Opening a Texican Food Joint...in Ohio

LunchBox

LunchBox

I've been cooking for years. I love it...it's a passion. My main area of interest is "Mexican" food...not the fully authentic...and not Tex-Mex...but a variant centered around the chile. That's what I like...that's what I make. For years, other teachers at my school have asked me to jar up salsa for sale. Every time I have people over, they fall all over themselves over the food. When I go to friends' get togethers, I make salsas, and people rave. Everyone always seems to love the stuff I make. Great...I love it too.

Now, it looks like I'll be moving to a college town in Ohio in 2 years. The place has no viable "Mexican" food places. My wife, and her mom are dead set on me opening a Texican (my own little style) place. My wife lived there for years, and swears it'll be a smash hit. I am obsessed with cooking...but never envisioned myself in the restaurant business. Everyone around me has been telling me for years to do it. I tell them..."that's exactly what all the failed EX-restaurant owners heard as well".

I guess I should add...by the time this could happen, I'll have almost a decade of teaching experience, and my masters degree...and my wife will probably be finishing her phd...so there is a safety net.


i dunno...What do you think?
 
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I grew up in Texas, and LOVE LOVE LOVE spicy food - Mexican, Texican, Tex-Mex, Brazilian, Asian, WHATEVER. Moved to LA for four years and found that while they haven't figured out the flavors of Texas, they certainly have their own wonderful, well-seasoned food in restaurants galore.

THEN I MOVED TO OHIO.

The absolute dearth of excellent restaurants here is a fact that I bemoan almost daily, and was the inspiration of my entering into the insanity of growing hot peppers for myself. I try going to restaurants where the owners are Asian, and find the food frequently has been so mid-westernized as to be almost flavorless. So I tell the owners I lived in Houston and L.A., and am used to really excellent, authentic Asian food with all the wonderful seasonings, and ask why they aren't making it here. The typical answer is that when they started their business, they did exactly that. However, they learned the hard way that it is difficult to sell in sufficient quantity to midwesterners to make enough profit to continue their business. So they make it bland, and then it sells. Business rule: Sell what sells, and don't sell what doesn't sell!

BUT WAIT

This doesn't mean there aren't excellent restaurants in this state that serve well-seasoned food. And that doesn't mean that you can't move here and make a killing with a new restaurant that does the same - in fact, you can. But you DO have to follow the absolute number one rule of business - LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION.

Good news for you - you are planning on moving to a college town. That helps, because a good college will have students and teachers from all over the place, including other countries. And students and teachers who are not from here crave the well-seasoned foods they are familiar with. And, of course, there ARE random Ohioans who somehow figured out that hot peppers have wonderful flavor (not to mention the heat is fun!), and would love to patronize a restaurant that catered to their fondness for capsicum. (I am beginning to believe that EVERY Ohioan who likes heat is on this website....)

Something to consider is a mixed menu. I recently learned that my favorite Chinese restaurant here has two menus - one that caters to midwesterners, and one that caters to the Asians who frequent the restaurant. Yep - the authentic menu is just amazing, while the other one.... meh. Only they don't even tell non-Asians about the authentic menu - I've been here 14 years now and just found about it within the past year! I would not recommend going to that extreme, but you get the drift - have a good mix of well-seasoned items and not-so-well-seasoned items on the menu, make a point to mark the menu appropriately, and you get the best of both worlds.

All that to say YES - you CAN do well with a restaurant like you describe here, but be sure to get well-informed about the demographics of the area you are considering when making your decision. Go ahead and call the college and ask for information regarding their population - what percent is international, what countries are represented, what percent are from outside Ohio, etc., etc., etc. Sometimes it takes getting transferred a bunch of times before finding the right people with this type of info, but it should be available to you.
 
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You were supposed to say, "Don't do it...it's a level of hell you don't want to be in."

The town is Athens, OH...has U of Ohio...and a medical college. So...there is a high percentage of Asian students.

The idea is to offer half a dozen or so salsas...from a garden tomato, to a carrot-bhut-lime. The dishes would be basics...tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, and maybe burritos. There would be weekly "specials"...like bhut-brisket, savina/lime shrimp, bonnet pork fajitas, habi-chorizo tacos...you know...crazy shit I can come up with...stuff I cook at home.

The weird thing is...my wife was a VP fr a global bank for a decade, and is a financial genius. We've been debt free but the house since out 20's. So her being so confident it would fly, makes me wonder if it really would.

I'll not open another run-of-the-mill shit-shack. I cook my way, and if people don't like it, the doors will close, and I'm fine with that.
 
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LunchBox said:
You were supposed to say, "Don't do it...it's a level of hell you don't want to be in."
The town is Athens, OH...has U of Ohio...and a medical college. So...there is a high percentage of Asian students.
The idea is to offer half a dozen or so salsas...from a garden tomato, to a carrot-bhut-lime. The dishes would be basics...tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, and maybe burritos. There would be weekly "specials"...like bhut-brisket, savina/lime shrimp, bonnet pork fajitas, habi-chorizo tacos...you know...crazy shit I can come up with...stuff I cook at home.
The weird thing is...my wife was a VP fr a global bank for a decade, and is a financial genius. We've been debt free but the house since out 20's. So her being so confident it would fly, makes me wonder if it really would.
I'll not open another run-of-the-mill shit-shack. I cook my way, and if people don't like it, the doors will close, and I'm fine with that.
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LOL - Some hells can be rather rewarding, financially! Of course, I hope you understood I was just using Asian as an example. Medical school = +10 in my book, and YES - go for what you love. Your wife sounds like a smart person - GO FOR IT!

(And tell me when it opens - I'll be there!)
 
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geeme said:
LOL - Some hells can be rather rewarding, financially! Of course, I hope you understood I was just using Asian as an example. Medical school = +10 in my book, and YES - go for what you love. Your wife sounds like a smart person - GO FOR IT!

(And tell me when it opens - I'll be there!)
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LOL...I would love to do it...but it's a bad idea. My wife is not the risk taker...I am. Yet...SHE thinks it is a sure thing. But...my skills...although good...well hell, I burned some f'in garlic making marinara! ROOKIE MISTAKE!

Oh...and I'm a Mich fan...lived in A2 (Ann Arbor) for a while...cool place!
 
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Owning a restaurant is great. You get to pick which 80 hours a week you work!

If it's your dream, go for it. Just make sure you have enough cash to run it for 2 years without an income. The food business is tough!

geeme said:
LOL - Some hells can be rather rewarding, financially! Of course, I hope you understood I was just using Asian as an example. Medical school = +10 in my book, and YES - go for what you love. Your wife sounds like a smart person - GO FOR IT!

(And tell me when it opens - I'll be there!)
Click to expand...
 
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midwestchilehead said:
Owning a restaurant is great. You get to pick which 80 hours a week you work!

If it's your dream, go for it. Just make sure you have enough cash to run it for 2 years without an income. The food business is tough!
Click to expand...


That's what I'm talking about...right there. It isn't my "dream". My "dream" is to cook, and create bad ass dishes. I can do that at home. Money is cool too...not my priority.
 
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sir, this is just my 2 cents. My father owned a deli in nyc. when i came home from the army my dad wanted me to go into the business.it was established , doing great,nice neighborhood.and i knew the business inside and out ie: how to order, cook the daily specials, i knew all the customers etc. my mom said to him "what are you nuts, you work 16 hours a day 7 days a week. Holidays, bithdays, anniversaries, missed weddings, no vacations." She made her point. dad sold and i became a cop. This was the cliff note version but i think you get my drift. Lots of spoilage in the food business. its a lifestyle, if you are going to be sucessful you are married to the business. i know we lived it. Just wanted to tell you how it was for us. PS i wish you well on what ever you choose. pm me if you have specific questions.
 
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I wouldn't go into business because your wife and her mom are dead set on it, unless you really have the passion for it and want to do it for the craft. Like you, I make a mean salsa and other Mexican food at home, much better than any Mexican or Texican restaurant I've been to. But I have no passion and no desire to open my own place. I'm content to make it at home. If I wanted to learn more, I might try to get a job at one of those places, but I wouldn't put my a** on the line because someone else wanted me to.

Your statement tells me all I need to know about this being a bad move: "My wife, and her mom are dead set on me opening a Texican (my own little style) place. My wife lived there for years, and swears it'll be a smash hit. I am obsessed with cooking...but never envisioned myself in the restaurant business. Everyone around me has been telling me for years to do it. I tell them..."that's exactly what all the failed EX-restaurant owners heard as well."

It sounds to me like you are well aware of the dangers, while they are living some pipe dream. Bottom line is that it would be YOUR name on the line; it would be YOUR credit on the line; it would be YOUR hard work they want to capitalize on (for bragging rights, or financial reasons, or some other reasons). I'm sure it would be better than any other place in town, but do you want to work that hard, or put so much at risk for their sake?

