Finally a plan I can work with

It has been over a year since I posted here from Hot Springs, ARK., though I have been lurking the entire time. We found a home to buy in Western Arkansas, the house, as it stands is not a dream come true, but it sits on 11 acres with a nice barn and.....this is the best part. There is a building sitting on the front of the property that was a former business. It sits on a small highway, immediately adjacent to a nice size truck stop, litereally within walking distance. There is a small convenience store and a diner as well. I find myself lyeing awake thinking of all the possibilities with this building. My gosh, it's part of the house, that means no rent or extra overhead, how could something like that fail? Part of me wants to throw up a grill out front and let them stroll over for grilled dogs. Part of me wants to have a little eatery, where maybe "build your own dog" concept plays well, just hand them a dog and let them top it however they like with a fine layout of condiments and toppings. Can't forget the chili, we are sitting on the best darn texas chili recipe and can't wait to serve it up. The building is not gigantic, but large enough for a small kitchen and some service space and tables. Here is the question, if you passion is dogs, you had an open canvas......what would you do?
I also intend to have a produce stand nearby, perhaps attached, where I sell fresh veggies, eggs, jarred sauces etc (One can grow alot with 11 acres)....any and all ideas, opinions, and just rants are welcome.....thanks.

WOW... What a find, eh!!! What I wouldn't do to find a chunk of land like that in Maine!!! Sounds like a perfect deal and I wish you the very best with that.

The fix-yer-own hot dogs sounds like a fun idea, and if you have the grill and the onions waving across the street and the chili on the counter... how can you lose?? The veggie stand on the side is an added bonus for any locals that ride by too. But I'd be careful not to stretch yourself too thin. Make it all easily accessible, unless you have another set of hands there to help you out.

Go for it... get some awnings and some picnic tables for out front... and see what comes along. Best to you in your new long-awaited venture!!

I've always wanted to do ethnic burritos. I was going to call it ETHNIX

Give them an open flour tortilla in a basket with choice of meats.

Then have different sauces like curry, sweat and sour, Customary Mexican salsas, goulash sauce which is dynomite on beef, etc.

Then a salsa type bar with the finishing touches.

This idea of mine predated the wrap craze by 10 years or more!

Open up a small BBQ place with your Texas chili too...thats if you have the smoker and the BBQ wood and know about cooking BBQ.

I suppose where you are, you may not have a lot of "Government People" looking over your shoulder, but you might want to check and see what you would need to do to your building to be in compliance. Things like sprinkler systems can get expensive.
The Truck Stop next door isn't going to happy to see you sell food if they have a restaurant and they may have a cousin on the Zoning Board. "Hillbilly Politics" if you know what I mean!

I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. Hillbilly politics are not new to me (one reason I am leaving Hot Springs), set aside codes and compliance and the like, I was just asking to dream a little dream, let me deal with the paper.....was hopeing we could have fun with this.

I'm jealous... Your going to live my dream..

quote:

Originally posted by WifeofRiley

I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. Hillbilly politics are not new to me (one reason I am leaving Hot Springs), set aside codes and compliance and the like, I was just asking to dream a little dream, let me deal with the paper.....was hopeing we could have fun with this.

LIGHTEN UP! I got the impression you were planning to move forward with this and didn't know if you had thought about any of these issues. I'm a Business Coach by profession and see too many sad stories of people who get into a business without understanding what all is involved. The statistic is that 80% of all small businesses fail in the 1st year. I was just trying to help. If your just dreaming, knock yourself out.

One thing I hate about the internet is that people can take things the wrong way. I was just makeing a statement, clarify that I understand there are codes and compliance, was just hopeing this didn't turn into a thread where the original question or topic posed is turned into someting entirely different. I do intend to move forward, but I would like to hear from others what they would do with it if they had the same opportunity. Love the replies so far, hopefully there will be more. Thanks!!

I think what you are going to do is fantastic, and wish you all the best in the world.
I am like UncleVic, and am soooo jealous!

quote:

Originally posted by WifeofRiley

There is a building sitting on the front of the property that was a former business. It sits on a small highway, immediately adjacent to a nice size truck stop, litereally within walking distance. There is a small convenience store and a diner as well. I find myself lyeing awake thinking of all the possibilities with this building. My gosh, it's part of the house, that means no rent or extra overhead, how could something like that fail?

Congratulations on the property. You're very lucky if you're out in the county.

We bought a 100 year old Victorian home about six years ago, located right in town, one block off a main thoroughfare. Sitting on the back of our property is a building that was built as a general store in the 30's and operated as such until the late 70's. Being at the back of our lot, it sits one-half block from the main highway, in plain view of traffic with only a wide-open parking lot in between. It would be the perfect FREE location for a small store, cafe, or coffee shop.

NO GO according to the city. Our current neighborhood zoning allows for both commercial or residential, but it has to be either/or. No dual use is allowed on the same property. We'd have to reclassify our home as commercial and then apply for a variance just to live there, but then we'd have to make our home ADA compliant by installing handicap accessible restrooms, ramps, doorways and even emergency lights and exit signs just like it was part of the business, even though no customers would ever use it. That was the story five years ago.

