Interesting Hot dog story

Back in 1984 or 85 we were living in Pomona Ca. and I had developed a new restaurant mag. called the Pomoma Menu.  It was simply a glossy cover magazine with the only content being restaurant menus.  Anyway, we use to shop at a discount club called price club, and one day outside the main entrance appeared a hot dog set up, I introduced my self to John and we became sort of fringe friends.  During that friendship he told me the following story,  He first approached Price club offering them $200 a month to let him set up a hot dog stand outside.  They thought he was a kook and ignored him.  He went back and offered $300, then $500 and so on.  Finally, he said the manager didn't want to be bothered any more and decided to run him off once and for all.  He told John he could set up if he paid $1200 (a sizable sum for 1985) a month.  He would give him a 3 month contract as a try out period, with the provision that john bought all his supplies from Price club.  So, for the next 3 months John sold a dog, canned drink, bag of chips and pickle strip for either $2.00 Or $2.50, I don't remember which.  Somewhere around 3 months later or so, I noticed John no longer showed to run the stand.  There was always someone else there, so I asked the girl where John was and her reply was that John no longer worked there.
 
Several years later I ran into John at the L A county fair.  He had a custom bus type RV converted into a cinnamon bun bakery and he told me the rest of the story, It seems the store manager had noticed that John was buying 4000+ hot dogs per month plus drinks and chips.  So, soon after his 3 month contract was over, the store decided to set up its own stand.  This may be the first discount club store owned food stand in the country I'm nor sure.
 
But no need to feel sorry for John.  The rig he had cost over $250,000, and he told me he was living in Hawaii he worked 31 days a year.  21 at the la county fair and 10 In Phoenix Arizona and netted over $300,00 a year with the greatest cinnamon rolls you ever tasted.
 
The gold is there.  Sometimes we just have to dig through some gravel.  This is a true story.

i'm glad i'm not involved with what you describe above, sir.  that would certainly be a mess.  congrats on your escape.  i do like selling hot dogs.  it is certainly "location" that rules.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBMxpDbp51A

This was ment to be a positive story, one I actually knew some one who was selling over 4000 hot dogs a month out of 1 location, and the guy still landed on his feet through what must have been a very tramatic event. because he refused to give up.

I took you seriously I was just amused by Bert and Ernie.

olddude2


This was ment to be a positive story, one I actually knew some one who was selling over 4000 hot dogs a month out of 1 location, and the guy still landed on his feet through what must have been a very tramatic event. because he refused to give up.

thank you for it sir.  i was inspired. 
 
i lost 135 lbs over a couple of years eating hot dogs.  they're healthy as all get out--don't let anyone ever say they aren't.  right now i'm looking at trying to stay a hot dog guy and living indoors.  things have gotten better over time.  my location is growing, but my sweet saturday spot is going, but other sweet spots exist (sp).  if i make it until next spring i might make it.

It just goes to show that some managers are pretty smart. I bet his bonus was related to the stores profits. Don't buy product from the location you are at. And never brag or tell people what you make. Don't drive a fancy car or flashy jewelery. If I was the manager I would have done the same thing. Just Business...Russ

Gene: all the best of luck to you, I used to do the Fair in Jacksonville with food and games, tough town if your in the wrong area.

Russ: I know business is business thats why I broke, I'm either too stupid or to Kind to do that to someone. maybe both.  But you are right, I have 40 years of stories verifying just that.

Jacksonville is a tough town to anything in.  they seem to hate small business.  we have churches and civic mafia that run the show and work together with no clue that hot dog guys could help them make more $$.  "Where Florida Begins"  lol

olddude2


Back in 1984 or 85 we were living in Pomona Ca. and I had developed a new restaurant mag. called the Pomoma Menu.  It was simply a glossy cover magazine with the only content being restaurant menus.  Anyway, we use to shop at a discount club called price club, and one day outside the main entrance appeared a hot dog set up, I introduced my self to John and we became sort of fringe friends.  During that friendship he told me the following story,  He first approached Price club offering them $200 a month to let him set up a hot dog stand outside.  They thought he was a kook and ignored him.  He went back and offered $300, then $500 and so on.  Finally, he said the manager didn't want to be bothered any more and decided to run him off once and for all.  He told John he could set up if he paid $1200 (a sizable sum for 1985) a month.  He would give him a 3 month contract as a try out period, with the provision that john bought all his supplies from Price club.  So, for the next 3 months John sold a dog, canned drink, bag of chips and pickle strip for either $2.00 Or $2.50, I don't remember which.  Somewhere around 3 months later or so, I noticed John no longer showed to run the stand.  There was always someone else there, so I asked the girl where John was and her reply was that John no longer worked there.
 
