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Anyone here thought about opening up a BBQ joint?

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Mud Pig
Mud Pig Posts: 489
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I've toyed around with the idea of my own small business ever since I was a part owner of a Verizon Cell phone store. I have a great job with the State Dept, but I still have this small business bug. Has anyone here ever thought about opening up a BBQ joint?

I also see those food carts here in DC, hot dog, taco, even crepe carts, but there is never a BBQ one. I was thinking that I'd take a couple of years and develop some great recipes. Then possibly partner with soemoene and do BBQ food cart. Something nice looking that draws attention.

Pulled pork, brisket, smoked sausage. Do it all on the BGE and use it the next day on the cart.

Thoughts?
onthefly.jpg
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Comments

  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
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    Go look on the Off Topic forum at recent posts by Car Was Mike...he just opened his store last weekend...
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  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
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    There is Fred's in New England.

    http://www.fredsfranks.com/
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  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
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    that is what i would like to do!!

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

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  • Bacchus
    Bacchus Posts: 6,019
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    Pretty sure most everyone here has at least had passing thoughts of it.
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  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
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    Terry,

    Hopefully in about 5yrs on SC Hiway 11 about 3 miles outside of Walhalla, SC...

    open Tues, Wed & Thurs. from 10:30AM to 2:00PM...
    :P ;):) :laugh: :lol: :silly:
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    fred has a great gig going on and he gets the crowds
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
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    Had an interesting conversation with a recent convert to the Egg about that very subject. He's been involved in BBQ at many different levels and knows quite a few recognizable names on and off the competition circuit.

    I said "on and off..." because some found it more lucrative to set up shop and sell locally, either as caterers or as lunch-time vendors. He described one who is now a caterer and routinely knocks down $250k a year in revenue. Another just set up a vendor's trailer that's open from about 10:00 to 2:00 or something like that and sells until he runs out. Then goes home with over $150k a year.

    But having been on this Forum for a decade I can recall conversations where there are just as many failures as there are successes. Apparently, not everyone is good at being their own boss, and most certainly not everyone's recipes are the greatest in the world, no matter what their friends say.

    You wouldn't have to worry about good recipes, this group of Eggheads has an abundance of excellent recipes which they openly share every day just for the asking. I dare say many of them are potential award-winners if only they had been in a contest.

    There's a restaurant somewhere around Mobile that uses Eggs and I'm told it's very good.

    The only way to find out is to research it a lot, practice the recipes until you can consistently duplicate them and hang a shingle saying you are open for business. Only then will you know for sure.

    Good luck.

    Spring "Cheaper To Run A Chicken Ranch" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA
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  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
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    i will be there for ya pal!!

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

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  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
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    We appreciate your support... B):)
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  • eenie meenie
    eenie meenie Posts: 4,394
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    Hope that's close to Lake Keowee! If so, I'll be stoppin by Kim. :) Hurry up and retire, lol.
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  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
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    Depending on which side of Keowee you are on it is about 5 miles away...in between Keowee and Lake Jocassee....

    nice I already have 2 customers...
    woohoo :P :) :laugh:
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  • BENTE
    BENTE Posts: 8,337
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    yea customer!!! not helpers :woohoo:

    happy eggin

    TB

    Anderson S.C.

    "Life is too short to be diplomatic. A man's friends shouldn't mind what he does or says- and those who are not his friends, well, the hell with them. They don't count."

    Tyrus Raymond Cobb

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  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
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    Kim, count me in for the buffet night :woohoo:
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  • bayouegger
    bayouegger Posts: 287
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    Spring,,,

    Actually it's in Gulfport MS and it's very good. Egg dealer on one side deli on the other.

    http://www.grategrillsonline.com/DeliMain.html

    Also check out this blog. This is a blow by blow blog of opening a BBQ Joint in Tennessee. Go back to the very beginning and read all he went through while opening it up. He's not updating as much anymore but maybe that's because he's busy!!!

    http://martinsbbq.blogspot.com/
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  • ranger ray
    ranger ray Posts: 812
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    wow! if anyone here in the coal region saw a truck that nice,,, they'd be too scared to stop...( cause it's too nice)..... if you guys( youse) have some time and want a good chuckle.... look up " coalspeak" the dictionary of pa's anthracite lingo.... you'll die laughing.... especially when you/if ( yaz) realize that folks really talk like( dis) around here.... if you want a real hoot... look up "heynabonics" on u tube.... rr
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  • NoVA Bill
    NoVA Bill Posts: 3,005
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    I thought about it during my 10 month sabatical. Thought about combining BBQ with an Egg store. I really like what the SmokinGuitarPlayer has going on in Shillington, PA. Did reasearch, started a business plan, asked questions duirng EggtoberFest. But with Ace Hardware handling eggs and the economy being what it is and no permanent job I decided maybe later.

    I also liked the 10 to 2 deal with a commercial trialer selling Egged BBQ but again getting permits in Loudoun county vs DC and the volumes just didn't click.

