Buying an existing pizza shop

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So I want to buy an existing pizza shop. There are many on the market both in operation, and closed waiting for occupancy, completely equipped and ready to go.

I have a thorough knowledge of how to manage a restaurant.

How do you prepare to take that next step?
 
Hi

Welcome to TT.

Where to start - do a search of ‘buying an existing shop’ and read all the questions and response. It a question which gets asked about once every week or two.

If you’ve any specifics questions to ask after reading these then post them and we’ll try and help!

Good luck

Wiz
 
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Thanks for the very helpful advice. Have you actually tried what you suggested? The results yielded some 3700+ mostly irrelevant answers.
 
Hi Kneady:

Wiz makes an excellent suggestion.

I will make the one suggestion I always offer to a buyer of an existing shop.

Do not assume that because it is an operating shop that everything is up to the very latest Building Department, Health Department or Fire marshal codes and requirements. Nothing is grand fathered in for a new operator. In order to get a building occupancy permit, a restaurant operating permit and approval of the Fire Marshall every thing will have to be brought up to the very latest codes.

See if you can get those three agencies to do inspections and inform you of any updates required before you commit to buying the shop.

George Mills
 
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Kneady,

First, click the ‘search’ button and it’ll open a different page. Then type “Buying a Business” in the search box. Lots of relevant topics will come up. Additionally, please read the FAQ, lots of good info there!! Good luck!
 
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Kneady, you have to realize this is general question that gets asked every week. The FAQ at the top of the forum would help. The search function can be used to get better results than 3700. I got 27 hits with “purchase existing”. Otherwise you need to give more specifics. What is your budget? There are pizza shops for sale for 15K as well as some for 500K. Which are you looking for. Are you looking at just the few in your backyard or are you ready to relocate for the right opportunity. Have you ever made pizza? If your experience lies in full service restaurants, you may be surprised how much most pizza shops are hands on. Will you do a delivery, sit down or carryout place or what mix? Will you position yourself as gourmet, bargain or where in between? What style pizza will you sell, Chicago deep dish, Chicago cracker crust, New York hand tossed thin crust, Sicilian, ect. You see there’s almost a never ending response to your question so it’s hard for any of us to give you any useful info unless you narrow down your questions.
 
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Kneady:
Thanks for the very helpful advice. Have you actually tried what you suggested? The results yielded some 3700+ mostly irrelevant answers.
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You just can’t help some people can you! - I know I really should have defined a search which yielded just one topic and one answer but I had more important things on my mind like eh… nothing!
 
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paul7979:
Kneady, you have to realize this is general question that gets asked every week. The FAQ at the top of the forum would help. The search function can be used to get better results than 3700. I got 27 hits with “purchase existing”. Otherwise you need to give more specifics. What is your budget? There are pizza shops for sale for 15K as well as some for 500K. Which are you looking for. Are you looking at just the few in your backyard or are you ready to relocate for the right opportunity. Have you ever made pizza? If your experience lies in full service restaurants, you may be surprised how much most pizza shops are hands on. Will you do a delivery, sit down or carryout place or what mix? Will you position yourself as gourmet, bargain or where in between? What style pizza will you sell, Chicago deep dish, Chicago cracker crust, New York hand tossed thin crust, Sicilian, ect. You see there’s almost a never ending response to your question so it’s hard for any of us to give you any useful info unless you narrow down your questions.
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Moderators…what an awesome answer. is there a way we can put a sticky on this and call it “So You Want To Open a Pizza Shop”.
 
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Pretty much every thread on this board is somewhat relevant to running a pizza business…May not be right on topic as far as starting out but important never the less…Read the archives from start to finish and you will have all the information you need…
 
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Thanks jstarr2. Good article, but I’m already up to speed on what it had to say.

George Mills - good points. Yours was the one post that contained information I hadn’t considered.

Napoli Pizza, I found what paul7979 had to say to be the least helpful bit so far. If the mods make his answer a sticky topic, it should be entitled “If you don’t have a clue what you’re doing opening a pizza shop, click here to be asked a bunch of silly questions.” :roll:
 
Kneady:
Thanks jstarr2. Good article, but I’m already up to speed on what it had to say.

George Mills - good points. Yours was the one post that contained information I hadn’t considered.

Napoli Pizza, I found what paul7979 had to say to be the least helpful bit so far. If the mods make his answer a sticky topic, it should be entitled “If you don’t have a clue what you’re doing opening a pizza shop, click here to be asked a bunch of silly questions.” :roll:
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Read the article jstarr2 posted, do what George said to do, but before you do any of that be able to answer Paul7979 questions (What is your budget? There are pizza shops for sale for 15K as well as some for 500K. Which are you looking for. Are you looking at just the few in your backyard or are you ready to relocate for the right opportunity. Have you ever made pizza? If your experience lies in full service restaurants, you may be surprised how much most pizza shops are hands on. Will you do a delivery, sit down or carryout place or what mix? Will you position yourself as gourmet, bargain or where in between? What style pizza will you sell, Chicago deep dish, Chicago cracker crust, New York hand tossed thin crust, Sicilian, ect.)
Once you can answer the above, then go to http://www.businessplanmaster.com/free- … pizza.html or whatever business plan format you’re comfrortable with and make a complete businss plan. Once you have done that, sart at the begining and follow your plan to the end. Alon g the way, tweek your business plan .

Hope this helps. Good Luck
CaptSammy
 
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Kneady:
Napoli Pizza, I found what paul7979 had to say to be the least helpful bit so far. If the mods make his answer a sticky topic, it should be entitled “If you don’t have a clue what you’re doing opening a pizza shop, click here to be asked a bunch of silly questions.” :roll:
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Kneady:
How do you prepare to take that next step?
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Well as someone who has asked an extremely silly question that should be right up your street!
 
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You guy are brutal or just angry and bitter, the 5 of you or so that post all the negative comments about peoples questions should find a new hobby because obviously you are on here too much…unreal…
 
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Hey guys, new concept…if you see a post that angers you or is asked 50 billion times, Skip it…don’t answer…let someone else who wants to…no one wants to be attacked for not knowing about FAQ or has been a member for a short time…Remember when you first started and had questions…well maybe not
 
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fatmike32:
You guy are brutal or just angry and bitter, the 5 of you or so that post all the negative comments about peoples questions should find a new hobby because obviously you are on here too much…unreal…
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What is wrong with paul7979 reply? He clearly and politely pointed out what should be considered to give a helpful answer.

He gave a honest and open assessment on what should be considered and was no way written in an angry, brutal or bitter way. At least he gave his time to give Kneady something to look at to define his needs so he could be more helpful.

Any information, be it constructive or blunt from paul7979 should be taken on its merits because this guy is a proven operator who knows the pizza business and has added 00’s of helpful tips and information to others over the years.

At times some people come on to these type of forums and just start asking multiple questions which have been covered many times and answered with expertise by many, instead of doing some prior research and defining their plans and objectives. It’s easy to take the lazy way and just ask questions instead of doing the initial hard yards. You will find that those who have succeeded did the hard yards and are only too happy to help (such as paul7979) but would like to see new people do a little bit of their own preparation before just asking wide based questions.

Sometimes you may have to be a bit :brutal" in your reply to get some people off their a#se to help them selves.

I know in the early days I copped a bit of flack from some from some of my questions / comments but in the end of the day I took it in the way it was intended and got the benefit of their knowledge.

Dave
 
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fatmike32:
You guy are brutal or just angry and bitter, the 5 of you or so that post all the negative comments about peoples questions should find a new hobby because obviously you are on here too much…unreal…
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angry? brutal? bitter?? get real! I answered the guy, welcomed him to the board and pointed him in the right direction then got a comment about how many answers there were on a search…too much info… what a problem.

Then Paul7979 provides an answer and also gets a comment about silly questions?

Plenty of people can come on here and spend time looking at past post they are easy to see as they tend to mention it and ask specific questions. Other just come, can’t be bothered reading the question and many just want a pat on the back for their ideas so far (normally when most people on this board tell them they may be making a mistake) then argue with us for not backing them up.

If people come on this board to ask questions then the regular participants have every right to point them in the right direction and if necessary be blunt with them. I don’t see you making any effort to answer questions so don’t shoot those who do!!
 
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That’s a good article, maybe if you’d been a little more specific about what you were looking for you may have got some more helpful advice.

I certainly think you’d get some more specific/helpful/relevant advice that may be slightly different to that in terms of how to value a business (from people who have bought, and those who have sold).

Maybe, you’d have got a little more helpful advice if you’d been a little more specific and not bitten the hand that was trying to point you in the right direction?
 
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It’s rather simple…

gather all the uncontollable costs

Demand the weekly food invoices for the past 6 months

Look over the lease agreement with a fine tooth comb

Pay attention to vacant lots/new construction in the area (a pizzeria with deep pockets may be moving in)

Ask around about the pizzeria pros and cons (don’t ask friends/relatives, they have all the answers and feel that their perspective actually carries weight with you hence teaching you about business because they dont have the b@lls to do it)

)
 
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