Several years later I ran into John at the L A county fair.  He had a custom bus type RV converted into a cinnamon bun bakery and he told me the rest of the story, It seems the store manager had noticed that John was buying 4000+ hot dogs per month plus drinks and chips.  So, soon after his 3 month contract was over, the store decided to set up its own stand.  This may be the first discount club store owned food stand in the country I'm nor sure.
 
But no need to feel sorry for John.  The rig he had cost over $250,000, and he told me he was living in Hawaii he worked 31 days a year.  21 at the la county fair and 10 In Phoenix Arizona and netted over $300,00 a year with the greatest cinnamon rolls you ever tasted.
 
The gold is there.  Sometimes we just have to dig through some gravel.  This is a true story.

As a kid, I lived in Chino California and my mom worked at the Price Club.  Her friend worked the hot dog cart for the store and told her how much money it was making.  I've secretly wanted to open up a dog cart since then....well not so secretly in the last couple of years.

What a small world. I remember it set to the right side of the door as you came out It was made up of a cooler and a couple of tables I cant remember how he heated the dogs steam I think.  I have always had the same Idea for 35  years but was always to bussy working to make any real money.

olddude2


he worked 31 days a year.  21 at the la county fair and 10 In Phoenix Arizona and netted over $300,00 a year with the greatest cinnamon rolls you ever tasted. 
 

Wow...$300,000 (if you forgot a zero) working 31 days. That's about $9,700/day selling cinnamon buns. (unless it's 30,000 and you put the comma in the wrong place.)
That's alota buns.
Why didn't I think of that...
That's what I say when I see the guy around here that makes and sells kettle popcorn. He sets up daily near Brown University and does events all year. He's got this BIG kettle, like 5ft. diameter. And sells tons of the stuff.
Piece of cake too. Kettle. Big bags of corn. Oil. (And an oar to stir it with.)
No drinks, no dessert, no napkins, no nothin'. Just corn. It's a beautiful thing.
 
Other vendors at events look and say..."why didn't I think of that"...  lol 

nope believe it or not the zeros are all in the right place, I know of people who used to go pay the gate to the fair just to go buy one of his rolls including me and my wife.

"Ihe grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence but ya still gotta mowe it.

MikeinRI

olddude2


he worked 31 days a year.  21 at the la county fair and 10 In Phoenix Arizona and netted over $300,00 a year with the greatest cinnamon rolls you ever tasted. 
 

Wow...$300,000 (if you forgot a zero) working 31 days. That's about $9,700/day selling cinnamon buns. (unless it's 30,000 and you put the comma in the wrong place.)
That's alota buns.
Why didn't I think of that...
That's what I say when I see the guy around here that makes and sells kettle popcorn. He sets up daily near Brown University and does events all year. He's got this BIG kettle, like 5ft. diameter. And sells tons of the stuff.
Piece of cake too. Kettle. Big bags of corn. Oil. (And an oar to stir it with.)
No drinks, no dessert, no napkins, no nothin'. Just corn. It's a beautiful thing.
 
Other vendors at events look and say..."why didn't I think of that"...  lol 

I don't think it's a piece of cake.  I thought about the Kettle Corn biz, even as a backup to the hot dog biz if you're trying to get into an event and they won't let you sell dogs.  It's REALLY hot, and if you've got bad shoulders like me, stirring a huge hot wok/kettle all day would hurt pretty bad.  Also, you'll want a face shield because you can get a hot piece of popcorn in your eye at a hundred miles an hour. 

The up side is your costs are very very very low.  Much lower than hot dogs.  Corn oil, popcorn seeds, sugar, and bags are cheap.  And this means your profit margins are higher.  I'm not sure how much competition you'll find, but if you can stand the heat and the rotator cuff injuries, it seems pretty good.

I don't see popcorn as an every day business unless you have farmer's markets every day of the weak nearby.  It's more of a special events thing.  People eat hot dogs every day.  I don't think they do the same with kettle corn.

ptireland

MikeinRI

olddude2


he worked 31 days a year.  21 at the la county fair and 10 In Phoenix Arizona and netted over $300,00 a year with the greatest cinnamon rolls you ever tasted. 

Wow...$300,000 (if you forgot a zero) working 31 days. That's about $9,700/day selling cinnamon buns. (unless it's 30,000 and you put the comma in the wrong place.)
That's alota buns.
Why didn't I think of that...
That's what I say when I see the guy around here that makes and sells kettle popcorn. He sets up daily near Brown University and does events all year. He's got this BIG kettle, like 5ft. diameter. And sells tons of the stuff.
Piece of cake too. Kettle. Big bags of corn. Oil. (And an oar to stir it with.)
No drinks, no dessert, no napkins, no nothin'. Just corn. It's a beautiful thing.

Other vendors at events look and say..."why didn't I think of that"...  lol 

I don't think it's a piece of cake.  I thought about the Kettle Corn biz, even as a backup to the hot dog biz if you're trying to get into an event and they won't let you sell dogs.  It's REALLY hot, and if you've got bad shoulders like me, stirring a huge hot wok/kettle all day would hurt pretty bad.  Also, you'll want a face shield because you can get a hot piece of popcorn in your eye at a hundred miles an hour. 

The up side is your costs are very very very low.  Much lower than hot dogs.  Corn oil, popcorn seeds, sugar, and bags are cheap.  And this means your profit margins are higher.  I'm not sure how much competition you'll find, but if you can stand the heat and the rotator cuff injuries, it seems pretty good.

I don't see popcorn as an every day business unless you have farmer's markets every day of the weak nearby.  It's more of a special events thing.  People eat hot dogs every day.  I don't think they do the same with kettle corn.

Hey PT, How's it goin. By piece of cake I mean the list of stuff he has to carry. And the kettle is so big he doesn't stir all day. One batch fills many bags. Probably only needs 3 or 4 batches/day. And it's not like stirring cement. I guess with bad shoulders lots of things aren't a piece of cake.
This particular guy does special events, and he's got a great daily spot. College town. 3 colleges in close proximity. Kids grab a bag cause it's cheap, good and convenient.
Hope you're making progress with your cart. Some day we're gonna see a thread by you titled, "I'm up and running"
 

olddude2

$300,00
nope believe it or not the zeros are all in the right place, I know of people who used to go pay the gate to the fair just to go buy one of his rolls including me and my wife.

I'm confused but I think I get the point.

you are right I did miss one zero.

MikeinRI


Hey PT, How's it goin. By piece of cake I mean the list of stuff he has to carry. And the kettle is so big he doesn't stir all day. One batch fills many bags. Probably only needs 3 or 4 batches/day. And it's not like stirring cement. I guess with bad shoulders lots of things aren't a piece of cake.
This particular guy does special events, and he's got a great daily spot. College town. 3 colleges in close proximity. Kids grab a bag cause it's cheap, good and convenient.
Hope you're making progress with your cart. Some day we're gonna see a thread by you titled, "I'm up and running"
 

I hope to see that post too.  It's going slow since I haven't had a job in the last 9 months.  Money is tight so I'm doing one little fix at a time.  It's all done other than 2 things.  A new sink, and I have to fix a leak in the copper tubing that comes down from the water tank.  Then I'm going to do one more small customization for a sign on the top and the cart will be ready to rock, and more importantly, ready to inspect. 

Right now I'm interviewing for an IT job in Florida that pays about what I was making in Los Angeles...which is really close to 6 figures.  I don't want to get my hopes up, but if I get this, it will be really easy for me to put together everything I need to open up a first class weekend/special event operation.  Wish me luck.

ptireland

MikeinRI


Hey PT, How's it goin. By piece of cake I mean the list of stuff he has to carry. And the kettle is so big he doesn't stir all day. One batch fills many bags. Probably only needs 3 or 4 batches/day. And it's not like stirring cement. I guess with bad shoulders lots of things aren't a piece of cake.
This particular guy does special events, and he's got a great daily spot. College town. 3 colleges in close proximity. Kids grab a bag cause it's cheap, good and convenient.
Hope you're making progress with your cart. Some day we're gonna see a thread by you titled, "I'm up and running"

I hope to see that post too.  It's going slow since I haven't had a job in the last 9 months.  Money is tight so I'm doing one little fix at a time.  It's all done other than 2 things.  A new sink, and I have to fix a leak in the copper tubing that comes down from the water tank.  Then I'm going to do one more small customization for a sign on the top and the cart will be ready to rock, and more importantly, ready to inspect. 

Right now I'm interviewing for an IT job in Florida that pays about what I was making in Los Angeles...which is really close to 6 figures.  I don't want to get my hopes up, but if I get this, it will be really easy for me to put together everything I need to open up a first class weekend/special event operation.  Wish me luck.

Good luck. And more important, many blessings. That kind of gig these days would be a blessing. I hope all goes well.