Sorry to be a doubting Thomas, but I get paid to be one. I'm sure it could be very rewarding, but without knowing if the market will support it, I would not be willing to commit financial assets without knowing what the ROI would be. And if you aren't driven by the money, I'm not sure that passion for the craft is enough. Ever watch Restaurant Impossible? Seems like Robert has to rescue lots of folks with good intentions, but insufficient knowledge/passion to make the concern pay for itself and then some.


LunchBox said:
That's what I'm talking about...right there. It isn't my "dream". My "dream" is to cook, and create bad ass dishes. I can do that at home. Money is cool too...not my priority.
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old man said:
sir, this is just my 2 cents. My father owned a deli in nyc. when i came home from the army my dad wanted me to go into the business.it was established , doing great,nice neighborhood.and i knew the business inside and out ie: how to order, cook the daily specials, i knew all the customers etc. my mom said to him "what are you nuts, you work 16 hours a day 7 days a week. Holidays, bithdays, anniversaries, missed weddings, no vacations." She made her point. dad sold and i became a cop. This was the cliff note version but i think you get my drift. Lots of spoilage in the food business. its a lifestyle, if you are going to be sucessful you are married to the business. i know we lived it. Just wanted to tell you how it was for us. PS i wish you well on what ever you choose. pm me if you have specific questions.
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Thanks for that...that's the kind of thing I'm thinking about. Before being a teacher, I was pulling comfy 6-figures...but I was married t my job. My blackberry had a pillow on it...if it went off at 3am...off I went for the day...the week...the month. I became a teacher because I love it, and I LOVE the time off.

It's not something I've been dreaming of doing. It's tempting...but I'm not convinced it's for me.
 
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midwestchilehead said:
Why would you do that? Tell me it was for a job and I will believe you. Otherwise not.
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For our family...we love Texas...but we are moving back to the midwest...even though we are originally from here...because June through August is miserable. There is no point in me having 3 months off in the summer, when it doesn't get out of the 100's the entire time. My wife and I both lived in the midwest...and want 4 distinguishable seasons, and a basement.

I'll miss the spirit of Texas...but not the weather.
 
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midwestchilehead said:
Why would you do that? Tell me it was for a job and I will believe you. Otherwise not.
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Yes - I moved to Ohio for a job, and I'm definitely not looking to stay here the rest of my life. Seasons, schmeasons - one can always visit seasons if one wants. I can't stand the amount of snow we get here. Freakin' lake effect......
 
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Have you cooked professionally? Have you ever run a business? If the answer to either of these 2 questions is no, there you have it. The restaurant business is a long and cruel lifestyle where charlatans pimps and thieves run wild and good men die like dogs for no reason.
 
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texas blues said:
Have you cooked professionally? Have you ever run a business? If the answer to either of these 2 questions is no, there you have it. The restaurant business is a long and cruel lifestyle where charlatans pimps and thieves run wild and good men die like dogs for no reason.
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Never cooked professionally, but we do run a successful small biz here. I can't say it's "my dream"...but I have thought about it a lot, and I do like the idea. I just don't see myself actually doing it.
 
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I'm 48 years old with a long list of ventures under my belt, some successful, some not so. The one thing I'll never have to do when I'm old and grey is sit in my chair looking out of the window thinking "If only I'd tried that".

To me, that would be the biggest failure of all.

To have had a real passion for something, an idea, anything, but not had the courage to give it a shot....then time runs out on you....that's gotta be the most painful thing to live with right there.

However, if your passion is for cooking great food for appreciative family, and nothing more, then I would leave it at that and walk away from the idea. I've seen renowned chefs with extensive culinary training and experience go belly up with a failed restaurant. Then there's the hoards of unappreciative slobs who you'd be cooking for on a weekly basis, those that just don't get what you're trying to do, they'll suck the life out of you.

Anyway, if you REALLY WANT TO DO IT BAD, do it with 100% commitment. Otherwise I say forget it.
 
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I wouldn't tell you to not go for it but the learning curve is not friendly. That being said, there are those that have done well having little background in the field. The dropout rate is very high though. I myself would love to have my own burger joint and while it wouldn't be a big leap for me it would cut into my other vices, fishing and music, both very jealous bitches. :lol:
 
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I think it's important to have good perspective on your business, if you choose to start one, regardless of what it's in. You have to decide up front if you are working to live or living to work, and map out your time accordingly. Being in a college town, you should be able to find pretty inexpensive labor for most of the day-to-day stuff. You need to decide quickly what your role needs to be, and how many hours a day you want to put in, then hire the appropriate people to make that happen. I'll try to find a book that was recommended to me when I started my business, which is on this very subject, and will let you know the title and author when I do. The biggest single drag on a start-up business is the owner trying to do too much on his/her own.
 
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