the world. The Australian expression ‘Beyond the Black Stump’ means it is an extremely isolated place, remote from populated areas; in the middle of nowhere. This is a perfect name because the technology developed by their parent company Heuch works off-grid in places that you could otherwise never get power. Heuch has engineered refrigeration and environmental controls since 1970. These technology solutions enable us to provide rapidly deployable shipping container solutions to help solve the issues of energy, refrigeration, clean water, food hygiene, sanitation, medical storage, and cold supply chain.
PARTNERSHIP
BlackStump is supported by its international distribution and manufacturing partners to help reduce global carbon emissions via its solar containerized technology suite. ROXBOX has entered a licensing agreement for the manufacturing and distribution of BlackStump products in the U.S market. This allows both of our organizations to do what we do best; it allows BlackStump to continue to create and innovate rapidly deployable solar containers, and it allows our team to do what we do best to manufacture innovative, high-quality containers that solve problems. With over two decades of experience in the shipping container industry, ROXBOX has become the subject matter experts in developing creative solutions for the nation’s modular needs. Our dedication to product development and innovation has resulted in broad product lines ranging from mobile infrastructure, off-grid disaster relief, and mobile healthcare facilities. We look forward to working hard to become the leading solution for solar deployable energy and solar cold storage in the U.S.
BLACKSTUMP TECHNOLOGIES
Purpose is to improve the circumstances of individuals, communities, and organizations through the provision of our solar-powered refrigeration and energy technologies which can be rapidly deployed in remote, off-grid, and urban environments.
Black Stump Technologies mobile solutions assist companies to lessen their environmental impact, empower individuals and communities to change their economic and social circumstances, and support organizations seeking to support people in times of their greatest need. Our technology solutions enable us to provide rapidly deployable solutions to the issues of energy, refrigeration, clean water, food hygiene, sanitation, medical storage, and cold supply chain. Black Stump Technologies’ mission is to provide 100% solar-powered mobile refrigeration and energy technologies. Rapidly deployed, not only to urban locations but beyond the black stump to remote areas that may not be easily accessible.
PRODUCT SUITE
- Solar Shipping Container Power Generators
- Solar Refrigerated Shipping Containers
- Solar Shipping Container Freezers (potential for vaccine distribution)
- Solar Shipping Container Ice Makers
- Solar Shipping Container Water Purifiers
- Solar Shipping Container Medical Storage
- Solar Shipping Container Morgues
INDUSTRIES
- Aid & Development
- Agriculture & aquaculture
- Infrastructure
- Construction & Mining
- Defense
- Disaster Relief
- Government
- Events
- First Responders
- Morgues
The PatioBox was featured In Dining Out Magazine!
PatioBox Offers Sturdy Solution for Snow
By Amy Antonation -10/15/2020
It’s the question on everyone’s mind right now. Not, “Who are you voting for?” (we’re real tired, man, and that conversation is exhausting whether you’re talking to like-minded folks or not), but, “What am I supposed to do once it snows?” A close second is, “Is there even time left to do anything?”
RoxBox, a Denver manufacturing company that’s been turning shipping containers into offices, tiny homes, restaurant kitchens, and bars for a couple of years now, is hoping the answers are, “Call us!” and “Absolutely!” It’s throwing its hat into the (increasingly crowded) outdoor winter dining ring with PatioBox, a line of shipping containers modified to serve as semi-permanent enclosed patios this winter and for seasons to come.
ROXBOX CEO Anthony Halsch notes the concept was designed with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment guidelines in mind. The custom container patio line comprises four models:
- Small: a single 20-foot, double-door shipping container (entrances are on both ends of the structure) that is 160 square feet
- Medium: a single 40-foot container with 320 square feet and a single entrance on one end
- Large: two 40-foot containers with a single entrance, a 10-foot cutout for light and ventilation, and 640 square feet
- XL: two 40-foot, double-door containers, three cutouts (with tarps), and 640 square feet
All models come wired for electricity and with lights and radiant heaters (so your guests get a “homey industrial” vibe instead of a “shootout down at the docks” vibe). Upgrades include additional cutouts (windows or doors) and heaters, sound baffles, flooring, exterior lights, speakers, and roll-up or garage doors.
For restaurants and bars already strapped for cash, base purchase prices ranging from $8,500 to $35,000 may seem like the proverbial last straw, but Gonzalez points to the long-term development potential of the PatioBox. A rooftop deck can be added to take advantage of warmer weather, and with some structural reinforcement, containers can even be stacked. And because they can be loaded onto a tow or trailer truck, they’re technically (if not obviously) mobile and can be transported to offsite events like music or beer festivals—if and when they return. They’re also considered a depreciating asset for tax purposes.
Interested parties that aren’t yet ready to shell out the full purchase price can opt for six- or twelve-month rentals. Six-month rates will run you $1,050 to $4,400 per month; if you’re willing to commit to a full year lease, you’ll spend $750 to $3,400 per month. RoxBox is also considering a plan to offer the first month of rental free, and financing is available for buyers. You can find detailed pricing info on the company’s Facebook page.
Gonzalez acknowledges permitting differs from city to city, but says the municipalities RoxBox has worked with seem anxious to get the structures permitted before cold weather sets in. He emphasizes to local governments that PatioBox is mobile and not a permanent structure; he describes it as a “metal tent” and leans in hard on the fact it’s a solution that will help buoy local businesses through the winter.
Currently, RoxBox is working on installing its first PatioBox at Spirit Hound Distillers in Lyons. Head distiller Craig Engelhorn confirms the town has been extremely receptive. He notes it’s been only about a week from first hearing about the PatioBox to a meeting with Lyons’ fire marshal and building inspector. “This isn’t honestly what I want to spend our money on,” says Engelhorn, “[but] it will more than double the number of tables and we can continue to support our bar staff. The town and Renaldo have been working together….Lyons has been great to work with.”
RoxBox is also in the process of meeting with the Denver officials to get a pre-approval stamp. And with just a two- to three-week turnaround to build and install the PatioBox (dependent, of course, on whether you’ve made friends with your fire marshal recently), you still have time to get one set up before the snow flies.