Tried the ribs at the joint I wanted to open!

[chad]

REF: http://www.bandera-brethren.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=1404&high light=magician

I finally had a chance (read, money in my pocket) to try the ribs from the "new" 'que joint in town. It's in the building, doing what I wanted to do, in south downtown Clearwater.

Ribs wer OK - a bit dry, but OK.

Alright, I admit it, I'm ticked because I do BETTER RIBS! :D Here these guys are cooking and serving ribs for MONEY that I'd debone and bury under sauce because they are overcooked.

Good smokey flavor and a nice big smoker out front so I know they are trying.

I'll give 'em another chance in a week or two and see if they've learned anything.

I ain't got no money but I figure with maxing a couple of credit cards I could get a place going. And won't be no dried out ribs!! :mrgreen:

[midnight]

I think everyone should take a shot at thier dreams(bbq restuarant, etc..) but I hope you can find a better way to finance than credit cards, the high interest will kill your profit for many years. You could always rob a bank, hey whats the worst that could happen.....get caught, go to jail and be someones 'bitch', or get shot and die.....small price to pay for good "Q" :wink:

[chad]

I'm kidding! Actually I expect to win the FL Lotto any day now :mrgreen:

[brdbbq]

You could always talk your way into it. :wink:

[chad]

Aren't you glad I don't sign your checks, either!! :D

[brdbbq]

LMAO

[Bigdog]

Don't give up on your dream David. Resturants have a high failure rate. This place may go out of business if their ribs are only ok. Dry ribs indicate to me that they either don't know what they are doing or did not sell well and have been reheated too many times.

Do what you love to do, and the money will follow.

[BigAl]

David,
Same thing at "Best Ribs in Denver" that opened in a prime location on Parker road that I was looking in to. The guy spent tons of money to referb the building, took about 18 months to get it open. Went there one week after it opened because the lot was full from the first day. Well, the day I went they were closed down by the health department. About two/three weeks later he reopened, I went to have brisket and my pal had ribs. We shared both and his comment was this is not as good as your BBQ. This guy may/will eventually make his investment back only because he is open in a great location and there are not many places to eat in the growing city of Parker. I have't been back to eat but each time I pass there, his lot is full. He has a big bar, very young and attractive ladies wating on tables and bar tending and his drinks are expensive. In some locations, you don't have the best Q, you just have to be open.

[Bigdog]

A place like that is more of a bar than a place to eat. They will make tons more on the booze than the food. Then as the more you drink, the better the food tastes...just like it works when the girls look better the more you drink.

[racer_81]

A place like that is more of a bar than a place to eat. They will make tons more on the booze than the food. Then as the more you drink, the better the food tastes...just like it works when the girls look better the more you drink.

...and the girls look prettier at closing time....

[chad]

The 1/2 rack I had weren't leftovers - they were just dry! I hope the best for them -- sort of! :D

I figure if they go bust it'll just mean the the place has been recently refurbished as a bbq joint and I'll be able to get it for a decent price and already inspected by the health department :mrgreen:

[BigAl]

The 1/2 rack I had weren't leftovers - they were just dry! I hope the best for them -- sort of! :D

I figure if they go bust it'll just mean the the place has been recently refurbished as a bbq joint and I'll be able to get it for a decent price and already inspected by the health department :mrgreen:

Your check is in the mail and you might win the lottery :oops: :!:

[parrothead]

I figure if they go bust it'll just mean the the place has been recently refurbished as a bbq joint and I'll be able to get it for a decent price and already inspected by the health department

Need a silent partner there Dave? Nothing like being able to write off a trip to Florida every couple of months.

[Saiko]

I think just about everybody in this forum can put out better barbeque than 90 percent of the restaurants out there. They have to deal with volume and time, while we and give all our loving attention to a small amount of food.
I can count on one hand the amount of restaurants that I have been to that produce food superior to homemade que.

[willkat98]

Know what you mean Saiko.
I can rarely stand eating BBQ out, since I am disappointed with the results 75% of the time.

Then I think, why throw $10 away on a pulled pork platter I know I won't like, when I can get a 10# boston butt for the same price and be in heaven for a few days with leftovers.

[chad]

Your check is in the mail and you might win the lottery


Thanks! I'll order the cooker today and use your check for the deposit! :D

[chad]

I think just about everybody in this forum can put out better barbeque than 90 percent of the restaurants out there. They have to deal with volume and time, while we and give all our loving attention to a small amount of food.


