Restaurant/Brew Pub

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bighoss

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So this is nothing I'll probably do, just some thoughts. Since I've been coming to the HBT community I've gotten really excited about starting this new hobby. Well I was just thinking today how well this hobby would go with starting a restaurant of my own. I enjoy cooking quite a bit, and had the idea of opening my own restaurant, and be my own boss. I just think it would be cool to incorporate homebrewing with a restaurant. I think my specialty would be more of a bbq style foods. I know there are so many restaurants like that, but I just think homebrew would go so well with that type of food. But in all reality it's just a pipe dream, and not something I'd be able to afford to do.
 
We've all had the same dream. Problem is the Restaurant!! :D

Nothing will put you out of business faster than a drop in food sales. I'd rather just run a brewery!!
 
The problem is running the restaurant. If you're not into working 16 hour days 6-7 days a week, I'd avoid the restaurant startup game. I've had the same thoughts, but I've worked in the industry, and I have friends who've been through and are going through that ordeal. It's one hell to get set up and going, and communities are fickle and you could go out of business at any time just because a new place opened up down the street, that isn't even better, just different.

Read that and still want to do it? Do you have a great passion for it? Then do it. Start reading up on starting a business, talk to business owners, and work towards your goal. I will applaud your efforts no matter the outcome!
 
The problem definitely is a restaurant. I just bought a bar with intentions of a small 3BBL. The food is always brought up because with the revenue that it brings you simply cannot disregard it. But the headache and effort spent running a kitchen is a whole other problem.

As of now Im pushing for hand crafted pizza, not so much a stone oven or anything but a pizza oven to give patrons something to eat without having to meet code requirements of fryers or grills.
 
I'd rather just run a brewery!!

same here....I want to have just a beer Bar that sells craft Beer, and I'd like to have 2 or 3 taps of my own brew to server also, and brew on-site....

Instead of Happy Hour, I'd have Hoppy Hour where all IPA's are discounted....at my bar....Discounted domestics will mean just that!
 
Profit margins in restaurants are very very low. It's a nickel and dime business. I don't know about breweries. If you really want to do it. Look at what kind of food the area likes and does not have an overabundance of not what it is you like. At the end of the day your food may be awesome but if there are 50 other BBQ joints in the area then your odds of success will not be good. BTW, I have opened restaurants before and the 16 hour day comment is not an exaggeration at all, it is a fact for at least a year.
 
Yeah I figured there were going to be long hours, but if I don't have someone breathing down my neck about doing this, and doing that I don't mind working. I was raised on a farm so the long hours really aren't a major issue. Anyone who has lived on a farm understands the very long days that go into keeping the operation going. As far as BBQ restaurants go there really aren't too many around my area. A couple bars in the town I live by, and it serves some food, but it's definitely not something you want to take your family too. Cooking good food, especially bbq is something that I've liked to do since my early twenties. Quite a few times I've been asked to food for large gatherings. Would have loved to do it, but I didn't have the supplies needed for that sort of thing. But that's some experience I didn't get to have. The whole thing with the food cost, and minimal profits I can totally understand, and as far as the business end of it all I've got tons to learn. So that's why I'd almost be willing to maybe make up some kind of contract with a smaller local place, and maybe buy into their business. But just another day dream lol.
 
There's a small brew pub that opened a few months back near where I grew up that is basically just beer and BBQ. He only can do 3 different 10 gallon batches on tap at the moment, which he always sells out of before I can get down there lol... For him, it seems to be a well-working model, as it always seems busy. It's actually a lot like the model I would love to work on, something small, he told me he does all of his brewing on mondays, which he is closed on, but otherwise he does work long hours. But as you mentioned, I grew up in farm country and worked on enough farms in the past to appreciate a nice long work day, especially if its a labor you can love. It's definitely a long-term pipe dream for me too, but I really often debate the idea of owning a brewery or brewpub some day. There are enough of each cropping up around here and really growing fast, so it does give hope (or if nothing else, it may give opportunities to lend a hand at a few!). Keep the dream going, it'll happen some day if you want it to.
 
Yeah I figured there were going to be long hours, but if I don't have someone breathing down my neck about doing this, and doing that I don't mind working. I was raised on a farm so the long hours really aren't a major issue. Anyone who has lived on a farm understands the very long days that go into keeping the operation going. As far as BBQ restaurants go there really aren't too many around my area. A couple bars in the town I live by, and it serves some food, but it's definitely not something you want to take your family too. Cooking good food, especially bbq is something that I've liked to do since my early twenties. Quite a few times I've been asked to food for large gatherings. Would have loved to do it, but I didn't have the supplies needed for that sort of thing. But that's some experience I didn't get to have. The whole thing with the food cost, and minimal profits I can totally understand, and as far as the business end of it all I've got tons to learn. So that's why I'd almost be willing to maybe make up some kind of contract with a smaller local place, and maybe buy into their business. But just another day dream lol.

What about catering BBQ? You could realistically take weekend jobs, and still work. Make it a smoother transisition that quitting your job and taking the plunge that way.
 
From what I understand, managing your inventory of supplies and building a menu that works off few items can make or break a restaraunt. It's a tough gig but would certainly be fun at times.
 
I would definitely like to cater BBQ on the weekends, but alas I'm not off on the weekends. Tuesday and Wednesday are my scheduled days off. So I'm a bit stuck when it comes to that. As far as the few items on the menu I have a leg up on some people. I've got a friend that would be able to help me in that department. He went to culinary school, and is now a teacher at a vocational school. But again just a dream lol, and I will definitely keep dreaming.
 
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