Success of a bbq related store?

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

makeme

Fire Starter
Original poster
Apr 7, 2009
69
10
Mid Missouri
Does anyone know of a store that is dedicated to bbq supplies and other cooking related items, that has made it?  I manly want to know about brick and mortar but on line stores as well.

I am kicking around the idea of opening something along those lines to include your general bbq items like smokers and grill, smoking woods and other fuels, along with good quality knifes, kitchen and hunting, spices/rubs and bbq sauces that are hard to find in supper markets, meat grinders and related equipment.  There are other hobby type items like cheese making, beer making knife sharpening, cooking demos and maybe even a line of survivalist food and equipment.

Just would like to know if anyone knows of stores that have or have not made it and if you have any opinion of why.  Have you considered, this and if so what has kept you from going forward.  Thanks for looking.
 
Where are you trying to do this?

What's around, vacation properties, a Lake, Hunting Camps and Land, an RV Park?

Are the bulk of your customers going to be Rich or Average Joe's? 

Is it densely populated or in the Sticks?

Any competition from Lowes, Home Depot,Walmart, Gander Mountain, Bass Pro, Cabella's or any Sporting goods Stores?

Is there a Demand or is it just a Dream of yours?

Is Smoking/Grilling, Hunting and Survival Year round or Seasonal, where you are?

Why You, are you the Only or most Convienent place to purchase?

 It can be done but it is hard to compete when you purchase 3 Propane Smokers from the Landmann Factory with Shipping and the Big Guy's/On-line Stores get Bulk discounts purchasing 3 Truck Loads of the same Smoker...

A Dozen Guys will be Regulars 'cause you are a good guy and you have a Cool store to hang out in, but the other Thousand guys, in the area, buy where they can get it Cheap!...Some things to think about...JJ
 
Without giving up much info, I live  in the mid west in a very large tourist/vacation and retirement area that in general is a very diversified group of young, old, middle class, lower class and upper class income levels.  We have large sport groups, including, hunting year round, fishing year round and boating on a very large lake, with around 1500 miles of shore line. 

The nearest Bass Pro is 80 miles away and the next one is 150 miles.  Yes we have the usual stores to include Walmart, Lowes and Home Depot and of course they all carry some of the items I plan on offering.  Although I plan an on line presence I truly believe a brick and mortar will be a good bet in this area. 

There are a couple stores in the area that also have some of the same things but except for a few things they offer I will carry different brands and items that I hope will appeal to a large group of people, hunters, cooks, hobbyist, and home makers of all types.

I am not interested in the cheap cookers, gas or charcoal offered by the stores mentioned but instead want to offer good quality items not generally found in this area.  The local stores I mention have been up and running for many years and are still going strong, this leads me to think a more high end store will survive although I don't really consider them low end stores just a lot different than what I have planned.

Location and advertising will be a huge part of my plan, I had never heard of one of the stores I mention, just found it by chance but they have been in place for about 7 years the other a lot longer.   Neither advertise with the exception of the oldest one that has a couple billboards on the interstate but no radio or paper ads plus it only offers a very limited selection, mostly knifes, very low end for the most part.

If you get the chance, go this website and you may get a better idea of what I have in mind with some major differences.  Fred's Music and Barbecue Supply    You may already know of it.

A little back ground.  I have been a cook most of my life and although I don't call myself a chef because I have not been formally trained as such, I have been cooking restaurants for many years in this and other areas  At one time I owned a restaurant and failed dismally but took away  vastly more awareness/experiance of what I should have done to be more successful, I am retired now and am in a much different time of my life than I was then.  I have always been into bbq way before it became popular so yes it has been a life long dream although it has progressed from the actual cooking stage I still want very much to stay in this field hence an equipment store.  I would reiterate the bbq side would only be a fraction but very important part of this endeavor.

I am taking a S.C.O.R.E mentoring class for small business and am planning a small business class at a local community collage so I am not just waking up today with an idea but am working on a business plan and at this stage I am merely gathering info and knowledge so I will be prepared to make a big decision, which by the way I may conclude not to proceed with if I just cant justify it and that is the sole purpose of my post. 

Iforgot to mention I have been involved with the bbq competition for about 10 years now but have decided after a four way hart bypass I needed to lighten up a bit since I only flew solo as a team.

I really appreciate your reply and your questions.  These have all been things I have ask myself and seek information to make a rational decision.  Please don't hesitate to ask more or offer up any advice, my eyes and ears are wide open.
 
There are several in this area . But as with any other store there is always room for one more ! The path I would take is to open a BBQ joint that happens to sell this line of goods . That way you have a profit margin off the food you sell while growing the retail side of selling the hardware . Good Luck and keep us updated .
 
There are several in this area . But as with any other store there is always room for one more ! The path I would take is to open a BBQ joint that happens to sell this line of goods . That way you have a profit margin off the food you sell while growing the retail side of selling the hardware . Good Luck and keep us updated .
Well I really have no desire to open a restaurant and cook.  I will however do cooking demos from time to time if all goes as planed.

Thanks for the ideas though.
 
Well I really have no desire to open a restaurant and cook.  I will however do cooking demos from time to time if all goes as planed.

Thanks for the ideas though.
     I wasn't trying to offend you
 
The SausageMaker has a small retail store in a strip mall here in my town that seems to be doing quite good. I would estimate the population within a 20 mile radius at 150,000.
Along with all the obvious sausage making stuff and smokers they also have some home brew stuff, kraut making stuff, cheesemaking kits, cider making stuff, food processing stuff, etc.
I think it's certainly feasible if you find your niche.....75% of what the SausageMaker sells isn't carried by other retail outlets here.
With your experience you could also offer classes.


This is more in line with what I have planned but I don't want to actually make any food items for sale just the demos like I said.   This should eliminate dealing with health department regs, not that it couldn't come further down the line.  Thanks.
 
Last edited:
I own a website that sells meat grinders and accessories).  It's not my only website, but I make a living this way.

It's not so much the market, as it is the potential to drive traffic to your site.  If you can find a keyword phrase that will allow you to be competitive in the search engines, you can typically do well.

Fell free to DM me with questions.  I would love to help.

Good luck!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
After re-reading your post I offer you this place BACKYARD BASH http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...0bioDg&usg=AFQjCNHNKz7cBZNnCtR14lp03SbJWb6ubA  . They are out of K.City and local we have retail stores called BBQs galore in Texas. Another is US BBQ Supply . http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...2YGxDg&usg=AFQjCNHyX4WQJ8ZGS_WdGNWuEg_3tcsQPw  .

Buddy
I am aware of these stores and would like to visit them someday, the closest one is over 150 miles.  Thanks.
 
I own a website that sells meat grinders and accessories.  It's not my only website, but I make a living this way.

It's not so much the market, as it is the potential to drive traffic to your site.  If you can find a keyword phrase that will allow you to be competitive in the search engines, you can typically do well.

Fell free to DM me with questions.  I would love to help.

Good luck!
I am getting ready to leave for another S.C.O.R.E. class, one of which is about setting up a web site.  When I get back and have more time I will check out your site and thanks so much for sharing it with me, not always easy getting those in the business to share information but I do understand why.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
     I wasn't trying to offend you
Please don't take me wrong I did not take offense,   I just want it to be clear that at this point I really do not want to be a cook.   I am 61 and semi retired a restaurant is a lot more work than I want at this time in my life.  Even though a retail business may be a lot of work I can't help think it will a lot easier on me than a cook job.  Now if I could open a restaurant and only be a owner/manager and never have to step behind a grill except to maybe train someone on how I want it done, I mite consider it but the retail is what I have been working on for a long time now.  Thanks.
 
here is my 2cents. have a large inventory, sell for less, and have about 5 years of operating money. personally, i would rather shoot myself than try  something like in this economy. best of luck
 
there is a place here in Baton Rouge just like what you describe.

They sell nothing but high dollar stuff.

They sell a few smokers ,BGE and accesorrys . lots of cast iron, Grills and any thing you could think of to do w/ outdoor living and cooking.

 They sell the same bag of chips that i can get for $2.69 closer to home for $6. Prices are sky high on everything. But they are in an area of town where you have A LOT of folks w/ more money than sense.
 
here is my 2cents. have a large inventory, sell for less, and have about 5 years of operating money. personally, i would rather shoot myself than try  something like in this economy. best of luck


I understand your way of thinking.  Now that I am not working I have set around the house doing nothing and have already put on 30 lbs, my health is an issue and in my mind I will not live much longer doing life like this.  So my money will out live me at this rate and I figure what the heck I will blow my wade but doing something I want to do and  by that time the well runs dry I will have to live on my very small pension and SS anyway. 

Keeping active in doing something I love should help me live a bit longer and if it doesn't well, life's a bitch and then you die.  Eating right and exercising is not an option for me although I do try its not the way I want to use up what life I have, I mean really staying health just to live longer to say health is not a goal I plan to achieve. 

Unfortunately my wife thinks that is how I should live out my life and she is also afraid of the economy.  My thoughts on the economy is this is really the best time to get into something of that nature, and if the economy take off again a lot of folk will start opening up there wallets and I will be in place to help them out.  Its the old adage, class half empty/half full.

Sorry if this all sounds like a rant and I guess it may be but that is not my intentions.
 
there is a place here in Baton Rouge just like what you describe.

They sell nothing but high dollar stuff.

They sell a few smokers ,BGE and accesorrys . lots of cast iron, Grills and any thing you could think of to do w/ outdoor living and cooking.

 They sell the same bag of chips that i can get for $2.69 closer to home for $6. Prices are sky high on everything. But they are in an area of town where you have A LOT of folks w/ more money than sense.
I have been to places like that and we have many around here,  just not like what I am proposing to do.  I am always amazed they manage to stay in business with prices like that but they do for many reasons.   Some of which may be because a lot of people are just lazy when it comes to finding the best price and don't want to be bothered with waiting for a better price and just want to buy it and take it home today, although I think in this economy people are more willing to put in more effort to find something that is a bit more affordable.  I still believe a lot of impulse buying goes on today.  Many people will buy and pay just about anything if it is not from a big box store or walmart for many different reasons I wont go into.   Its like someone that will go into a high end dinner and pay 12.00 bucks for a burger when just down the road is a McDonald's, and it will fill there hunger just fine but want something better, I want to be someplace in between the two if possible.

Look at this forum and all the other forums that are bbq related there must be thousands of people that are attached to them and they all spend money on there craft some much more than others because its a passion and a matter of personal pride, I have to put myself in that group no doubt.  Now think of all the other forum groups out there, like beer and ale groups, wine making, cheese making, baking, knifes of all kinds and all the different aliments for the person interested in knives.  That is just the tip of the iceberg, you get my drift there is a forum or group out there with interest and money some more than others willing to pursue there passion, many have more than one passion to feed.  Money is just a obstacle to overcome if a person whats something bad enough and they will overcome eventually.  

For many I believe they are not yet aware of there passion and I hope to open up that new world for them and it will change their life, in more ways than can be counted.  Take for instance the fledgling bbqer, for most they cant soak up information fast enough and spend the biggest part of a day thinking of bbq even at work, I know many of you have been there done that and many of you still are because somehow you stumbled in to this secret world to you.  How many of you cant drive by an object and ponder how you could turn that into the best smoker or grill if you had it and just toy with how you would go about it.  Lets not forget all the gadgets out there you may or may not believe will make you much much better at what you do.

I am not naive enough to think it will be a breeze I think it will be a challenge but one I personally am willing to undertake but only after I have considered everything very thoroughly before taking the big leap.  Again this is my sole reason for starting this thread to gain knowledge for my endeavor.  Maybe I should change my name to the rambler.  Thanks.
 
Not that my opinion is worth anything, but today, as expensive as everything is, you need volume. I think you can do anything you want, if you are good at it, like people and want to help everyone who comes in contact with you, whether they spend a dime or not. A personality that is there for your customer with answers and product. BUT, this makes it necessary to be there at all times, you have to become married to it. I would think it comes down to if you want to tie yourself down or not. Good luck 
 
  • Like
Reactions: makeme
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky