Halloween - here and gone
Posted 11-04-2009 at 12:44 PM by scifimom
First of all, thanks to those who told me my web site was down. I forgot to renew my site registration in October. All is well now.
I didn't open on Halloween. The landlord didn't get his act together and get the building inspected, nor did he get the electrical work done. I went through **** with my equipment vendor and the delivery of my walkin was delayed 10 days which delayed my contractor. I'm going to have a heart attack or I'm going to learn ultimate patience. At this moment I can't say what will happen first.
I definitely chose the wrong equipment vendor. He did save me $10.000 over the guy I should have gone with, but at the time I was looking to save money. I paid for all my equipment a long time ago and asked the vendor to store it for me. Unbeknownst to me, he didn't store it. He didn't even buy it. I asked for my equipment and week after week his assistant said they were arranging to get it shipped to me. After a month of this I spoke to a lawyer who sent them a letter that they had 2 days to deliver or my order would be canceled. The assistant called asking for more time and I was firm with the 'NO'. Amazing how fast things arrive when a lawyer is involved. I shouldn't have to do this. So the equipment was shipped to my site and I compared the invoice to the model numbers on the box. My double convection oven ended with a -1 and I had ordered a -2. I refused the order only to have the assistant call and explain that a double convection is actually two -1's stacked. She said I had to pay the $180 to get it back because they hadn't made a mistake. I argued and lost. They couldn't deliver my walkin in 2 days so I got the money back and went to the more expensive guy. I paid more and he placed the order. Later he told me that the first vendor never placed the order for my walkin. Equipment providers know he doesn't pay bills quickly so they make him pay up front and he didn't want to do that. No telling how long I would have waited if I had counted on him.
My walkin arrive last week and today I walked into my kitchen to see it assembled. I went inside and just sighed with contentment.
The space is moving along quickly. All my contractor's inspections except for the final one are done. The tile is laid and the equipment should be installed this week. I should be getting my health department inspection early next week and then really, truly opening.
I need to assemble and wash everything. I have metro racks in pieces, dusty and dirty sheet pans, equipment still in boxes and wrapped, towels to wash. I sent a note to my prospective clients telling them I'd trade an hour of kitchen time for an hour of their helping me put this together. So far I've had two volunteers. I'm excited that I get to see these people face to face given how long we've been emailing.
So, still waiting. Still tapping my foot. Still chewing my nails. More next week.
Gail
www.steelmagnoliakitchen.com
I didn't open on Halloween. The landlord didn't get his act together and get the building inspected, nor did he get the electrical work done. I went through **** with my equipment vendor and the delivery of my walkin was delayed 10 days which delayed my contractor. I'm going to have a heart attack or I'm going to learn ultimate patience. At this moment I can't say what will happen first.
I definitely chose the wrong equipment vendor. He did save me $10.000 over the guy I should have gone with, but at the time I was looking to save money. I paid for all my equipment a long time ago and asked the vendor to store it for me. Unbeknownst to me, he didn't store it. He didn't even buy it. I asked for my equipment and week after week his assistant said they were arranging to get it shipped to me. After a month of this I spoke to a lawyer who sent them a letter that they had 2 days to deliver or my order would be canceled. The assistant called asking for more time and I was firm with the 'NO'. Amazing how fast things arrive when a lawyer is involved. I shouldn't have to do this. So the equipment was shipped to my site and I compared the invoice to the model numbers on the box. My double convection oven ended with a -1 and I had ordered a -2. I refused the order only to have the assistant call and explain that a double convection is actually two -1's stacked. She said I had to pay the $180 to get it back because they hadn't made a mistake. I argued and lost. They couldn't deliver my walkin in 2 days so I got the money back and went to the more expensive guy. I paid more and he placed the order. Later he told me that the first vendor never placed the order for my walkin. Equipment providers know he doesn't pay bills quickly so they make him pay up front and he didn't want to do that. No telling how long I would have waited if I had counted on him.
My walkin arrive last week and today I walked into my kitchen to see it assembled. I went inside and just sighed with contentment.
The space is moving along quickly. All my contractor's inspections except for the final one are done. The tile is laid and the equipment should be installed this week. I should be getting my health department inspection early next week and then really, truly opening.
I need to assemble and wash everything. I have metro racks in pieces, dusty and dirty sheet pans, equipment still in boxes and wrapped, towels to wash. I sent a note to my prospective clients telling them I'd trade an hour of kitchen time for an hour of their helping me put this together. So far I've had two volunteers. I'm excited that I get to see these people face to face given how long we've been emailing.
So, still waiting. Still tapping my foot. Still chewing my nails. More next week.
Gail
www.steelmagnoliakitchen.com
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