FEBRUARY 26, 2009 ISSUE
Business Spotlight
Air Haven Limousine—Vehicles and People That Make Everyone Feel Classy and Comfortable
Whether you choose the 32-passenger trolley, 20-passenger theater bus, 12-passenger Cadillac Escalade, 8-passenger Mercedes Executive Limousine, standard Cadillac Escalade, 4-passenger Cadillac or 2-passenger classic Excalibur vehicle, your experience with Air Haven Limousine will make you feel valued and special, thanks to Owner Dana Addison and his family of coworkers. Photos submitted
A few years ago, Dana Addison, owner of Air Haven Limousine, was transporting Miss Universe around the region in his company’s Mercedes Executive Limousine. Upon stopping at a restaurant, Addison, like always, rolled out the complimentary red carpet in preparation for her exit from the vehicle.
“Oh, I’m Miss Universe; I get the red carpet!” Addison can remember her saying to a friend.
“Oh, actually, I do this for third grade birthday parties, as well,” replied Addison.
The philosophy of Air Haven Limousine is to make everyone feel special and valued, whether you are Miss Universe or a third grader. Air Haven opened in 2000 and now boasts seven vehicles—“one style of everything,” added Addison—that can accentuate any kind of event.
“We are a transportation business using vehicles that are classy, classic and comfortable,” said Addison.
The flagship of the Air Haven Limousine fleet is a 32-passenger trolley, which is a replica of an early 1900s trolley from San Francisco, Calif. and outfitted with three air-conditioning and three heating units, removable walls and an additional braking system.
“Our vehicles are designed to drive in the mountains, so we add additional brake systems to handle the steep roads,” said Addison, who installed a $10,000 additional brake system on the trolley.
The fleet also includes a 20-passenger theater bus that features stadium seating, a flat screen television and a state-of-the-art sound system for watching movies and singing karaoke; an 8-passenger Mercedes Executive Limousine with elevated, spacious seats; a standard Cadillac Escalade; a 4-passenger Cadillac sedan; and a 2-passenger classic Excalibur Cadillac, which is typically used for weddings.
People hire Air Haven Limousine for every type of activity imaginable, such as traveling to sporting events, birthday parties, corporate events, company parties, weddings, anniversaries, proms, socials or just for a night out on the town. Air Haven will also take customers on long-range trips. Addison has taken customers to football games in Washington D.C. and Houston, Texas, and on pleasure trips to Orlando, Fla. and Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Air Haven also offers package deals for its clients that include transportation, accommodation and entertainment, including deals with Marriott Resorts. Air Haven’s Ultimate Birthday Party offer includes limousine transportation—complete with movies and snacks—to and from Fun Depot in Asheville or Johnson City, Tenn.
Addison said that if travel groups do the math, they will find it’s actually cheaper to hire a limousine than to drive multiple, separate vehicles.
“If you use this service properly, you can do it for less,” said Addison, who hasn’t increased his prices in three years. “We may not be the least expensive limousine company, but we give people the most for their money.
“The whole idea is for people to be together, and we provide the instrument, or vehicles, for you to be together as family and friends,” said Addison.
Addison is also the owner of Crystal Creations and Air Ball, Inc.
Recently, Addison purchased a laser-cutting machine that etches logos, images and/or words onto a wide selection of crystal plaques and mementos. Addison offers the service to customers of the limousine company for keepsakes of a special event, for wedding decorations that can double as wedding-party gifts, and for use as a fundraising item in local schools. Local children sell the crystal creations to make money to hire Addison to bring his Air Ball, Inc. games to the school.
Addison started Air Ball, Inc. in 1982. Knowing that his daughter “loved to jump,” he said, Addison bought an inflatable jungle gym for his backyard. His thinking was that the inflatable playground could be reused to host birthday parties, and he was right. The business snowballed overnight, and before he knew it, he was manufacturing his own collection of inflatable interactive games. Addison entered the business before it became mainstream and he found himself traveling all over the country setting up and inventing inflatable games for adults and children for the next two decades.
When computer technology made constructing the inflatable games by hand obsolete, Addison decided to open a family center—called Air Haven—in the High Country that could be rented by families and companies for special events. Problems with construction permits caused Addison to give up the dream of the family center, but haphazardly pushed him into the limousine business. He had bought a 20-passenger van for the family center—of course complete with all the bells and whistles, including smoke machines and a slew of colored lights—and without a use for the vehicle at the family center, used it to start Air Haven Limousine.
After 27 years of business, Addison is in the process of selling Air Ball, Inc. to a family friend, Eddie Lopez. Addison now will have more time to spend on the limousine business—more time to make people feel special and valued.
Air Haven Limousine is located at 565 Haven Way in Boone. Limousine services are offered most anytime of the day and week by appointment. For more information, click to www.airhavenlimo.com or call 828-265-2504 or 828-963-0963.
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