Jim,
Just wondering how your new store opening has gone.
We haven’t heard from you for some time so I guess you have been up to your elbows in flour and trying to keeep the dough off the ceiling.
If you get time inbetween counting the money gives a heads up on how things are going.
Like Nick and some of the other guys who have kept us updated on progress of their new stores yours has been just as interesting and anticipated, especially with the videos you have posted.
Here’s hoping it’s been a great success for you and has taken all your efforts.
As most of you who’ve followed my progress knew, I fought delay after delay it seemed almost weekly since I signed the lease papers for store #2. After 6 months of delays store #1 started to deteriorate for a number of reasons:
Papa John’s opened in July.
My store manager was not an effective marketing manager.
Because of my extended absence, sales started to slide in store #1 to the point where it was barely above break even levels (I went from just under $10k to just above $6k in a period of 3 months). I later found out no local marketing was being done although I was assured it was distributed daily.
Store #1 was barely supporting itself and it made life almost impossible because store #2 was taking about $3k a month away, causing me to lose huge amounts of cash. My savings went dry and I maxed out my credit cards to keep things afloat.
Guys, it can happen to everyone… including me. I thought I was invincible but got a big slap in the face when I realized I was about to lose EVERYTHING!
Fortunately for me, I had a company interested in location #2 and I somehow managed to talk them into not only taking over the lease, but also to pay me $10k to take over the spot. I’ll tell you right now that if it weren’t for that $10k I’d be out of business right now.
So now I’m back to square one. My sales are dead even with last year (when I first opened) and I’m re-tracing my steps to try to increase my market share as I did last year. Sorry I haven’t been able to post in here as often. A lot is due to embarrassment. A greater portion is due to the fact that I’m in the fight of my life and need 100% focus. I’ll keep you guys updated.
man thats a bummer jrokk but hope all works out just remember if it was easy everyone would do it .we will open our new store next door from the shed after thanksgiving like you we got everything riding on it we should be ok but its a drag when its been slow to keep our heads up and shellin out cash cant turn back now . and no need to be embaressed least you had the balls to go after it !!!
real shame; especially seeing the pride you had in work you were doing in store 2.
So many of the people I’ve spoken to who have opened a 2nd store have had some bad experience with their 1st stores sales which they’ve had to go back and fix later its just really sad to see that your had such a big impact.
But at least you managed to spot it in time and are now back on the case so there’s always next year - I opened my 2nd store earlier this year and the financial/management burden has been tough but if sales had gone down in store 1 by the levels you’ve had it probably would have pulled both stores down so a blessing that you spotted it and managed to get store 2 sold.
And as previously said no need to be embarrassed many people would’nt have spotted it at all!!
I am very sorry to hear that you had such a tough run of bad luck, and you have nothing to be embarassed about at all. I hope that things turn around very quickly for you and I am sure they will because you seem like a very smart and hard worker.
It never quite goes as you planned it to, but I sure never thought I would wind up where I am right now. My store should have been open more than six months ago, and we are still looking at about two months of construction!!!! Needless to say the contractor is having "financial" problems. Funny how that affects me so much when I am paying my bills to him!!! The bank has been doing a sloppy job and it looks like they accepted a couple hundred grand worth of fake lien waivers!!! Oh well sooner or later I will get open. Good luck and I sure hope things are back to full speed for you really soon.
I’m glad you updated us on how things are going. It’s been a while since we heard from you. I’m sorry to hear that things aren’t going as planned.
I too, opened my store thinking that I would open up and kick some big time arse. Even though we are doing the things we should be doing and giving great effort on the marketing front, we continue to hemorage cash each month.
Now that your focus is back on one store there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll get things back to where you want them. You have the knowledge, passion and marketing mind to do it. I know that you’ll be busy taking care of business but just know that those of us that have become your ‘pizza brother’ want to hear from you in good times and in bad.
sorry to hear that man… at least now you know when you decide to open a second store again you can look back and try to correct the things that went wrong the first time… a lot of people can’t handle the stress you went and going thru, it takes a strong person to keep on moving like you are now… good luck man…
I hear you man. I have multiple ( down to 3) at the present times and I sometimes wish I would of just stuck with one. It’s amazing how you can have a shop doing well then leave to open another and that 1st shop goes to hell, fast.
If I had to do it over, I would of just stuck with one.
I’m glad to hear you got some cash for #2. Stick with your first and get rich.
You just gotta know that there is true power in the humility and genuine passion that you show for your customers, staff and colleagues in this business. You took it square in the teeth and are still standing so far while the dust is settling. Man, you could easily have laid down and died . . . but that is not the man you are, and your personal power will never let that happen.
You have another power that you gotta remember. You have built true friends out here who care about who you are and what you do. While I was recovering from my own personal kick in the teeth and feeling rather embarrassed and squirrelly, you and the multitude here kept me going. You don’t need us to pump up your ego, but you do have to remember that we got your back if you ever need it.
I know competitors cruise the Think Tank . . . free world. You ever need a hand, an encouraging word or a stiff smack in the face, then you know where to find us. When we’re done scraping the dough off the ceiling, we end up here recovering from the hangover.
You’re a tough nut and a smart guy and I beleive you find find your way through.
Sorry it didn’t have the outcome you hoped for, but I guess if you haven’t lost out completely you can say “that it’s better to try than to die wondering”.
After just losing my manager last week it has made me re-think my plans of a second store. I know the area I want to open will probably be as good as, or if not better than my current store, but I can’t risk losing everything I have put into the current one.
Being back doing 7 days a week has made me realise that how good my manager seemed that there are always areas that are overlooked and need improvement and dedication. Therefore my thoughts of the second store are just that.
Jim, your misfortune is my leveller.
You will get back what you lost and in the end of the day you will be better and smarter for it, because I agree with the others … [b][size=7]You Da Man[/size]
Keep your chin up and stay positive in the battle ahead of you.
And mate, there is nothing to be embarassed about having a go and not winning out.
J_r0kk,
any of us can get “blind-sided” like that because know one know it all…
your’e a good pizza man, know what it takes to get it done, and it sounds like you are getting the ship righted
hang in there,
Otis
…we’re only as good as our last pizza, sometimes you can make a bad one, just do your best to make the next pizza better…
Absolutely! Hey, I think facing and dealing with setbacks is the true mark of a success. Anyone can manage prosperity. When it hits the fan is where you show your real grit.
Hey Nick, was that you early in the clip doing the renovations on your shop? The part where the guy cut through the support beam and it crashed on his head :o
Nope. It was a dramatization :shock: Actually, lots of injuries, but that wasn’t one of them. Have an appointment with a contractor tomorrow after lunch to dream about the new four-seat (300 sq ft) bathroom complex in the shop. Gonna lure those dine-in customers with a luxurious crapper.