Attention to detail is the key. Too many places rush the 'que and really don't care about consistent quality. We've got a couple of places down here (some pretty large, others holes-in-the wall joints) that do it right.

Every restaurant is going to have an off day now and then -- the deliveries were late, the electricity went off overnight, the wood got wet :D, etc. So, I usually give a place a second try (unless the foods just flat out nasty).

I've done restaurant work before and so I do know most of the pitfalls!! That's the reason I want my place small (so I don't need wait staff) and organized so I can do most of the pre-opening stuff myself. I figure with two sons in the food business and a wife that works part-time (makes as much as I do!!) I could get a Thursday, Friday, Saturday 'que joint up and running pretty quick. Catering would help round out revenues.

Hey, it's a dream!! And I'm stickin' to it :D

[BigAl]

David,
Just currious, when you did resturant work, did you look at "the books" and get a feel for what the owner was taking out of the business for salary?

When I got laid off, I began looking into doing my own thing and as part of our outplacement package took advantage of a week long entrepreneur class. The instructor (contractor at the outplacement service) had opened, sold or busted on many businesses and he brought in people that had unintentially left corporate life and were in various stages of doing their own thing. So we got to hear a lot of real experiences, good and bad. Although all were convinced that they had made the correct decissions, none had been able to generate their previous corporate salary. And many had to recutlanty severly down size their life style.

One of the businesses that I looked at was Subway in a high lunch traffic area. Found out that the Subway owner/operators work about 65/70 hrs a week and "take out of the business"(salary) ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 a year(depending on location). So, the only way to make mortage and living money (keep their previous lifestyle) there was to open many Subways (takes big $'s up front).

Another was answering an ad from Honda to open a MotorCycle dealership in Parker. After into discussions with Honda, found out that I needed a minium of $1,500,000 liquid capital to get the dealership and it was projected that in about 10 years, the dealership would start being profitable because all the profit comes from service of loyal customers. Fark, if I had that kind of money, I'd be set and would not need that hassel.

So the question that I am still trying to answer is, how can I do what I want and still pay my existing bills like I did when I had a Job?

As you know from your catering business and I know from making baskets, you can work your $ss off and still not be able to pay the bills or worse not even break even, I still got a way to go on that venture.

My Pal ownes his own Real estate business and because of the Job market here, he made about $6,000 last year, and now his own house is on the market for $1.5 million.

I am looking at moving to AR to cut my monthly cost as an example, except I love it here. Jobs are still not opening up, so I got to do something. Baskets and weekend Qing augment income but certainly does not replace it.

:shock: Damn, the things I never had to give a though about when I had a Job. :(

[chad]

Al;

I understand, completely. The old "you gotta have money to make money" song and dance drives me nuts, too. If I had $100K clear I could open just about any type place I want including a regional 'que joint franchise. And if I had $100K I'd be able to finance my own startup and the first 12-18 month -- unfortunately I don't have that kind of liquidity :D

I haven't made move because (1) we like to eat regularly, (2) spouse really like stability, and (3) I'm still looking for the "magic" numbers I need to make the move to my own business.

I know what you mean about working hard and still not making the "numbers" at the end of the month! My next catering job will probably net me about $100.00 -- it's dinner for 25 but it's for friends and a wedding rehearsal dinner so I didn't build much profit into it. I figure it'll come to about $10.00 per hour by the time I'm finished (maybe $12)-- so, at this rate I'm not getting rich!! :D

When I retired from the USAF in '93 I got a lesson in comparability and "real" income and income replacement. When I left the state of TX to go into the restaurant business I got another lesson - I took a 1/3 "real" pay cut to "trainee" status. Fortunately my family could eat up to 2 meals a day at the store and believe me, we used the heck out of that bennie :D. I worked for the Luby's cafeteria chain so we had good, cooked from scratch, food.

When I left that to go back into state employment here in FL I had to do the same math. Fortunately my new job paid enough to offset the $200 or so per week grocery bill increase.

Yeah, I saw the books and that's one reason I left. They started changing my compensation package before I got to take advantage of my first real raise. I did the math and continuing 60-70 hours per week for a $5000 per year raise didn't compute (by then I was making $30K so I'd be going to $35K with "bonus" ((our stores here only made bonus 1 month per year)) -- the previous package was $40K plus bonus. I'd have kept getting beat up for $40K but not $35K. I decided I could (and did) make over $35K with the state with 40 hours per week, travel reimbursement, sick leave (ain't no sick leave in the restaurant biz), 2 weeks vacation when I wanted it instead of when the manager wanted to give it, etc.

