Made an offer

PitFighter · Joined: 01 Dec 2009 Posts: 17 Location: Duluth, Minnesnowta

A pizza/burger/appetizer/bar which I cooked at for about 6 months went out of business about 2 weeks ago. The owners son was diagnosed with cancer and has been in Minneapolis for the last two weeks (about 2 hours south of me and the restaurant).

I spoke with the owner/my ex boss today and made an offer to rent it out. I will post an update when I get my answer.

We didn't discuss number, so I would like a little input on this.

Its in a town of 500 called Barnum. There are a few towns surrounding with in 10 miles each way the biggest being about 2000 people. For my menu I was going to drop the pizza, and add pp sammies brisket and baby backs. (not to sound offensive but I'm not looking for menu advise) The only bbq place is FD's in Duluth, about 35 miles away. And FD's in Forrest Lake about 100 miles away. I should also say the FD's in Duluth is the most inconsistent garbage Q I have ever eaten.. There is a Laundry Mat attached to the building also owned by the same person, but both places are on the same utilities.

Now my problem is I don't want the utility's in her name. She is obviously going through a rough time, and I'm scared that I could walk into my place, flip the light switch and have no power from lack of payment. So what I am going to try and offer is I will pay all utility's. She can keep all money made in the laundry mat and I will hopefully be able to get a cheap rent out of the deal.. Say $500??

I will post some outdoor pics tomorrow and if she does want to talk more will be sure to get some indoor pics also..

BBQMAN · Posted: Jan 14 2010 Post subject:

Good luck to you.

I have 500+ people that live in my neighborhood, almost 1 mil in the county.

And raunts here are a tough sell currently.......................
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marvsbbq · BBQ All Star Joined: 15 May 2005 Posts: 6186

I know you didn't want menu advice but Pizza (along with Mexican & Chinese) are probably the top 3 restaurants still doing fairly well....at least still open.

You MIGHT keep the pizza and ADD the barbecue at least for a while until you get the BBQ side established.

You mentioned paying the entire electric bill for a restaurant AND laundry mat?? Do you even know what the bill runs?? I would think either one on their own would be humongous. Shocked

I would look at paying to have the electric split off and each pay their own. In the long run this would probably be a cheaper way to go...IMO.

Good luck and let us know what transpires.
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kurtsara · Posted: Jan 14 2010 Post subject:

Shotgun Petes · Posted: Jan 15 2010 Post subject:

Not to ignore your statement about not needing menu advise...but if the Pizza place had regular customers...you might be able to keep them if you offered a "Pulled Pork BBQ Pizza" and maybe a BBQ Smoked Chicken Pizza, as a gesture to those customers that you want them to keep coming there....then your BBQ menu would be icing on the cake!

Pizza is a lot of work though.

As for the electric, I agree you don't want to pay for the laundry mats power...that would probably be pretty high.
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Reverse flow smoker made by my dad "Shotgun Pete" Peters over 30 years ago!

"If you can't BBQ with the Big Dogs, back away from the Pit!"

SHOTGUN PETE'S BBQ SHACK
28 N Ninth St
COLUMBIA, MO
(Downtown across from The Blue Note)

daddywoofdawg · Posted: Jan 15 2010 Post subject:

A lanudry mat DOES use ALOTof electric get a spilt meter costs a couple hundred to have installed you'll make that back on your first electric bill.Small town If I paid both bills I would offer 200 a month.I live in ND and understand how most of the landloards around here think there building is in the big city(big city rents) but as you know there isn't the steady customers in the small town if you ate BBQ once a week and say ten percent of the pop.ate there monthly how many people is that a week.then on top you still have the bills any raunt has.labor,food,ads,etc.I'm not saying anything other than ask the world from them(cheap rent) then let them come back to you at what they want(high rent) and go from there.You can always go up on your price for what your willing to pay but it's really hard to go down.
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PitFighter · Joined: 01 Dec 2009 Posts: 17 Location: Duluth, Minnesnowta

Thanks everyone.. Splitting the box is exactly the kind of ideas I was looking for. Still no word back from her so I will give her until tomorrow before calling her back.

The pizza has absolutely no repeat customers. It was just plain bad. Everything was bought from Sam's Club and pizza in this town just has a bad name from this place. I have a great recipe for homemade pizza crust that I use personally but I'm afraid if I don't change the menu people would never try it.

Also the Laundry Mat only gets a few customers per day.

