MILFORD - From the beginning, Herbie Bagwell was swept off his feet.Thirty-eight years ago, the future business owner had his first encounter with martial arts when he saw the movie Enter the Dragon. Like many fans, Bagwell was mesmerized by the film's star, Bruce Lee, and awed by his display of athleticism and self-control.
Emulating his hero, Bagwell trained in the art of self-defense and became so proficient that he amassed a slew of awards over the years.
Last month, Bagwell took his calling a step further by opening a school, the Bagwell Academy of Martial Arts, LLC. The March grand opening drew scores of potential students, he says.
"We easily had about 60 to 70 people at the grand opening," Bagwell says, adding that about 20 people signed up for lessons that first day.
Some may have seen the same cinematic images that inspired Bagwell.
"I was about six years old when my father took me to the drive-in movie in Norwich to see Enter the Dragon," recounts Bagwell, who was born in New London and grew up in Groton.
He had never before seen such compelling human movement, he says.
"The way Bruce Lee's body moved, the way he kicked and punched, was just amazing," he says. "When I first saw that I just lost my mind. It was a mind-blowing experience. I said, 'Daddy, that's what I want to do.'"
Although Bagwell's father was slightly disappointed - he'd wanted his son to become a champion boxer like his own idol, Joe Louis - he nevertheless enrolled his son in a karate class.
Not entirely satisfied with that, Bagwell moved on to kempo - a Chinese martial art - and found his true calling.
"I liked the way kempo allowed me to express myself through punches and kicks and blocks," says Bagwell. "It allowed me to be strong."
He also studied taekwondo and kickboxing. He has excelled in these martial arts, winning state and national championship competitions.
Having worked several years with at-risk youth for the state of Connecticut, Bagwell last year decided to pursue his dream of opening his own academy. It is his first business enterprise. Start-up costs, including floor renovations, amounted to "under $10,000," which Bagwell financed himself.
"I don't want banks telling me what to do," he notes. "There were no loans at all, it was all up-front money."
Located at 487 Bridgeport Avenue in Milford, the 2,700-square-foot facility is situated in a heavy-traffic area, making it an ideal site, says Bagwell. He decided on the Milford location after exploring other possibilities in West Haven and Norwalk.
The steady stream of curious visitors and potential clients that spilled into the academy on its second business day seemed to affirm Bagwell's decision. He adds that his choice regarding starting a small business was never whether, but where; he was never deterred by the economic downturn.
"I'm from the old school," Bagwell says. "When things are at their worst, it brings out the best in people."
Felicia Hunter
cutlineBagwell became interested in martial arts since he was a child. Today it's his life's work.
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