So, yeah, I'm dreaming and figuring and just keep catering on the side. I'm not making much money but I'm getting lots of experience without out of pocket expenses :D

My nex BIG step is to get an adequate mobile cooker. Then I can branch out and start getting more of the types of catering jobs I want. We'll see how that goes.

I appreciate your comments and thoughts and those of the other brethren. I'm not a complete novice when it comes to dreaming up this stuff so rest assured I won't make a drastic move until I can see at least some return. I really don't like what I do but it pays the bills and I do have a regular check and vacation time -- I wouldn't have grounds to grouse but I really want to do something else with my life.

My dad was a small independent contractor and I grew up in a self-employed household. Mom worked for the state so we had medical and a regular check. Dad did good work and we never really had to sweat for a roof over our head and groceries. I'm retired USAF so medical is not an issue with us and my wife in an RN - needless to say she has no problem with employment.

So, I'll keep everyone advised and I'll keep looking for opportunities, too.

[Bigdog]

One of the biggest problems with being self employed is affordable health insurance. You, Dave, won't have a problem with this.

[chad]

Thankfully, that is true.

It took 20 years of overseas tours and shiftwork but it has paid off :D

[Bigdog]

I think just about everybody in this forum can put out better barbeque than 90 percent of the restaurants out there. They have to deal with volume and time, while we and give all our loving attention to a small amount of food.
I can count on one hand the amount of restaurants that I have been to that produce food superior to homemade que.

This is so true Saiko. I sometimes wonder if it is a curse.

I also want to comment on something that Dave said. He said that it is all about "attention to detail." This is a major problem in our society today. I teach young children, have done so for almost 20 years, and am finding that it gets worse every year.

This is one reason that I prefere small mom and pop operations. They care more, and take pride in doing a good job. They have attention to detail.

I don't expect perfection, but at the very least I would like competency. I am not perfect and don't know anyone who is. BBQ is not about perfection as much as it is the persuit thereof. It is about relaxing, having fun, and making things that taste damn good... but probably not perfect...and paying attention to the details.

[chad]

Preach it brother!!

Can I get somebody to say Amen :D

[racer_81]

Amen!

[parrothead]

Well, just for the heck of it. I took the self employment route about 10 years ago. Never looked back, no regrets. Couldn't picture ever working for someone else again. When you work for someone, you are working to put money in their pocket, plain and simple. Granted when I took the dive I was young, single, and had virtually no responsibilities in the world. What gets me now, is looking back and remembering every middle aged and old fart at the bar, telling me I was crazy. You'll never make it, they said. You have a good job with insurance, bennies, why would you want to risk that?

Well, dreams may make the world go around, but it is people acting on those dreams and not giving up that actually makes this country and it's economy and it's passion work.

And yes, people do go out there and fall flat on their faces. But the ones that pick them selves up, and dust themselves off, and keep going are the stuff that America is made from.

If you REALLY want it, you will find a way to make it happen.

I say, throw your sack on the table and let fate take a swing at it.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[cabo]

Dave,
Sh!t, open a Brethren store that specializes in cooking jellies
& Brethren knowledge, and cook Q to sell and prove it. It could
be the first of a string of franchises. Hey, it could happen!!
Look at what’s happened with this site!!!!!!!!
I’ll be your S.C. distributor.

[chad]

Just had a "wake up" talk with my eldest. Now, we came up with a truly demented plan.

Lil' Hawgs 2 (squared) - Harley tune up and repair combined with a que joint!! :D Sounds weird but here in Florida it just might work! :twisted:
My son's got his VA to use and one of the schools with HD specialty is over at Daytona.

Harry, don't think the jelly thing, as a part time gig, hasn't crossed my mind. I've got a certified kitchen to work in and all I really need is small steam kettle to help speed up the process.

Greg, you are so right about the woulda/coulda/shoulda group. Unfortunately my wife is one of those - regular paycheck, benefits, kinda people - can't blame her for wanting those things but it's gonna put me into an early grave - heck she's a mom and all so I don't blame her it's just that too often she gives me the "we can do this when we have the money, time, place, etc." As if that's ever gonna happen :D

Catering and custom cooking will probably be my way out. We'll see.

