ASHLAND — A business that began inside an Ashland University dorm room is about to construct a 10,000 square-foot office space about three miles from campus.
The city of Ashland owns five acres of vacant/wooded land along the east side of Ford Drive — across from Foundations Community Childcare — in its city-owned industrial park.
Mayor Matt Miller said the city has shown the property to a number of prospective buyers over the years, but many have passed due to having to clear the property.
But not Dorm Dudes.
The mayor said Dorm Dudes, a rapidly growing online sports memorabilia business, plans to construct a 10,000 square-foot office space on the property.
Sparked by a roughly 12-minute executive session, city lawmakers later approved the sale of the five city-owned acres — through the Ashland Community Improvement Corporation — to Dorm Dudes for $50,000 ($10,000 per acre).
Zachary Balo founded the business while he was still a student at AU.
“Before he graduated from the university, he actually began a business in his dorm room of selling sports memorabilia and other sports-related paraphernalia, equipment and projects,” Miller said. “Well, it took off.
“Today of course with the internet and TikTok you can have a worldwide auction at any given moment,” the mayor said.
Below is a video interview with Zachary Balo, produced and published by Ashland University in June 2025. Balo discusses the inspiration behind founding Dorm Dudes and talks about aspirations for the future. Credit: Ashland University YouTube channel
Now graduated, Balo’s business has taken off, Miller said, adding Dorm Dudes had more than $16 million in revenue. The business employs 25 individuals and Balo is looking to add eight additional workers once the new office space is constructed.
According to the mayor, Dorm Dudes is now the top golf equipment retailer in the country.
The business hopes to build within the next several months as its current lease is set to expire soon, the mayor said.
“He actually, at any given time, has probably about three to five college interns and it certainly looks like the company has a very very bright future,” Miller said.
“They sell all types of sports items. Everything from helmets to jerseys to golf clubs to tennis shoes. You name it. If it’s related to sports, chances are there’s a market for it around the world.
“In a day and age when we are working hard to create unique job opportunities for our own young people — so that when they graduate and go off to college they’ll be able to come back and find a job in their chosen field — it makes sense to move forward with this transaction,” he said.
The mayor expects Dorm Dudes to begin clearing the five acres in the very near future, he said.
Steve Workman, council president, commended Balo for his entrepreneurial spirit.
“What a success story, right here in Ashland, Ohio,” Workman said.
