@foodpump ,
I can't agree more with his posts!
Wholesale is critical with this type of business. You're wholesale income has to be great enough to fully carry your projected costs for the entire operation. Your retail income will cover
your collateral/un-projected costs and hopefully cover a salary for yourself.
MY FIRST BIG LESSON !!! Pay yourself !!!!!! If you don't forecast your salary into your costs you will never enjoy
ownership. When you first start, you'll find every excuse to not cut yourself a check. I need a menu board, I need a floor mats for the kitchen, etc.
I understand there will be times when you won't
be able to cash your checks, trust me, I looked at piles of my uncashed checks. It's better to look at that pile than no pile at all.
It also critical to cut those checks and at least pay into your Social Security. Please don't listen to all the BS about, it doesn't matter, SS won't be around when I'm eligible. It's never going away.
It took me a long time to catch up. It could be a game changer when you stop working. It's ok to know you'll be able to pay the bills when retired, but it's nice to have a kicker to do things outside the box.
Refers, remote is the only way to go. I combined one of my wholesale kitchens and retail in 2008 for financial reasons. We went through one year of hell with most all compressors inside. I pulled the trigger and everything was replaced with remote. I swear we all lost some hearing that first year. Along with everyone screaming at one another because of the ambient noise. There is white noise and I learned there is black noise.
Decorators complaining that the kitchen is not cold enough to decorate. 20 tons of AC ran 24-7, never shut off.
When going remote, I suggest rooftop if possible. I had someone come and build a custom rack out back for all compressors. Pulled in one morning to find someone drove by late at night and snatched all for the copper.
I don't recommend the prefab type compressors that come ready to go. You need a qualified person to install the compressors. You need to ask them if they know how to size the lines for your specific brand. The lines are sized to the length of pipe the freon has to travel.
In Maine, I'm pretty sure you'll need a dog house for weather. Probabilly will also need a crank case heater. Make sure your fans have controlled speeds. You might need to adjust seasonal pressure.
Sorry, I could go on for days,
Keep in mind, opening a bakery is very similar to having a bipolar disorder. The lows are low, and the highs are high. If you hang in there, it'll pay off.
Best of wishes for you, I'll put you on my owner prayer list. I think I put Foodpump on about 10 yrs. ago./img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif