Where is everybody?? Bueller ? Bueller ??

April 25th, 2016

Where is everybody?? Bueller ? Bueller ??

So it’s been a solid 3 weeks since we opened our doors and already we have had a string of “regulars” start to come in…

I mean -2- can be a “string of regulars”, right?

Yeah, so my -2- regulars are mechanics or “technicians”, if you prefer, at the Dolan Auto Group, where I, once upon a time, used to work…as a mechanic. They probably feel sorry for me, seeing me up to my armpits in Angus Beef Briskets, Pork Butts (no, it’s not from the butt of a pig but rather the front shoulder, often called a Boston Butt, most people just refer to it as a a Pork Butt and it’s what Pulled Pork is usually made from), Pork Ribs, Corn Bread, etc…

I loved being a auto mechanic, hated being an A2 Tire Tech (think earthmover tires, the BIG ones) was so-so about being a plumber’s laborer at Camp Pendleton (HUGE Marine base north of San Diego).

What’s this got to do with spending 14-18 hours a day, 7 days a week, tending a Barbecue joint ?

Well, it seems like common sense has not only abandoned me, but taken a trip to Antarctica by way of Christchurch, New Zealand. I mean, who in their right mind decides “I’ve had enough of this good job with decent pay, good benefits and lots of friends… I’m going to open a BBQ Joint !!!! Long hours, no steady income – in fact, no income since October, hearing about how 85% of all restaurants close in the first year, blowing my life savings and borrowing money to make it work… Yup, I’m in !!!” ? Sanity is, evidently, not one of my strong points.

Anyway.

Everyone I know loves good BBQ food. Everyone.

Everyone I know who has actually tried it, loves my homemade, secret recipe BBQ sauce. 3 varieties, doesn’t melt your eyeballs or set your tongue on fire…or anything else, later that same day, IF you know what I mean…

Everybody is looking for “value” in their food purchases (reasonable prices with good sized portions).

So where are all those elusive people collectively known as “everybody” ?

I have been dealing with a trickle of folks coming in and have decided that an avalanche is better than a trickle. At least in the case of my business model. And, no, I’m not going THERE.

So I have decided to ADVERTISE…

Have any of you looked at all the advertising options? It’s a nightmare. Print, on-line, radio, TV (cable or local, time slots, type of programs you want to be featured in)… I thought about hiring a “celebrity” to endorse the joint… Then it came to me that this is RENO, NV. There are no celebrities here. So scratch that off the list.

Being at the corner of North East corner of McCarran and Clear Acre Lane, there is a lot of traffic. But since we are next to the Port Of Subs in a little shop that was empty for 18 months before I moved in, it’s a bit hard to get people’s attention and let them know we are here. Folks KNOW the Port Of Subs is here but how to get US noticed is a bit of a chore.

I put up a couple of “feather flags” and that has helped a bit. But with the lease restrictions we have in place, doing a whole lot more than that is prohibitively expensive at this point. So what to do, what to do….?

If you’ve gotten this far, here’s the payoff:

Ask for Troy and say “I feel sorry for you” and we’ll take 10% off your bill. Easy, right? It get’s better.

Ask for Troy and say “I feel sorry for you” and bring a friend, we’ll take 15% off for both of you. Can’t get any easier than that.

Offer ends May 30th 2016, so ya got a whole month to get in here and save some dough.

Word of mouth is still the best way to help a start-up get going so this should help get the ball rolling…

Suggestions, comments and lunatic ravings? Email me at troy@sparksandsmokebbq.com