Advice Needed (all insight appreciated)

[lincolnx2]

Me and my friend are planning on starting a business, he wants to start a sports bar called "skurtz" since we are stationed at a big military post. I came up with Vending machines, I read where they make about 4500 per machine. Do any of you know how much a machine cost, we have 25000 to invest, i am 25 and will retire from the military in 13 years i would love to be able to secure my future and not have to work after that, any advice, Also please give us the ups and downs of our ideas.

 

[Joeychgo]

Moved since this has nothing to do with LVC. (the Suggestions & Comments forum is only for things relating to LVC)

 

[kustomizingkid]

I don't think starting a business and being tied down to one place while in the military is a very good idea... what if you get moved?

 

[lincolnx2]

I don't think starting a business and being tied down to one place while in the military is a very good idea... what if you get moved?

We can always decline orders, we are at a post the Deploys so the army has no problem keeping us there, and when we deploy again we are hoping to have someone that we can trust run the business!

 

[LsUnV2]

go for it, if you get moved just hire a manager.... is this a sports bar?

 

[Frogman]

You'll have a hard time finding an honest manager for such cash rich businesses...

As far as the vending machines... I'm confused. What are you going to VEND from these machines in a bar? Soft drinks and potato chips? Maybe the occasional twinkie?

Or, are you talking about gaming machines, like pinball and arcade stuff?

 

[JWerner2]

More money. Especially for a bar. Unless you can get loans on top of it.


Arcade machines like the touch ones, juke boxes and of course,... CIGARETTE machines. Those will make you the most from machines.

 

[SoonerLS]

I'd suggest talking to bar and restaurant owners in the area; if you can find one who's a veteran, or has family in the service, he or she might be more inclined to shoot you straight than someone who'll see you as potential competition. From what I understand, bars and restaurants have a very high "infant mortality" rate, with a large number of them closing within the first year, so you really want to do your homework and know the area.

In my town, we have lots of well-established restaurants, but we also have a few local buildings that play "musical restaurants" every few months--there's one that I swear is a different kind of restaurant under different ownership every time I drive by it. Hell, we had a Hooters fail in less than a year even though this is a college town (their choice of location was very poor). We've even had bars on Campus Corner fail--God only knows how, but they've somehow managed to do it...