Restaurant search

[joed617]

Hi Guy's, Some of you know that the wife and I have been looking to open a restuarant and blues club. We went out lastnight to visit a small club 42 seats and a patio that holds another 20. It's close to major hospitals, colleges, banks and lots of foot traffic. Anyway we had dinner thier lastnight. They serve everything but bbq. So if we deide that this is the place for us we'll make an offer. We have to set up another appointment with the broker to view the basement, meet the owner of the building and so on. We'll also have to meet the owner of the business and look over the books. They have a license to seel beer and wine . no hard stuff and that is included and also an entertainment license, so that's a biggie. If this is the place for us we'll more than likely introduce the bbq slowly .. for instance .. pulled pork sandwiches and ribs and possibly beef brisket. The menu they had thier was mostly pasta and sandwiches, rib eye steak and steak tips .. We'll be going back this weekend to see how the place is with the entertainment and see how full it gets. Lts of students in the area and it's on a main street in Boston .. the rent is high so maybe we can work a deal with the owner of the building .. <4.000> a month eeeeeeeeeek .. plus we have pay for utilities .. so if the figures work out and our accountant goes over the books and my brother the lawyer say's it's a go ... we might go for it .. .. Just an update and wanted you folks to know ..

Thanks folks,
Joe

PS Iam open for suggestions ..

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Good Luck Joe!
Hope it all works out for you.

 

[joed617]

Hi Bill and thanks .. wouldn't be the first time in the food business. I may have to have my head examined .. laugh

Joe

 

[bigwilly'swickedque]

The VERY best of luck Bill! I'm planning on opening a 'Q joint of my own in a few years but out in Michigan instead of here in New England (CT). Where exactly in BeanTown are you looking?

 

[cajunsmoker]

Alright Joe, 8)

If every corner in this area didn't have a BBQ/Steak/Seafood restaurant, I would love to open one up. But I would definitely have to move to a different area.

Anyway, I hope it works out for you, I know you have been wanting to do it for a while now.

 

[up in smoke]

Well Joe, sounds like you will have to create a signature sauce or dish for your new restaurant!

 

[joed617]

Carl, It's been in the works for sometime now .. My wife use to own a recording studio and wants a place large enough <but not too large> to get some good bands <blues> into the club and she's been doing research and contacting people that she knows .. We just seen another place that's for sale so now there are two places .. the location of this place is even better than the one we seen the other night .. and 100 sq' more .. <it's 1100 sq'> not too big. we are hope they have a basement so we can set up the kitchen and smokers there .. <good thing I have a builders license> and we have been testing recipes and have the menu's all done .. as well as contacted meat suppliers .. I have to contact the town this week about a liquor license .. If we decide to buy the fist place they already have a liquor license <beer, wine and nothing over 20% alco.> so we'd have to apply for hard stuff .. It's not the 1st business I have bought so I'm not a virgin .. :)

Joe

 

[up in smoke]

Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve got my fingers crossed!

 

[joed617]

Rodger, That's funny.. The wife said she would like to move to Lousiana and open a rib joint.. I said that would be like moving to Italy and opening an Italian restraunt .. laugh

Joe

 

[bigwilly'swickedque]

Hey Joe, we have a place here in Hartford called Black Eyed Sallys. It started off as a small Q joint and blues club that you could barely squeeze into and it basically exploded! They've expanded 4 times to handle the business. Boston needs a good Que and Blues joint and there's tons of talent that plays the New England circuit.

 

[joed617]

Hey BigWilly, How goees it? We use to have a place here.. It wasn't all that good .. "The house of Blues" they closed a li'l over a year ago. There is some talent here, a few advertise Blues jams but, They wern't that good .. We'll start small and if works out we'll expand .. time will tell .. great college town though, Lotta students just moved back .. I call it "The invasion of the U-hauls" We're looking for a good mix of people .. a nice friendly place with good food/service and Blues .. The location of the 1st place we looked at was good.. we'll meet the owner this sunday and view the kitchen/basement and get alot of info. We'll have to meet the owner of the building as well .. The other place the rent is 4 grand also .. as is the 1st place is doing 360,000. in business with a 50g cash flow .. and the food we had there wasn't all that good ... and it has a patio for the summer months .. sooo we have been busy .. popping asprin right and left here .. laugh
Joe

 

[big-e]

sounds like an adventure. Have you decided what to call the place once you've chosen a location?

 

[joed617]

Hi Big E, Yes to both questions.. The name of the joint will be "Smoken' Joe's BBQ and Blues" and we found a location. It was between 2 locations that we have been looking at. We have seen both over the past week or so visiting them as a customer .. talking to surrounding businesses and people on the street. Walking the streets in the area in the evenings to see the surrounding clubs and foot traffic, Parking was also important and visiting local clubs as well. We'll be incorperated by weeks end and will be doing number crunching also to make sure everything works as close to the plan as possible. The location of both places were great, the deciding factor was size of the kitchen and the size of the leased space as well as the cost per sq.' .. we gained a few steps this week, closer to our goals... I can't give the location until papers are passed right now .. and we won't take control of the place until the beer and wine license are transfered. <no sence opening a rib joint with out beer> So now we just have to make an offer to purchase the existing business and that may be as soon as next week. The owner wants to move back to CA. so that is in our favor as well ..

Joe

 

[cajunsmoker]

8)

 

[monty]

Joe,

Please accept my most sincere wishes for your success! I will be in Boston next May for a bit and I will drop in wherever you are!

Cheers!
Monty

 

[joed617]

Thanks Rodger and Monty, We've been working hard on this one .. I'm exausted and haven't even started cooking yet. Been working on the menu for 6 months now.. I'll go over it again and again .. The wife is making contact with her connections in the music industry to get the word out. Now the biggie, I have to find a good indoors smoker. I've come across a few around the 10g range. Monty that would be great, I'll buy you a beer or 2 :) anyone interested in buying a huge double wok? Actually we're going to tell her that we don't need it as well as the asian glassware, pictures on the wall and so one as well as her inventory so we can hagle with the price :) also the walls are too clean for a bbq joint . kinda pale yellow .. so a paint job is needed .. and we have some pics of our trip to Nawleans, Mississippi and TN ... the old highway 51, stax recordings .. this should work out well .. I'm beat but jazzed up.. we spoke to alot of folks in the area about a BBQ joint and hey seemed to love to the idea .. market research at it's finest ..

Now for a drink .. :) Thanks Guy's, I'll keep you updated .. any info on commerical indoor smokers would be helpful.

Your Bro in Smoke'N,

Joe

 

[cajunsmoker]

I'll be on the lookout for the indoor smoker Joe, BBQ joints come and go pretty fast around here. May find someone in the mood to sell :D

 

[vulcan75001]

Joe
Congrats.. and GOOD LUCK !!!! on your ventures...everything WILL work out for ya...patience has it's virtues....

Later
Richard

 

[vulcan75001]

Joe..

I stumbled on this site...quite by accident...don't know if this is what you might be looking for...
WWW.southern-pride.com

Good luck
Richard

 

[monty]

Good Morning, Joe!

On my third cup of coffee and just told the boss I was staying home today! Getting independant in my old age!

Dumb question time. What woods do you plan to use and are you going to be able to have a local supplier? Will you be using chps, chunks, splits? Will you have the space to store a good amount? Just curious. Another sign of old age :)

Cheers!