Tony G. if you read this I will be calling you later on tonight?

Oh and the only thing good on the menu and the only item I intend to keep was broasted chicken. The only reason this place was open so long was because of that.

PitFighter · Joined: 01 Dec 2009 Posts: 17 Location: Duluth, Minnesnowta

Shotgun Petes · Posted: Jan 15 2010 Post subject:

Shotgun Petes · Posted: Jan 15 2010 Post subject:

Nice Photo...do they have to go thru the laundry mat to get to your side?

If so. I would strongly consider trying to have a front door entrance of your own installed!

...And make sure the part of your sign that says "BBQ" in bigger then the rest and stands out.
_________________
Reverse flow smoker made by my dad "Shotgun Pete" Peters over 30 years ago!

"If you can't BBQ with the Big Dogs, back away from the Pit!"

SHOTGUN PETE'S BBQ SHACK
28 N Ninth St
COLUMBIA, MO
(Downtown across from The Blue Note)

PitFighter · Joined: 01 Dec 2009 Posts: 17 Location: Duluth, Minnesnowta

The double doors on the front go into a foyer which leads into the restaurant. The red double doors on the back go into the Laundry Mat. And the small single door on the side leads into the same foyer that leads into the restaurant.
The set up is actually quite nice, I wish it was in a bigger town but that is why I'm trying to rent not own. If what I have planned works out I wont be here forever. This is more of what I am considering a learning phase.

Thanks Shotgun for the positive attitude! I wish you much luck in your own place!

Shotgun Petes · Posted: Jan 15 2010 Post subject:

I used to be stationed at Grand Forks AFB (1987-89) in ND and lived right on the Red River across from East Grand Forks, MN

I used to go to the WE Fest at the SOO PASS RANCH at Detroit Lakes, and went to Duluth a few times.
I think I remember a bar there called the Brass Rail in town and a place called the Crow Bar near the Brule Forrest.

anyway...being that you are located in MN, you better have some good BEER CHEESE SOUP on your menu! Laughing

That stuff saved my life a few times! Shocked

_________________
Reverse flow smoker made by my dad "Shotgun Pete" Peters over 30 years ago!

"If you can't BBQ with the Big Dogs, back away from the Pit!"

SHOTGUN PETE'S BBQ SHACK
28 N Ninth St
COLUMBIA, MO
(Downtown across from The Blue Note)

PitFighter · Joined: 01 Dec 2009 Posts: 17 Location: Duluth, Minnesnowta

HA there are so many mid west staples you poor people miss out on.. How about "Top The Tater" ever try that when you were around these parts?

Shotgun Petes · Posted: Jan 15 2010 Post subject:

Never had Top The Tater?.....But I did get to enjoy some pretty good Lefsa..(is that spelled right?)
_________________
Reverse flow smoker made by my dad "Shotgun Pete" Peters over 30 years ago!

"If you can't BBQ with the Big Dogs, back away from the Pit!"

SHOTGUN PETE'S BBQ SHACK
28 N Ninth St
COLUMBIA, MO
(Downtown across from The Blue Note)

tonyg · BBQ Pro Joined: 10 Feb 2006 Posts: 628

Jerk Pit Master · Posted: Jan 16 2010 Post subject:

Good luck! You are definitely ahead of the game working there for 6 months already.

Even though the laudry mat is slow it is a variable that can increase significantly for many reasons including the new and improved restaurant/menu.
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daddywoofdawg · Posted: Jan 16 2010 Post subject:

I live next door ND; Never heard of top the tater what is it?Isn't beer cheese soup a Wisconsin thing?knefla soup is MN.don't chew no.LOL
_________________
Good BBQ is all smoke and beers!
The Dawghouse Custom vertical Gasser
Custom Made offset smoker
Char grill smoker
Weber kettle

Shotgun Petes · Posted: Jan 16 2010 Post subject:

..I don't know...all I know is I never even heard of Beer Cheese Soup until I got stationed at Grand Forks, ND Laughing

The bars all served it. It's addictive!
_________________
Reverse flow smoker made by my dad "Shotgun Pete" Peters over 30 years ago!

"If you can't BBQ with the Big Dogs, back away from the Pit!"

SHOTGUN PETE'S BBQ SHACK
28 N Ninth St
COLUMBIA, MO
(Downtown across from The Blue Note)

kurtsara · Posted: Jan 17 2010 Post subject: