Owning/running a pizza shop (1 Viewer)

[CT Saints Fan]

Don't you mean muzz?

Pizza, here in New Haven Ct., is one of the few things a like about this place. And actually, the pizza, is AWESOME. Fresh real muzz, not that preshredded lowfat junk. The dough tastes better, and you can get fresh toppings. I had an eggplant parm pizza on friday after my fantasy baseball draft. It almost made me cry it was so good.

Geauxboy, definitely check out the competition in the area, see what they do...and think about doing it better.

Wish you the best,
LS

To me, New Haven-style is just the same as New York-style. Pepe's is OK, but not worth the wait or hassle. Sally's too. Modern is marginally better, but still too mushy and greasy, and too much sauce with not enough toppings.

The only place we found to be worth getting was Tony's up in Southington, but that's too far for you.

Oh, and the 1 great find of my years there was white pizza. I had never even heard of it, but it tastes great and eliminates the "too much sauce" problem by getting rid of the sauce altogether. Add tomatoes and garlic, and it is a Brazilian times better than any other New Haven- or New York-style pizza.

 

[geauxboy]

Man, I shoulda been on last night, but I actually tried to have a life instead. There's a lot of great info, so THANKS firstly.

Eyeore and Joe OKC, thanks, that some good info. I was actually trying to figure out how many people we would need and how much we (my gf and I) would be responsible for.

I have someone that can/will make the dough fresh for me.

I will make my own sauce. I've been doing that for years and I get praise for it. So that should be ok. I will surely check out if there are any contracts for other people's bunk dough/sauce/etc. You ain't touchin foot in my place with that bunk chemical laden "ingredients. That's one of my selling points that would stick out and draw customers.

Being NYC, I will probably need another delivery person. I better, anyway.

I will check the equipment and PM logs (if any) and maint logs. GREAT IDEA.

I don't think rent is included. They (the real estate place) claim that you clear $6,000 a week. I'm sure things can be changed to create more income, but I'll go with that for now until we can get more info. I won't even know the location until Saturday, so there are many unknowns at this time.

skymike, you'd be amazed at what people sell their businesses for around these parts. It ain't the 70's anymore. That's not to say that I wouldn't haggle the price and that's not even knowing the condition of the equipment or anything. As things go forward, I would like to have a part time manager, but until things remain in the black, I have to grin and bear it. I'm already a Supervisor at my present job so I have a good grasp of delegating without being overly possessive about it (if that makes sense to y'all).

BTW, I do have a preliminary name for it already, but I won't post it until I get it registered or TM'd. Sorry, not that I don't trust y'all, but isn't that just good biz sense at this level?

 

[geauxboy]

Well, we're going to see the place tonight.

I'm not sure a preliminary visit includes looking at the books, but I will look at the maintenance logs just to see the state of the equipment. What else should we address on this preliminary visit?

 

[gaminerie]

At my Rotary meeting this morning, i learned that wheat flour is something like $50 a bag now (was talking with someone about his Boy Scout charity pancake dinner).

i remember hauling those 50-pound bags around at Rocky's. i don't remember what they cost but i know it wasn't no $50

Just sayin. Be prepared. Tens of thousands of people run their own restaurants every day -- just know what you are getting into, is all.

 

[geauxboy]

Tell me about it. the pizza place i go to now has a sign up with the wheat futures projections and it's going up and up. Also, in the end, we all pay the same price so I guess there's not much we can do about that.

 

[SaintsBrazil]

mufaletta pizza!

 

[geauxboy]

mufaletta pizza!

In NYC? I don't think so. I'll already be pushing it with the idea of certain po boys.

 

[geauxboy]

Well, we looked at the place last night. He would be fine with $80,000.

The oven is 2 yrs old and the stove is just over a yr old. Huge (enough) walk in freezer. 2 fridges and a dough mixer (major plus for us). Too rushed and preliminary to see any books.

No contractual obligations with vendors/distributors. The lease just got renewed for 10 yrs @ $2,100/mth. I don't know if there are any liens or anything yet.

He has 1 cook and 1 helper. Is that a sign of how much business there wasn't or does that just mean they were cheap and did it mostly themselves? I used to live a few blocks from there and I would get their food. Not bad food and never really THAT many customers. No where is off the beaten path here in NYC, but this place is a bit out of the way (according to subways and buses). Still though, plenty enough foot/vehicle traffic. Lotso residential, some commercial and a good bit of industry. Besides that, it's the only pizza place in a 10 block radius. That's gotta stand for something right? The industry and commercial for lunch, and the residence for dinner. On paper, sounds like legit business all day (with the expected lulls of course).

I have a friend who owns a bar around the corner from there and he said $5,500 /wk isn't that good. I would have to think that this guy wasn't aiming high enough or just didn't do anything to increase that. With the right grassroots type ad campaign, we could get that place kickin in no time IMO.

 

[SaintsBrazil]

You should consider delivery. I know that of every 10 pizzas I buy, 9 are delivered.

 

[Joe OKC]

What I would suggest.. See if you can find somebody in the neighborhood that knew the place or ate there when it was open.

How was the food, was it busy, etc, etc etc,

Joe

 

[Superfan]

I use to go to thi pizza shop that served chicago pizza. It was huge. Perhpas introduce po-boys like you ae doing and see if they like the nawlins flavor. Making a unique Hamburger po-boy is a good start. I cant imagine what it would be like for the NYC people to eat a louisiana shrimp po boy. Actual Louisiana white/ brown shrimp in the poboy. Too many people especially in new orleans use that IQF shrimp.

The quick freeze gives it that fish tank taste.

 

[geauxboy]

I used to live a few blocks from there when the Son was running the place and the dishes were better than the pizza. I would hang out and watch the place to see what kinda business it gets, but it's closed right now due to a death in the family. There was always decent traffic when it was open so I actually hold hope that those who went before would surely go now because the pizzas are better. I will have to charge a bit more than they were used to, but it's because I am using better ingredients.

I'm not too worried about that because of the yuppy invasion.

I really feel that the po boys could be a HUGE seller. I still have to figure out the bread issue though. The shrimp I buy now are from Chinatown for about $6 lb head off and $4.50 head on. If I can get to the source (like Chelsea Piers) then I'm sure the price will be much better. Instead of going home after work, just go for a couple beers to kill time and head to the piers for the catch comes in and buy the week's worth. At this time, I don't know if there are any places I can get "fresh" shrimp. But, that's ok cause these people don't know any better anyway.

Another thing that I didn't mention is that I could offer sno balls. They already have sno cone type things, but they are small and over priced with a limited amount of flavors. Do it just like they do in LA. I just don't want to attract too much of school crowd that'll hang out far too long.

 

[Joe OKC]

Well just to sahre with you... This is Polo Mo. and this is the property that my friend owns... Upstairs is a four bedroom apt and the downstairs is slowly... Oh my how slowly being remodeling into a pizza jernt... But he's going to have pizza and video games.. cause there is a ton of friggin kids in the town with no where to go.

Joe

<img src=http://www.saintsreport.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=6902&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1189038905/img>

 

[geauxboy]

Well just to sahre with you... This is Polo Mo. and this is the property that my friend owns... Upstairs is a four bedroom apt and the downstairs is slowly... Oh my how slowly being remodeling into a pizza jernt... But he's going to have pizza and video games.. cause there is a ton of friggin kids in the town with no where to go.

Joe

<img src=http://www.saintsreport.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=6902&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1189038905/img>

That's cool. I don't want the kids hanging out too long because they already had a few kids that would hang out in front that weren't there to help little ol ladies across the street. As you well know, video games are a kid magnet. Cha ching.

I should clarify on my last post about the sno ball situation. I meant that the city already has something similar to a sno ball, not this jernt. Make it Loosianer style and the kids will come flocking. In there, is the dilemma I have for the sno ball idea.

BTW, can you use ice cubes instead of a block of ice for sno balls?

 

[Joe OKC]

Oh course I can see the difference... I woiuldn;t want kids either... But Polo Mo. and NYC are two different animals... But he has the coolest place.. and suprisingly that little town about 45 miles north of KC has so much friggin traffic... It is hard to believe, but the little bar/resturant there has soo much business, that they can be so selective, they really don;t care if they wait on you or not...

Taco night at the Bar is a smash.

for most of my adult life I have been running these clubs,,, but yet I can cook like a mf... I've slways wanted my own place too... I have some ideas...

Years ago, when I was married to my second-X, the irish Itailian from NYC.. anyways, she had started a hot dog stand once in FT. lauderdale... It was the Bomb.. Ny Sabrettes.. and she could cook sauted onions with tomato like you would not belive... We was living together in Arkansas and this was the time that the railraod had stopped using the Caboose... So I wrote a letter to the local railroad and they threw me a price of $2,000 for a caboose delievered to my closest tracks.

My idea was to sell hot dogs out of the caboose windows... modified of course, with an open air kind of seating... It would have been the hit... But back in that day.. $2K was the world to me, and she just helped spend the money and not try to work ahead... She was re-tired at 35....

Today. i'd be more oriented to have a smaller shrimp joint or semi-cajun kind of place... Living here in OKC, I think that a more limited menu with a flair to a little seafood, cheese and the cheeseburger or BBQ would be a good go here placed right.

One Day that motorcycle in the picture will hit NYC... Need to go through buffulo and see Kevin, Watts and aarpsaint... Prolly around football season when the Saints play Chicago or something.... But I hope there be a slice of pie for me.

Joe