Tried the ribs at the joint I wanted to open!

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

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

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

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

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

Click to expand...

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

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.

Click to expand...

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 , 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

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

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!!

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 . 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

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.