[badger]

When you guys are ready for the online brethren store let me know. I can build it fairly quick, and it costs almost nothing!

[willkat98]

As soon as Mary gets the Logo and crap finalized.

Actually Greg has been making much better progress on the promotional end. Hats, jackets, and such. Picking out some cool test materials, to put the final (or one of the different final) NON GAY pig logos on.

[BigAl]

Good for you Parrot! :D

[parrothead]

Actually Greg has been making much better progress on the promotional end. Hats, jackets, and such. Picking out some cool test materials, to put the final (or one of the different final) NON GAY pig logos on.

Doh! You weren't supposed to say anything

[jsn1511]

I have been seriously thinking about trying to be self employed. I've thought about inventing something. I've thought about opening a restaurant. I even talk to my dad about my ideas, but it seems like almost every idea i have he shoots down and tells me to stick with computers. Because he has been doing computers all his life and now he is finally making 90k a year but hes in his mid 50's. but he evetually realizes that people need encouragement in whatever they do and he changes his mind and does whatever he can to help out, which is a really nice boost of confidence. So my latest plan is to get in to realty because the realty business is booming here in atlanta. And i think i can make some decent money selling houses and maybe open a catering business on the weekends. And eventually get enough money saved up to start a restaurant. And have back up money for the first 5 years, which is usually the time frame in which most restaraunts fold. It might sound crazy but im single and don't have any kids yet so i think i can afford to blow it, and start over to try and figure out something else to do to try and generate revenue on my own.

[BigAl]

Agree, single before kids is the time to go it! Wish I had!

[chad]

Wish I'd had the opportunity to go "self employed" myself. I'm trying and will probably make it but I'm still a year or two away from convincing Anne that it's the thing to do.

Go to a book store and find the "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and other books in the series. Lots of interesting tips on handling finances like the rich.

Also, just finished a book not long ago (sorry, don't remember the title) that dealt with the old "get and education, find a good job, etc." mind set and how that traps you into a cycle that you just can't break out of. Even if you make 90K or more you still "workin' for the man" :D

Also, I think self employment teaches you what "enough" is -- i.e. how much do you need to make to be "enough" -- now "enough" may be what your subsistance level is and you would like to make a bit more than "enough" but for a lot of folks, if they are doing what they really like to do and are making "enough" to pay the bills, take some time off now and then, and enjoy life then just maybe they ARE making "enough".

I'm 52 so probably in your dad's generation - I, too work in computers, I'm an IT analyst/geek -- I've been doing this pretty solid since about 1976 (started with alpha/numeric processing terminals by TI) and have been involved with personal computing since 1981. I HATE IT!! :twisted" But, it has paid the bills and allowed me some modicum of self respect :D

I have to remind myself, when talking with my 20 and 22 year old sons that I can't live their lives. I can't live mine through their's. And, I want them to really love whatever they do. So, I have life choice discussions real often with them. Sometimes I wish I was 22 again and had just an inkling of what I know now or had someone like me to advise them :D

Now, regarding the restaurant biz! If you haven't worked in one don't even think of starting one by yourself. Go work at a couple over the next couple of years -- maybe fast food first and then a "family" restaurant and then maybe upscale steak/seafood/etc. Get in as management for somebody like Red Lobster, Cody's, TGI Friday's, etc. and get your ASS BEAT for a coule of years. Managers have it bad with 50-75 hour weeks but owners of independent places have it worse.

Just my $.02 worth.

[parrothead]

Well said, Dave. Good stuff.

[chad]

Thanks Greg!

I'm eventually going to have my own place. It may be catering only but I think you need a storefront for visibility and to develop a reputation-- ergo a small 'que joint for "daily" sales and then catering. If the catering took off you could always drop the storefront sales but you'd already have your certified kitchen/commissary and you licenses, etc.

Just a thought, or two! :D

[parrothead]

Of course you could redo your own kitchen to county health code standards and just do the catering. Makes for a real nice kitchen at the house.

[chad]

Not is this lifetime!! :D

If I want to just cater I'll contract with the church and just pay for the additional inspection (it's currently a <9 month school kitchen). Besides, I don't have room for my rig (don't have a rig yet, but you know what I mean) and a seperate "commissary" just makes more sense. They would let me install additional 'fridge and freezers and I could probably add a storage shed on the grounds, too.