anyone here ever tried to lease

[kai1836]

Commercial space for your business? Like a warehouse?

[lurtsman]

What would you want a warehouse for?

If your machines are in a warehouse without customers, they are being wasted. If your product is just sitting in the warehouse, you have too much of it and should be buying machines instead.

Anything I'm missing? I keep my machines in the living room where it keeps me thinking about how to get it closer to the customers. (My spiral is still here as I'm getting a read on the location I want to put it, make sure it vends gumballs decently out of a NW super60. Once I upgrade that, I plan to get a location for the super 60 right away.

[nam]

kai,

I have looked into getting a commerical space but it has just been too expensive. I've instead gone to self storage areas and now have seven units rented. These have allowed me to rent them as I need them and get rid of them as I no longer need them. Also have no long term lease, no utility bills and works out fairly well. Still wish I had a large workshop area for repairing machines, cleaning machines and shelves for parts,etc. Right now just bringing machines home to clean and get ready for locating. Not ideal but getting me by for less overhead than renting commercial space.

lurtsman,

I understand your point and you are correct in your situation to do what you are doing. Once you start increasing the number of machines and locations it will get harder to work from home.

nam

[kai1836]

nam,

I got a reply back from the guy in st louis. looks like we're doing a deal he has 7 of them. they look nice and will work well for me. I'll let you know how it works out. final price was 60 per machine! thanks again!

[T BIRD]

kai,

I have looked into getting a commerical space but it has just been too expensive. I've instead gone to self storage areas and now have seven units rented. These have allowed me to rent them as I need them and get rid of them as I no longer need them. Also have no long term lease, no utility bills and works out fairly well. Still wish I had a large workshop area for repairing machines, cleaning machines and shelves for parts,etc. Right now just bringing machines home to clean and get ready for locating. Not ideal but getting me by for less overhead than renting commercial space.

lurtsman,

I understand your point and you are correct in your situation to do what you are doing. Once you start increasing the number of machines and locations it will get harder to work from home.

nam

nam.......I have an area in one of my 3 storage units for vending where I can clean, repair, assemble any and all of my machines.  I borrow an electrical outlet right outside one of my units and I can drill something and listen to the radio etc.  Its my home away from home.

[nepavend]

I currently have a garage bay at home and about 10 miles away, in the middle of my routes.

What I am considering doing in the future is looking for a residential home with a storefront attached, a mixed use building, to live and work in, which takes the renting of commercial space out.  One reason I am doing this is these properties tend to be in areas that cost a little less than areas with a lot of detached and attached 2-3 car garages which tend to be in more upscale neighborhoods in my area.

Also, i may be lucky enough to score a mixed use building with a garage which would be the best of both worlds to work on the business and keep the main living space free and clear to keep the wife happy! 

[nam]

My problem is being a tool aholic. I have so many automotive repair tools that it takes a two car garage min. for those and barely have room to work on a car. Then I have wood and metal working tools that need another two car garage (now that I've downsized). lol Our hope is to find another house with small amount of land like just an acre with a large metal building on it or room to put one up. It's much nicer working at home rather than a storage area. Nice to be able to have the kitchen, bathroom, etc. that being home allows.

nam

[candykid]

what about a trailer? We bought an older RV type trailer for under $500 and us it to store the extras. The parts are sorted by type and placed in cupbrds and the stands are stacked at one end and completed machines at the other. The neighbours are none the wiser.

[shvend]

Kai, I have been leasing a 2,800 sq ft warehouse for the past 5 years. It was the best thing we ever done. Being full time vendors it was a way to get the business out of the house and when we left the office we got to go home and did not have to worry about anything. We plenty of room for product, spare machines, work area, assembly area, office, and restroom. It is climate controled and does have room for us to park one of our vans inside and the other two out back. If you do nothing but rent a 10x20,30,or 40 storage building it would be a smart move becuase you don't have to look at stuff when you go home. Who wants to come home off of a route and sit down in there living room and look at Gum Machines, NOT ME! Hope that helps.