Unexpected offer

[Lazy Dawg]

Hello all,
I had a strange thing happen today and I would love to here your thoughts. I have been thinking for a few years now,like most of us, about setting up a roadside pit. I took the trip to Indiana and viewed the BBQ concession trailers for sale at Southern Yankee. I know of some one that has a trailer set up at a permenant site and finally had a chance to meet him today. I figured i would pick his brain about his biz and learn as much as i could for the someday file. To my surprise he basically offered to rent his pit and site to me to run and told me he was too busy with his other biz to run this. He did not mention Numbers but did say just make a fair offer and I am in.I know I would need to set up legit biz and insurace. I am aware of the food handlers permit and so on . The question is should I ?? I guess i did not expect this offer to come up and it has knocked back a bit. Any suggestions or advice would be welcome. Has anyone had this experience? If so how did it work out?

 

[jgh1204]

I think your family needs to be for this, otherwise you are doomed before you start.

 

[icemn62]

If you don't have the backing from the family you will fail. Wish i could give you good advice, but I know enough about catering, concession work to be able to tell you I don't know a thang. Whichever you choose, good luck, you know we are pulling for you to do well.

 

[Sledneck]

Do brethren get a discount. I saw one of those trailers this afternoon up the road from me in front of the bbq restaurant under renovation on bellmore ave. It lauras bbq shack

 

[MilitantSquatter]

I know nothing about the finer aspects of catering. Curious where on Long Island this roadside pit exists though...

I agree about making sure you have the green light from family and the desire to make it happen.

My only suggestion would be to scout out this operation at various times... days, evenings, nights, weekends... See how busy it gets and determine if the rent and other operational expenses are worth the time, money and effort on your part. Don't just take his word for how much money he makes...

Good Luck in whatever you decide on...

 

[Sledneck]

Poppa ricks has franchises available. Its written in pencil on a piece of looseleaf paper and scotch taped to his shack

 

[Lazy Dawg]

Do brethren get a discount. I saw one of those trailers this afternoon up the road from me in front of the bbq restaurant under renovation on bellmore ave. It lauras bbq shack

I once spoke to this owner also. I wonder if he and his wife Laura are building this restaurant you are talking about

 

[Sledneck]

Thats what im talking about. They put the trailer in the parking lot in front of the restaurant they are gonna open

 

[Lazy Dawg]

Thats what im talking about. They put the trailer in the parking lot in front of the restaurant they are gonna open

I wish them luck. I Emailed him out of the blue one night and he , Lloyd, sent me his number. Talked about an hour. Real nice guy. From TX. and has a great source of Mesquite.

 

[cmcadams]

Along with the family going along with it, I'd want to see numbers from how he's done there... if he couldn't make it work, what did he do wrong, or was it just location?

 

[kickassbbq]

I have an Ol' partner down South that built his trailer (nice, with a Lang 84) and sets up with other vendors on the weekends. Says after ALL the rigamaroll with insurance, licenses, city space rent and having to be there from morning to late afternoons, he isnt making the money he thought and is spending ALL weekends to make what he does.
So, he is going to simply do what I told him in the beginning years ago.
Just do catering for Private Parties. It's YOUR schedule, a few hours there, charge all you can, give them great Q, have them serve, provide meat ONLY and GET OUT.
There is almost NO expense except your smoker and 300-500 a year from 1 million dollars insurance. Most states have no regulations on this aspect of catering.
I do not want to sit in a stand waiting and hoping people will come by.
Works for me.
Smoke On!!!!!
ed

 

[rookiedad]

is this stand on long island? i have been thinking about opening something like this also but suffolk has some serious laws about cooking on site. food can't go from raw to cooked, just reheated, then there is always the problem of finding a legal spot, but you seem to have got that covered. anyway, my next idea was to find a takeout restaurant, cafe or pizza place for sale and work bbq into the menu and begin to convert it over, but now i believe long island is beginning to get overpopulated with bbq restaurants and places that serve wanna be bbq. i think the success of smokin' Al's in bayshore started it followed by the arrival of famous daves and smokey bones but now they seem to ba all over the place. please let me know where the site is if you decide to get it. good luck.
phil

 

[Sledneck]

Once willie bs opens in july it all over for the rest

 

[BrooklynQ]

Before you make any decision get the family's backing, then get the guy's books. There has to be a reason he's looking to unload.

 

[rbsnwngs]

Once willie bs opens in july it all over for the rest

i do like the way steve is really pushing this

 

[CharlieBeasley]

Depending on the numbers (I agree with the family part but for me that is an no S&*T) it would be an opportunity to experience the pain with minimum up front expense. Run the numbers, watch the site over different times of day and week, and last is it something that can be done year round. Then with all the facts in your head go to your heart (Prater is also Great in cases like this) and decide ( I wish I could but it is not in my cards for a while) Good Luck.

 

[Lazy Dawg]

Thank you all for you wisdom and input. I am sure I will draw from it in the days to come.

 

[rbsnwngs]

where is this trailer going to be