Updates on our expansion(s).........

Well, our first Austin expansion should be up in the next couple of weeks.  We are shooting for March 8th as our first day.  Will be working the cart for that week and during Spring Break/SXSW.  After that, we will have an employee(s) that will run the cart.  Still working out the details, but those should be finalized in the next couple of days.

Will be going to Austin on Monday morning to apply for our second location.  We have to wait 10 days to see if the neighboring property owner is going to complain or not.  If so, we will be sunk and out $150.  If not, then we will have 35 days to get our big cart modified, inspected, and a $400 fee paid.  It is crazy.  Guess that is the price you pay to have a great spot on public property.

We do have a couple of private property locations that should be available soon.  Have to wait and see how everything else turns out.  I would love to have multiple locations around town.

We have even talked about being at one of the food trailer parks in Austin.  I have a great concept and it would be perfect for running out of a trailer.  This might actually happen sometime soon.  I have a friend that wants to buy a trailer to stay in on the weekends (while he works in Austin) and I said that we could rent the rest of the trailer and sell food.  Will have to see if we can work out the details.

Since we aren't holding ourselves to just hot dogs at our Austin locations, we have a name and logo just for those locations.  Here is the name and logo:

 

 We did this to keep from being pegged as just another hot dog cart and to impress upon our customers that we can get them their food as quick as possible.  How quick?  Since we are mostly going to be self service, most customers should be serviced within 60 - 90 seconds.  Sounds too quick, but it really isn't.  If all you do is hand someone packets and a dog, then it shouldn't take very long.

The Austin menu will be a streamlined version of what we do in Bastrop.  I haven't released the Austin menu yet, because we are still finalizing everything.  We are going to be focused on less specialty hot dogs and more about quality food and quick service.  When you deal with busy people in the daytime and drunk people at night, time is VERY important.

Updated the website to reflect the changes.  I still need to work on it and should have it done in the next few days.  www.franksrocks.com

Things are changing at our Bastrop location also.  We are going to look at some other equipment tomorrow.  If we do buy this equipment, then we will be working on adding several new menu items and will probably be changing the name also.  I like the name we have now, but will need to have a name that focuses on what we are doing as a whole.  How does "Frank's Rock and Roll Deli" sound?

Was closed last week because I had a root canal and ended up having some issues.  It is hard enough to sell hot dogs when it is cold, let alone when your mouth hurts really bad.

They are calling for cold and rain on Tuesday, so that will give me a day at home to finalize some things.  I don't mind having an extra day off, but would rather make some money instead.

Still working on finding some time to do a video blog post.  One of these days, I will find the time.  For now, you will just have to read what I right.  Sorry.

Everyone have a great week and come see us sometime!

Changes….

Changed prices tonight.  Had to raise all the prices.  Costs are going up and I have to make sure that we aren’t losing money.  I hated to do it, but really didn’t have a choice.  I could carry a cheaper hot dog, but would rather charge a little more for a much better product.  Will have to wait and see what the customers think.  Could backfire on me, but I think that most people will understand and be fine with it. 

Still working on Austin.  Have a meeting on Wednesday with the city.  Will find out about the additional spot that I found.  Hopefully it will work and we can get it.

We are (I say “We”, but I really mean my business partner Josh) adding a grill to the new cart.  Will have to find out exactly what we can do with it.  I really want to do something with Polish Sausage and have an idea, but will have to figure out the costs.  We will have other options with the grill and I am excited to try a few different things that we aren’t currently doing.

Will find out on Wednesday if we can use my current propane cart in Austin.  It is actually too big, according to the cities specs, but might be able to get a variance on part of it.  If they will give me 6”, then we can remove part of the trailer (tongue) and make it detachable.  The reason for the size limitation is that they don’t want you in another vendors space…..but vendors can’t be right next to each other.  Who knows. 

I did find a wonderful cart up in the Dallas area.  It is all enclosed and is pretty much perfect.  If my propane cart can’t get a variance, I will sell it and then go buy this other one.  The other issue is that I will have to see if Austin will approve that one also.  Hope that we can get one of them approved.

 

On a personal note, I am considering a run for city council in Bastrop.  I have been thinking about it for 4 years now and this might be the year to do it.  I am waiting to see who is running before I turn in my paperwork.  Will also need to find someone that can help with my campaign.  I think that being a business owner and meeting tons of people in my 5 years here, will help me with the election.  I really want to help this town become the best it can be and being on city council will give me a little power to make change.

 

Will be open the rest of the week, rain or shine.  Hope to make some new customers and continue to get my regulars in.