Recently some folks with deeper pockets wanted to do the same thing with their properties, so the city decided to re-examine our neighborhood to consider allowing for dual use. We're still waiting to see what happens.

I frigging HATE dealing with the city on anything.

quote:

Originally posted by Foodbme
The statistic is that 80% of all small businesses fail in the 1st year.

That's a statistic that's often quoted, but actually has no basis of fact.

Two-thirds of new small businesses survive at least two years, and just 44 percent survive at least four years, according to a study by the U.S. Small Business Association. According to a study by Wells Fargo, 50% of small businesses that actually employ people fail within five years.

WifeofRiley, you've got a great opportunity to do something that you can enjoy and at the same time, make some money. Keep your overhead down with dogs and chili, and the eatery and the produce market will draw customers for each side.

Someone stopping in for a dog or bowl of chili won't resist the urge to look at your produce offerings and those who've stopped to buy produce will be drawn into your eatery.

Lot's of potential here.

I Know! This is why I have a hard time sleeping at night....lol.

I think one of your best assets is your "Wife of Riley" handle. Trade Mark it, no matter what you sell. With a truck stop and a diner nearby, I am not sure if the hot dog thing would be all that big an attraction though.

Chili seems to be your strong point. Why not bottle it and sell it as Wife of Riley Chili? Other bottled items come to mind as well, fruit cobblers, jams, preserves etc. All could be bundled into gift baskets and boxes with your distinctive Wife of Riley logo which you can create on your computer. This does not compete with the businesses down the road, in fact they may help you out. You don't have to do this all yourself. Contract with quality suppliers and re-brand it as your own product. That way you avoid legal entanglements.

A Cafe sounds reasonable as well. How are your baking skills? A cafe with fresh biscuits and the best coffee in the area sounds good to this ex-trucker. Go gourmet with the coffee, again re-brand and have Wife of Riley bagged beans to go as well. Contract with a smokehouse for country ham to go with the biscuits.

I know back when I was trucking, I would have avoided the diner, had a bowl of chili, filled my thermos with good coffee, bought a box of country ham biscuits for the road and probably a bigger box for home. If there was a coffee mug available with a cool Wife of Riley logo on it available, I probably would have bought that too. All this a trucker could do with a very short stop, be well fed and keep to the most important thing for a trucker...keep them wheels a-rolling.

Just a few ideas, I hope I have helped.

That is the best feedback so far. I never really put any thought into the "handle", but each time I think about it, it makes me smile....yes, my husbands name really is Riley......lol. Riley is a truck driver and he and I tossed around your comments about the hot dog not being the major attraction, I think your idea of focusing on the chili might be on the mark. We even came up with the name "Wife of Riley Farm Market & Cafe", hows that grab ya? Or..Wife of Riley Farmhouse Cafe & Market...Hmmm, see what I mean, now I won't sleep again tonight. Thank you for your input Greyghost, you really gave us some "food" for thought

Glad you are considering the suggestions. I was a truck driver for most of my career, but I also had my own ad agency in New York for a while. Just wanted to give y'all some suggestions to make you think outside of the box.

Your situation spoke both to the truck driver in me as well as the advertising guy in me. Good luck to you both, no matter what you do.

quote:

Originally posted by Greyghost

Glad you are considering the suggestions. I was a truck driver for most of my career, but I also had my own ad agency in New York for a while. Just wanted to give y'all some suggestions to make you think outside of the box.

Your situation spoke both to the truck driver in me as well as the advertising guy in me. Good luck to you both, no matter what you do.

I think you gave WofR great advice. When you talk about being a truck driver, your suggestions resonate more with me than when you talk about owning an ad agency.

On the comical side, your experience reminds me of the Beverly Hillbillies episode where Jethro can't decide if he wants to be brain surgeon or a fry cook.

You are a real delight tonight Jman, are you stalking me? I have to answer you on another thread as well and I will. To answer you on this one, if you have achieved my age you can consider yourself lucky to begin with. If you have achieved any age at all, you will find you have had many careers Yep, even doctors, usually had to work as waiters or cooks or drivers just to get through medical school. You did not know this already?

quote:

Originally posted by Greyghost

You are a real delight tonight Jman, are you stalking me? I have to answer you on another thread as well and I will. To answer you on this one, if you have achieved my age you can consider yourself lucky to begin with. If you have achieved any age at all, you will find you have had many careers Yep, even doctors, usually had to work as waiters or cooks or drivers just to get through medical school. You did not know this already?

Lighten up. I wasn't trying to disparage you. While most of my adult life was spent in manufacturing management, I've worked as a dishwasher, a waiter, a cook, and a car salesman. Since I "retired", I take on an occasional business development project and oversee a small Amish-operated health product manufacturing and marketing company I founded about ten years ago. So, yes, I did know this already. I told you what flashed in my mind. No offense intended.

jman...at the risk of going off topic...I'm fascinated....whatis the"amish-operated health product?????

quote:

Originally posted by leethebard

jman...at the risk of going off topic...I'm fascinated....whatis the"amish-operated health product?????

