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Taqueria Mariposa-- Update post #109 (1 Viewer)

ok--this is moving to a new level and I'm behind on something critical--any local accountants with experience setting up a small business?!! I've been using HRBlock for years for taxes and have been thinking of talking with them but expect to be working into different directions that they might not be set up for. I sure don't have the time to figure it all out for myself--we've got tenants moving in and it's about to get crazy. -er.

:coffee:

 
ok--this is moving to a new level and I'm behind on something critical--any local accountants with experience setting up a small business?!! I've been using HRBlock for years for taxes and have been thinking of talking with them but expect to be working into different directions that they might not be set up for. I sure don't have the time to figure it all out for myself--we've got tenants moving in and it's about to get crazy. -er.

:coffee:
You at the truck today? I can go there for lunch and talk with you.

 
ok--this is moving to a new level and I'm behind on something critical--any local accountants with experience setting up a small business?!! I've been using HRBlock for years for taxes and have been thinking of talking with them but expect to be working into different directions that they might not be set up for. I sure don't have the time to figure it all out for myself--we've got tenants moving in and it's about to get crazy. -er.

:coffee:
You at the truck today? I can go there for lunch and talk with you.
That would be great--I'll be there. pm'n.....

 
Here we go! ...Word is there's a party setting up....maybe a house raising of sorts.... :gang2:

Our tenant is setting up a motorcycle repair shop. He's expecting about 50 bikes Saturday. I imagine it'll be a working party because we're already getting into the construction--framing, plumbing, electrical, hvac....outside landscaping....there's room enough on site that it's supposed to work as a clubhouse as well. We've spent the past couple weeks clearing out the old fixtures and getting ready for inspections, bringing in materials and getting some of the groundwork done. I say "we" but actually they pretty much have all trades covered.

Meanwhile we've got a couple days to bring some more help on board and build up to full staffing. hooooooolly..... :mellow:

 
ok--this is moving to a new level and I'm behind on something critical--any local accountants with experience setting up a small business?!! I've been using HRBlock for years for taxes and have been thinking of talking with them but expect to be working into different directions that they might not be set up for. I sure don't have the time to figure it all out for myself--we've got tenants moving in and it's about to get crazy. -er.

:coffee:
Don't us HRBlock. Find a good, local CPA. It will be more expensive most likely but we'll worth it in the long run.

 
ok--this is moving to a new level and I'm behind on something critical--any local accountants with experience setting up a small business?!! I've been using HRBlock for years for taxes and have been thinking of talking with them but expect to be working into different directions that they might not be set up for. I sure don't have the time to figure it all out for myself--we've got tenants moving in and it's about to get crazy. -er.

:coffee:
Don't us HRBlock. Find a good, local CPA. It will be more expensive most likely but we'll worth it in the long run.
Agreed. I've been referred to a firm who deals with startups full service and we are supposed to get together for a needs eval.

 
Here we go! ...Word is there's a party setting up....maybe a house raising of sorts.... :gang2:

Our tenant is setting up a motorcycle repair shop. He's expecting about 50 bikes Saturday. I imagine it'll be a working party because we're already getting into the construction--framing, plumbing, electrical, hvac....outside landscaping....there's room enough on site that it's supposed to work as a clubhouse as well. We've spent the past couple weeks clearing out the old fixtures and getting ready for inspections, bringing in materials and getting some of the groundwork done. I say "we" but actually they pretty much have all trades covered.

Meanwhile we've got a couple days to bring some more help on board and build up to full staffing. hooooooolly..... :mellow:
Congrats, Glumpy!

 
OK we're breathing again! The party was ppd but we've got a better idea of how this is all setting up-- :thumbup: There were guys rolling in and out all day helping with construction, checking it out, taking a break...really cool--looks pretty much like a daily routine. The place is really taking shape and makes for an excellent shop, and where we are is a great jumping off point. We're right off the highway and close to a network of country roads. I passed about 30-40 riders the other day on the way in from the house.

I'm thinking that for the full club I'll set up the cooker or something, play with it. Maybe an Eastern style pig pickin served up with cilantro and salsa! We can't do that with the trailer but given how we're setting up we might can do it as a private party--I'll have to touch base with the health inspectors. That combined with the Taqueria might make it workable, because I expect when it's a full club event they're heading out on a ride. When we do an event with a hundred folks or more we've got to work with the menu to keep up--no way we could do it with everything cooked to order.

 
I stopped by glumpy's Taqueria Mariposa yesterday on my way to Durham. When I got there I had just missed him by 2 minutes, but his wife said he just went across the street, and she called him to send him back over. glumpy is a super nice guy, and his wife is nice too.

I ordered some vegetarian sopes, and let me tell ya...those things were fantastic. I can't remember everything that was on it, but I know beans, avocado, cheese, cabbage something or another, and a tad of sour cream were on it. The tortillas were great. Everything tasted so fresh. I also loved the green sauce.

glumpy, my friend that I was visiting is a Mexican food snob, and she loved the sopes too. Her and her husband lived in California for 20+ years, and they had some favorite Mexican food places there, and they haven't found anything in the area that compares to those, until she had your wife's food. Her husband was out of town so he didn't get to try it, but she wants to turn him on to it soon, and explore the menu. He isn't a vegetarian like she is (she is actually a pestaterian). It took me about 10 minutes to get to their house in Durham from the Taqueria Mariposa. She wants to know what your days and hours are.

I'm happy to know you in person, glumpy, and I'll be coming by again in the near future. Tell your wife that the vegetarian sopes she created for me were great!!

 
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I'll have to change my usual route to Raleigh on one of my trips, so I can come by the TM. Is it the Hwy 86 exit? I'm glad it's going well for you. :thumbup:

 
Blackdot!

Very cool thread to follow. I've considered partnering with a buddy and doing a mexican food truck in the past. Nice to see your success growing, GB.

 
I stopped by glumpy's Taqueria Mariposa yesterday on my way to Durham. When I got there I had just missed him by 2 minutes, but his wife said he just went across the street, and she called him to send him back over. glumpy is a super nice guy, and his wife is nice too.

I ordered some vegetarian sopes, and let me tell ya...those things were fantastic. I can't remember everything that was on it, but I know beans, avocado, cheese, cabbage something or another, and a tad of sour cream were on it. The tortillas were great. Everything tasted so fresh. I also loved the green sauce.

glumpy, my friend that I was visiting is a Mexican food snob, and she loved the sopes too. Her and her husband lived in California for 20+ years, and they had some favorite Mexican food places there, and they haven't found anything in the area that compares to those, until she had your wife's food. Her husband was out of town so he didn't get to try it, but she wants to turn him on to it soon, and explore the menu. He isn't a vegetarian like she is (she is actually a pestaterian). It took me about 10 minutes to get to their house in Durham from the Taqueria Mariposa. She wants to know what your days and hours are.

I'm happy to know you in person, glumpy, and I'll be coming by again in the near future. Tell your wife that the vegetarian sopes she created for me were great!!
Thanks for dropping by simey--what a wonderful surprise and pleasure! Can't believe it's been two weeks omg. I've been meaning to post this and catch up on events but it's all just moving soooo fast--and I'm afraid I'm just gonna hafta touch on things until we can work some stuff out.

To start--I'm all but contracted with someone to run the business end of things--sorely needed and way overdue. That will include the restaurant, Mari's cleaning contract, our rental property, and hopefully some commercial property. Kickoff meeting next week.

Tomorrow I'm meeting City Planning to see what's up--the Town wants to demo the building we're working out of. The bike shop is on hold after they encountered the contractors coming in, and the property owner and I are going to find out what's up. Owner says it's a mistake and only the condemned residence next door is to go but the land is up for sale eventually--we just anticipate as much as a ten year plan. I'm going to look at the city planning first thing in the am; owner to follow in the afternoon and we'll get together after that.

Then I'll be meeting with the lawyer to start working out teh details of some other land close by which we have offered to buy--and it's been accepted!! It's not yet binding until we work out the details over the next few weeks. It's by far the biggest investment I've ever been involved with and the bikers and I are discussing a partnership here. Following this meeting we'll get together with the owners and work out details. They I find money somewhere.

Hope to have good news tomorrow pm!

 
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Really smoking now. Some quick hits...

Food trucks are against code in Orange county. awwwww shucks. :wall:

On the good side--there is room for discussion and apparently I'm just the one to do it. Have to draft a letter to reconsider or redefine the restrictions and best do it this week because we're in their line of sight.

The demolition of the building we're attached to is postponed....maybe years! The demo of the property next to it has to be done within a month or so. Somehow I've been volunteered. Getting resource lists together now and hoping it does not require asbestos abatement.

Gonna hafta subdivide my property to define the rental so it can be appraised separately for refinancing. Meanwhile I've got a whole lot of expertise and support now involved with the new property development. :cool:

Have to contact DOT because their roadwork around the intersection could entirely redefine the property--maybe for the better? That's a wildcard.

The shop opening up behind the trailer will have a whole lot easier time of it if they maintain a convenience store. :thumbup:

My head is spinning.