    There are a few self made men at my club and I bounced these ideas off of them and the major concern is the "help". They said in a cash business employee theft is a major concern and unless you and your family are willing to work all the hours you'll have issues to address.

    Anyway...I wish CarWashMike all the best and hope I get to KC to see him and his new gigg.
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  • Mr. & Mrs Potatohead
    Mr. & Mrs Potatohead Posts: 2,037
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    Mv thougt is to go for it....
    You will never know if she will dance with you, or not, if you don't ask!
    We really need to go no farther :whistle: ! Do we?
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  • Car Wash Mike
    Car Wash Mike Posts: 11,244
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    THx, 75 % of my sales so far have been with plastic.
    Food is still an issue, going out the back door.

    Mike
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  • NoVA Bill
    NoVA Bill Posts: 3,005
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    Hey Mike, then the food must be good, though we knew that already!
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  • vidalia1
    vidalia1 Posts: 7,092
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    No all you can eat buffets for you mister...

    B) :ohmy: :P :silly:
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  • Capt Frank
    Capt Frank Posts: 2,578
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    Hi Kim,
    Count me in, my daughter lives on Lake Keowee, pretty much the area you are referring too. She is customer service mgr at the Ingles store in Seneca [short, loud, reddish brown hair, you can't miss her :laugh: ]. I will be coming through there in about two weeks for a visit.

    Capt. Frank
    Homosassa, FL
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  • AzScott
    AzScott Posts: 309
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    I've toyed with the idea of vending bbq at events for a long time. I've done some small jobs but nothing to really brag about. My two issues with a mobile food cart/truck/etc is where are you going to cook the meat and where are you going to have a commissary? Fred's has the right idea since he is not doing bbq. BBQ requires time and a place to cook it that is approved by the health department. The idea of pizza's or sandwiches is something I think would work. All of which can be made on the Egg.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    As a DC-area resident (actually live near Alexandria), I can definitely see the challenges: Various health and restaurant permits (in the District that's undoubtedly a nightmare, like everything else involving the DC government), pollution issues (smoke discharges are probably regulated and I'm sure fire inspectors would be involved, too), parking and so on.

    Having worked in restaurants, I think that the fantasy of doing this would last a week until the reality of working in a crowded, hot/cold environment every single day set in. Running a restaurant -- even a food truck -- is hard, hard work, and the key to success often is in portion and inventory control over everything else -- even food quality.

    That doesn't stop me from occasionally engaging in the fantasy, though.
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  • mb168
    mb168 Posts: 265
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    Like someone else said, probably everyone here has at least had the passing thought.

    My idea was the 10-2/M-F one as well, start cooking small and sell til it's gone, then cook more if things grow. Maybe have 1-2 standard items like bbq sandwich and a cook to order burger with a special, maybe brisket, chicken, or ribs on different days, so keep the options low and make lots of it. Maybe establish a pattern so that everyone knows that Tuesday is rib day, Friday is brisket day or something like that. The reason I thought of doing something cook to order like burgers/dogs is merely for the novelty of showing off the egg, thought it may spark some interest in the locals and it would be very visable and talked up

    There is a small building in my town 23x31that has been a few different things including a pizza place but the owner died, a cell phone store, and I think even a dui school, not sure where they sat people, maybe thats why it didn't last. Currently there is an equipment rental place just now opening in it just last week. It has a counter and small waiting area that maybe 15 people could stand in, not much room for tables inside, maybe 1-2 4 tops, although the weather is usually tolerable to sit outside on some picnic tables here with umbrellas in the summer to get out the sun, but basically cash and carry, styrofoam boxes and cups, plastic forks. Every time we drive by it I joke to my wife "There's Rib N Bibs" or "Look, someone else is moving into Ribs N Bibs" which is a joke name we came up for it somewhere along the way.

    One of my problems I have with it is feeling like I would ALWAYS have to be there and NEVER get to take a vacation. With a business model like this you would have to close for a week or two in the summer and maybe around Christmas to ever get any time off more than a weekend. It really isn't the type of business you could hire someone to do for you while you left town and I would worry myself sick if I had a business like that and not be able to enjoy myself anyway.

    The other problem I have with it is 4 kids, 6, 11, 13, 14, and insurance for us all, so taking the risk right now just seems unimaginable to quit a good job and do this, even if what I'm doin right now isn't my "dream job."

    The mobile rig seems like a good idea but there is just something about it that seems cheap to me about it, I don't know, maybe just in my head. That is a nice looking one in the pic. There just isn't much of that here in our small town like yo uwould seem in a bigger city but the big appeal to that is going where the business is and being stuck in one location. When construction slowed down you could have just changed the route to somewhere else.

    My other thought is just that it would take an awful lot of bbq sandwichs to pay bills, much less get rich off of. Catering is where it really seems to make sense. You know exactly how much to cook and how much you're getting paid for the job and no store to pay for although some type of mobile facitly like a concession trailer might work for this too and double as a booth in one of the local festivals that we have several times each year.
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