[Buster Dog BBQ]

Man, I feel for you. I knew Kali was jacked up but makes you wonder how any small business can make it. Good luck.

Originally Posted by Chuckwagonbbqco

If you want a 9-5 gig---go to work for the Health Dept.

Not being a smart ass--To be ready to serve fresh BBQ by 11:00 AM a bbqer must start early or serve BBQ that was cooked the day before and reheated somehow. I opened my restaurant at 11 AM but went to work everyday at 6 AM. I closed at 8 PM and left usually about 10 PM. 6AM--10PM is 14 hours per day. Then I spent my weekends doing large catering jobs---to be able to make ends meet at the restaurant.

How governmental agencies helped me:
I had to have business license from city requiring a fee
I had to have an occupancy permit from the Fire Dept requiring an annual fee and several expensive fire extinguishers with costly yearly maintenance--then I had to build an enclosure around my smoker with 4 inch firewalls
I had to have a very costly permit from the Health Dept--which entitled them to inspections at any time--and close me at any time
Parking for customers was an issue--and the city required that my small "To-Go" BBQ place needed 2 handicapped parking places. The strip mall that I was at had allocated 4 parking spots total for my restaurant--including employees.
Drug Store---3 businesses down complained that my smoke was hurting their customers with COPD so smoking times were limited to night time hours--customers did not want to buy BBQ at a place with no BBQ smoke .

So to help local businesses the County Fathers decided to OK not 1 but TWO Indian Casinos within 3 miles of my restaurant. They said--"Just think of the business that this will bring to town."---Bars and restaurants in town started closing by the dozens--tourests and locals were both shopping at the Casinos for Food and entertainment.

Local businesses were hurting and therefore not hiring people so the County Board of Education decided to buy a local restaurant that had closed and make a "training center" Now all local restaurants are in competition with a Government owned restaurant and caterer. Catering jobs for local governmental institutions have dried up--as they go to their "Own" caterer.

California "State Board of Equalization" will be on you like a bandaid on a hairy arm. What is taxable--what isn't --a small businessman in Calif almost needs to have an attorney at all times. Pay the attorney or the state will collect.

Our current economic outlook does not reward hard working entrepeneuars---work hard and see. I would never tell a friend to start a BBQ business. The best way to make a small fortune in BBQ is to start with a large fortune.

Restaurants have a high failure rate---BBQ restaurants are high up on the failure rate. Highest sucess rates are Chinese food and Mexican Food. Ther is money to be made in BBQ---people have done it--it is not easy---it requires much more than a 9-5 committment.