 
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OK--a bit of an update:

Mailed the letter re: food truck codes and feeling pretty optimistic. It could be some good promotion--I think there is a lot of support here. Not sure what's involved with taking point but that's pretty much where I've been placed--it feels like there are folks been waiting for something to happen and we just stepped right into the middle of it.

I referred the property owner to a recommended demolition firm with resources enough to get it done efficiently--and bowed out of that loop.

The convenience store is about ready to open and traffic is already increased. Yesterday was kind of cold and dreary and sales were up anyway!

Now it's time to address the new property. This takes it to a new level for me--I've opened new restaurants--including one in Hillsborough years ago--but never at this point of the operation. Got rezoning to look at, utilities since it will likely be incorporated, roadwork 'cause it's an intersection, business plan depending on site plan--could go anywhere from freestanding to retail strip. :cool:

 
i am off tomorrow and will be near RTP around lunch, you serving tomorrow? last time i stopped by some hot spanish chick was at the controls and i got her number for a dude i know.

 
Chemical X said:
i am off tomorrow and will be near RTP around lunch, you serving tomorrow? last time i stopped by some hot spanish chick was at the controls and i got her number for a dude i know.
That's no hot chick--that's my wife! :rant:

:lol:

Actually wish I had the app I'da posted that when we saw it earlier! Well be open tomorrow probably full day 11-10:00. This is the first time for every holiday so we're playing them by ear. Weather too though so far cold hasn't hurt.

 
Wow so much going on not sure where to start. A quick recap: we are planted at the front of some acreage which has been for sale for retail commercial use for maybe 30 years. The long rumored development is about to begin--Sheetz has applied for permits for the cornerstone parcel. They break ground in about 3 months as I understand. Meanwhile the building we are attached to is towards the other end of the frontage and will also be torn down, as well as the old truck stop which lies between them and back from the road. There is another small warehouse type building which will remain standing and is in use now--and I've talked with the owner/lessor and might be able to move back there along with our biker friends/tenants--but that would lose the roadside attraction. The other player now involved in our current building is a tire shop and we three like the combination if it somehow works going forward.

This all came up yesterday, and the property owner has given us two weeks to make a move. I don't know how hard that deadline is but we are working on it. We want to move over next door to where the house was demo'd to stay on the roadside, and he gave me verbal approval for that this morning. It's got power and city water run to the site but parking and access will need expansion and some kind of storage structure set up. I don't know how long we could use it--ideally we want it for a year minimum but it could actually work out longer term. Then again I didn't see the current demolition coming--and suspect it was part of the Sheetz contract.

This new piece looks like it's independent from the rest even though it's a part of the plat--so maybe we can remain without issues while we work out a permanent home. Hopefully that's just a year away. I've been laid off which takes away a lot of cushion and really hurts the budget so I'm in the job hunting market; and that becomes desperate next month but right now allows time for putting all these pieces in place for the food truck Business has been really fabulous--but not enough to live on yet!

Still working with the County on the overall issues of allowing food trucks too so that may come into play. I presented to the County Commissioners a few months ago and will have to see where we are at with the process when they meet Monday week. Never ends! :coffee:

 
I've been needing to go to Ashville for a few days. Maybe i should bookend it to look at daRaiders wife's gams.

 
Wow, just looked at that last update. So we're past the two weeks, and construction is going as it normally does--nowhere near the optimism. That's good for us! The idea of parking in the next door lot was an inspiration that failed--it's still zoned residential even though the whole world knows it will go commercial when the surrounding property begins development--so we can't park there. Meanwhile the Orange County Commissioners took off for the summer and there won't be any changes to the restrictions in the next few months so we're looking in town--starting with the shopping center right across the street.

On an aside--I have heard that Durham County is going after all the proliferation of food trucks now too, since there's been such an explosion in the market over the past year or two. We've checked in there as well, some downtown buildings in the Duke neighborhoods, Northgate Mall, Southpoint......all a little rich for our budget but some possibilities.

Property owner is cool with us staying as long as possible while we work it out--and we can float when they actually begin demolition of the buildings. We have found a spot we like a lot, and working with those owners and of course more code requirements--hope to have a commitment within days and will post then.

 
Hey Glumpy where specifically are you located? We are going to be heading through Asheville and Charlotte end Fri/Sat and the wife loves Mexican food...would love to try and find a way to stop by.

 
Hey Glumpy where specifically are you located? We are going to be heading through Asheville and Charlotte end Fri/Sat and the wife loves Mexican food...would love to try and find a way to stop by.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/2020+NC-86,+Hillsborough,+NC+27278/@36.0556211,-79.080028,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x89acdeef5fd1cb89:0x9721e06ac1b72f52

Let's see if this comes out! Exit 165 off of I-85 in Hillsborough. South one block on the left, across the street from Home Depot.

Yep! If you go to earth view you'll see us from both air and ground, a blue & yellow trailer parked in front of the bike shop. The ground shot I'm seeing this time must be early morning since some bikes are out; we're normally open by 11:30-10:00pm or so. We can tall they're finally getting into developing that spot--the earth view has changed a few times over the past year.

 
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Hey Glumpy where specifically are you located? We are going to be heading through Asheville and Charlotte end Fri/Sat and the wife loves Mexican food...would love to try and find a way to stop by.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/2020+NC-86,+Hillsborough,+NC+27278/@36.0556211,-79.080028,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x89acdeef5fd1cb89:0x9721e06ac1b72f52

Let's see if this comes out! Exit 165 off of I-85 in Hillsborough. South one block on the left, across the street from Home Depot.

Yep! If you go to earth view you'll see us from both air and ground, a blue & yellow trailer parked in front of the bike shop. The ground shot I'm seeing this time must be early morning since some bikes are out; we're normally open by 11:30-10:00pm or so. We can tall they're finally getting into developing that spot--the earth view has changed a few times over the past year.
Very cool!

 
Too. Much. Fun. We've been shut down--at least temporarily. Still waiting for the contract to move into town; meanwhile we've got a verbal deal with everyone to just float in the current spot until the time comes. So, just after 12:00, the GC comes by to tell us they are ahead of the demolition schedule and will be shutting down the electricity towards the end of the day. And right about as he tells us the lights go out. oops.

So we pull out the trusty generator and it's not enough--misgauged the amount of power we were going to need. Daaaaammmmmmittttt. Trying to run on reduced power through lunch as a really ominous cloud bank bears down--and by the time that thing flooded the lot we were wrapping it up. The contractors were setting up to demo the building; we were pulling out.

At this point we're trying to find a generator to handle 50 amp service, and meanwhile setting up contractors for installing water/sewer and electricity at the new site. I'd love to turn the trailer into a kiosk, and just plant it there.

 
will you be open next week?
Have to be imo. We shopped generators last night and believe we can find one locally in the box so we don't have to wait for shipment. They are tearing down all the buildings in the current lot for development, but we arranged with both the owner and the GC to float independently around their work so we can maintain operations.

Meantime we've had billboards and signs posted for a few weeks keeping everyone abreast of events as we make arrangements to move up the street--to a location off of the next exit, #164. Here: https://www.google.com/maps/place/112+Mayo+St,+Hillsborough,+NC+27278/@36.0598881,-79.1040511,18z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x89acded227932033:0x727b05e73435c5cc. Right now we're all set, licenses and permits from Hillsborough, deal in place for the property--but no lease paperwork yet. I'm trying to restrain myself from badgering the owner's rep any more than I have already but really don't understand the delay. We are to park towards the front of the property--near where you'll see what looks like a landing target in the parking lot (zoom in on earth view). There's both water and electrical services there from a previous tenant and if the Town will allow it my intention is to convert the trailer to a kiosk--got contacts for contractors with the GC on the other project since my historic contractors are both tied up.

Anybody involved in construction knows how it is--the last minute snags are mindblowing. :loco:

 
Wow--thanks for the messages--I'm way behind on updates! Apparently my phone's not picking up on pm's either because I missed a couple...

We are still on I-85 exit 165, a half block south. In the past couple weeks they have torn down the old truck stop next door, and then we moved there while they tore down the building we were attached to. So now we're floating around the lot, working off a generator. At least tomorrow we can go back to the roadside spot we're used to because we're just not as visible where we've been.

We have all the permits to move in town, the deal was done, we're waiting for docs. waiting, waiting, .... Then the bottom dropped out. Found out yesterday late that the land had been sold out from under us to the City. Part of the strip mall--not all--but including our perfect kiosk spot. So today I went to the City to see if they would consider the deal--didn't connect but after looking at their plan from the outside I don't expect this to fly. We also are looking at other options in the same complex and developing a counter offer which we think might suit everyone and still be the career catapult we thought the other option would be--and we've gotten serious interest from another couple business who would like to invest. It's pretty intense, but there is a lot of interest, the customer base is really supportive, and we're pulling all stops. More news as I can--we've been running 18-20 hour days for weeks now and it's time to go down!

 
Really really good food!!

Glumpy is great peeps and his wife is better. ;) . She and I habla'd it up. Best of luck with the run around with the permits and what not. The food speaks for itself and you'll do great wherever you land!!

 

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