I don't want to hijack WofR's great thread, so if you're really interested, start a new thread or email me. ghp48@alltel.net Most people who learn about the business are pretty fascinated about its birth and its evolution.

So which name do you like best? Wife of Riley Farm Market & Cafe.... or Wife of Riley Farmhouse Cafe & Market.......or maybe people might think of something wonderful! Let me know.

Why attack Foodbme?

My only question....Is there good Chinese in the area? Thin crust pizza?

I think there may be some big time resistance from the current operators of the truck stop. But that said, get your ducks in a very tight row before any information leaks to the public. Once you do, go for it. But don't tie yourself down to any one menu item in the naming of your place. Just make it simple
"Wife of Riley" and then as you open you can change your menu to what ever you like. I assume everyone is remembering the life of Riley sitcom from the 60's as I do or just likes the feel of "The Wife of Riley", either way it's a good name and doesn't tag you with any one type of food. Truckers talk for 3 or 4 hours among themselves about the last meal they ate, and it would be easy for your reputation to spread over hundreds of miles in a single day or two. So first get your zoning problems (if any) and health department requirements straighted out and totally over and done with before you get close to an opening of the front door.

Then install a CB radio and have your best meals ready when a driver hits your place.

Unlike others I think a hot dog among other foods would sound good to a driver as long as it was special. But then if I were in your shoes I'd not copy the normal Truck Driver food fair they are able to get from most truck stops. Your not trying to become a truck stop sized down but an alternative to those that are serving the same, same food on every truck stop menu.

I love your idea and I wish you the best success.
Good Luck
Jack

Jman, that Beverly Hillbillies episode in which Jethro opens a restaurant called 'The Happy Gizzard' was a riot.. Surprised I've never seen anyone use that name... (It was even funnier when they went topless).

quote:

Originally posted by UncleVic

Jman, that Beverly Hillbillies episode in which Jethro opens a restaurant called 'The Happy Gizzard' was a riot.. Surprised I've never seen anyone use that name... (It was even funnier when they went topless).

My wife thinks I'm an idiot for watching those old shows on TVLand. She's rarely wrong about people.

quote:

Originally posted by UncleVic

Jman, that Beverly Hillbillies episode in which Jethro opens a restaurant called 'The Happy Gizzard' was a riot.. Surprised I've never seen anyone use that name... (It was even funnier when they went topless).

I have always regretted the fact that I did not copy Jethro's name when he tried to go Hollywood. I think that Beef Jerky would be a great name for a action star and for here...

mark

Hey WifeofRiley just wondering if parking could be a problem.

I have to say that when I read of your location and the description of your property, I was reminded of two places featured in several of the Stern's Books...they are across the street from each other in Eastern Arkansas.

Craigs BBQ is a small (very small) shack like place in front of the house on the south side of the street...and the Family Pie Shop is across the street in the garage behind the house there. These are in DuVall's Bluff about midway between Little Rock and Memphis. They are on the east end of a very small town on Rt 70 which runs parallel to I-40. If it isn't too long a ride, You might take a ride over there to see how a couple of other folks have reacted to what seems to be the same sort of "Dream".

While I am not a big Fan of the 'Que at Craig's BBQ, many folks love the place. AND it is a real 'Roadfood' sort of place, that's for sure. Same with the Family Pie Shop! I love the pies, but don't think you are at a Baker's Square when you stop! The inside looks a lot like my garage looks at times...but the Pies are Super!

I'll bet both these business's started with the same sort of dream and they've been at it for decades now !

Parking is not an issue for cars or trucks. I like the Happy Gizzard......I did not see that episode. I like the input from DrofBBQ, well thought out response. I rode on the truck with Riley for 9 months and all I can say is, the food was always an issue. Same ole same ole. When I saw a hot dog stand I about jumped out of my pants to get one. Now the truck stop that is next door doesnt really serve restaraunt type food, its that deli type counter where you can get dry fried chicken, okra, stuff like that. I think the diner next to it might pose more of an issue. The husband ate there once and said the food was bland, the place was old and unnatractive (that rarely matters to a truck driver) some of the ugliest dives have the greatest food. Anyway, his experience was not positive regarding the diner. To answer an earlier post, there is nothing else in the area. This is a central point, a stopping point between large cities. While I love chinese food, I can't cook it worth the darn. Pizza is a consideration. As far as my personal experience goes, I have made a mission over the last many years to perfect italian food. I am not interested in opening an italian fare eatery, but I do make a really mean spaghetti, so good it make you want to smack your grandma. I'd like to keep this project as simple yet delicious as possible. Chili is definately on the menu. Maybe the ultimate spaghetti, some dogs and sides of maybe fries, tater tots? I still like the biscuit and country ham idea from Grey. One time, years ago when I made these suggestions some poster said my menu sounded unspeakable....lol.
One of the benefits of this entire project is time. I have nothing but time. Time to deal with codes, compliance and the like. Time to think over the layout and basic structure of what I want to do, and time to handle any major road block that may come up. Our estimation is to take posession of the property around July 1st. Then let the clean up begin. Keep the thoughts coming regarding the food, name and menu....once I make a decision it will be much easier to move forward... thank you all.