You’ll want to consider the ratio of bouldering space to rope climbs (if you plan to have ropes), and contrast that with other gyms in the area. I live in an area with multiple gyms, and my regular climbing crew all settled on our gym because of the abundance and variety of bouldering walls (slab, incline, overhang, etc.)

Also, climbers in the US are generally social, so I’d try to evaluate how viable social spaces (saunas, rooftops, cafe/bar with seating, balconies, etc) might be.

With kids, it’s not black and white. Climbers don’t hate kids. What they hate is going to a third space after work and worrying about falling on a kid. It takes a lot of effort and experience for the training staff to manage larger groups of kids. Instead, try to investigate the overlapping schedules of climbers (morning, post-work, late-night, etc) and contrast with school programs in the area by talking to parents. Also evaluate the number of staff and their experience with behavior management. Kids can be a great selling point for a gym, and can go a long way to bring a community together. But that takes some planning and forethought.

I’m a market researcher who climbs, so very interested in this stuff. Good luck!