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My New Crane


BluePlate

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I thought I would BLOG about my new crane venture.  I'm going to start this thread and bring everyone through my new experience on buying and installing a crane machine. 

First, a current Chinese buffet location I have opened a new location.  They purposely built a large entrance way to handle vending.  The locations specifically requested a crane machine.  This will be my first crane location.  I decided (hopefully not regretfully) to buy a used machine on eBay.  I was able to find a machine on eBay for $650.  In the picture, it looks good.  The seller has good feedback.  Yesterday, I arraigned a shipping company to ship it to the location.  This cost $200, which included insurance. 

I recently read up on the laws in Massachusetts for crane machines.  Ironically the state Senate recently clarified claw machine laws.  Basically, I need to obtain a license from the town and not have any prize valued over $25.  I submitted the application from the town.  This cost $100.  I need to go before the town licensing division next Tueday night to answer any questions they may have. 

I will keep everyone update!

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OK, the crane is sceduled to land on Monday.  The shipping company said they are only give me a 3 hour notice of when the crane would arrive :angry: . The crane will be there 1 day prior to my license. As of Friday the restaurant owner has not activated the outlet for the crane, they promised over the weekend........

More to come

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OK.  This gets good.  I got a call from the shipping company about 10AM this morning.  The crane will arrive between 2-3PM!  I was more excited then a teenage boy sneeking through an all girls prep school.  I arrived ready to rock!  The 18 wheeler pulled up.  NO LIFT GATE.  The driver was really nice, I explained to him I thought I paid for a lift gate.  He said "no that's an extra $300".  He said "Get a couple guys and we can get this off the truck easy.".........I smiled - I'm the only guy I know for miles.  

We got if off the truck with really no issues.  I brought the crane and and started unpacking it.  I was really happy with the way it looked.  from a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being new), it was a solid 8.  Maybe an 8.5.  I'm really happy, UNTIL.......

The owner of the Chinese restaurant came out.  He said "I wanted a new one".  I did not know what to say.  I was lost. In my mind I thought "OMG, NO - YOU - DIDNT'".  I smiled and said "you don't like it?"  

He was really nice, he explained he just invested a huge amount of money building a really sharp restaurant - with everything new.  He felt like he really set a high standard.  After about 10 minutes of listening, I understood where he was coming from.  This really sucks for me.  I told him I would take it out and invest in a new one.  

Thursday, I'm getting a Uhaul and bringing it to my storage shed, I put the crane up for immediate sale on Craigslist.  I'm going to try to sell the crane or place it.  For me, too much of an investment to have sitting in a storage shed.........

Tomorrow, I go to the licensing board to get my license for the crane.  

The saga continues.......

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The saga continues.......

I cannot wait to read more! I'll keep my ears open for a crane location for you BP. If I can get it placed for you I'll give you a hand installing it if I'm available.

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OK, got back from my licensing hearing.  That was fun......NOT.  I had to explain to 4 "elderly" town officials what a crane machine was.  One of the questions on the application was "Does the location have a liquor license?"  I answered NO.  Well who was there applying for a liquor license, the restaurant owner.  Got the license, looking for a BRAND NEW CRANE.  My head hurts this week, will start up again Monday.

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Interesting story. It's a very sad when you have to get approval from people who do not know what a crane is. I can not fathom any possible good that comes from legislation like this. What a colossal waste of money. I hope you're able to find a good deal on a brand new crane. So far it sounds like the people you've been working with have only been looking for ways to make themselves feel important.

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So far it sounds like the people you've been working with have only been looking for ways to make themselves feel important.

Welcome to Massachusetts!  ;D

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Welcome to Massachusetts!  ;D

The good ol' taxachusetts! Anyways I got a lead on a new crane machine.  If I buy 3 of them I save a total of $860!  My mind is churning very quickly.  I will keep you posted.  I learn something new everyday!

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I've been looking for an inexpensive crane for the home to use as storage for my kids crap. So if they really want to play with a toy they'll have to "WIN" it out of the machine otherwise the room will stay plush free.

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  • 2 weeks later...

OK, I can post the lastest on my new crane.

I was walking through a mall a few weeks ago and I thought, "I thought there was a few cranes right here".  I walked all throught the mall with nothing.  Couldn't find them.  I went to the management office and asked "Hey wasn't there some skill cranes out there?"  The asst Manager told me the company's lease was up and they pulled out.  They are a national company that pulled some of their lower preforming malls.

I ask the manager how much it cost and what was needed.  She told me I had a choice of $500/month and 15% over $3000 a month in sales OR 45% of sales.  I needed to have $1 million in liabilty insurance.  My initial reaction was I could never make this work. I asked her if she knew the sales number the last crane did.  "OF COURSE" she said, all stores need to submit sales to us.  She looked it up on her computer and said "$20,218".  I immediately asked for a copy of the lease agreement.  Over the next 2 weeks I did the following:

1.  Bought 2 new skill cranes to place back to back in the mall ($1700/ea)

2.  Ordered insurance to meet the mall's requirements ($279/year)

3.  Bought 3 bags of quality plush with some licensing ($450 to start)

4.  Rented a moving truck to move the cranes into the mall during acceptable hours.  ($80)

Dude, I'm broke!  And my chinese restaurant still doesn't have a crane!!!  I installed the cranes Friday morning, Friday night I hade $52 in sales - pretty much right on target.  I am hoping with the figures I have I will net between $500-$800 a month.  I will keep everyone updated.

Oh, BTW, I chose the $500/month + 15% over $3000/month.

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thats cool you will defiantly make the investment back in that time plus a bunch more, im sure they will give you the automatic option to renew as well. All the malls I am in are great they don't care much about anything just as long as they get their money.

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Hey Blue Plate,

Do you mind describing what a crane and plush are?  By the thread, I'm visioning one of those machines where a claw reaches down and tries to grab a stuffed animal or something.  Am I close?

Thanks and I hope the mall works out great for you!

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Hey Blue Plate,

Do you mind describing what a crane and plush are?  By the thread, I'm visioning one of those machines where a claw reaches down and tries to grab a stuffed animal or something.  Am I close?

Thanks and I hope the mall works out great for you!

Exactly.  I've been to the mall 2 or 3 times a day.  I'm experimenting with different stuffed animals.  I'm going to try some "BLING".  Of course I will be working with licensed stuffed animals.
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Just a thought but I remember a crane in my local sams club that changed the plush with the times of the year, this time of year they start putting in baseball themed stuff to go with the world series coming up soon. I am pretty good friends with the guy who operates that crane and he said when he put in plush that was aligned with the times such as political stuffed animals of Obama, Hillary, McCain. He told me he had to fill it about 4 times a week to keep up with the demand. 

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BP,

I checked your 2 cranes out in the mall today. Very nice setups and in a sweet spot! Congrats on the placement. They are much smaller than I thought, perfect for a wide variety of locations.

Are they new? I noticed one of them still had the protective film on the prize door.

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BP,

I checked your 2 cranes out in the mall today. Very nice setups and in a sweet spot! Congrats on the placement. They are much smaller than I thought, perfect for a wide variety of locations.

Are they new? I noticed one of them still had the protective film on the prize door.

They looked big in the picture!  My plan is to buy two bigger cranes and move these to the Chinese restaurant.  I could not figure out how to take the protective film off the inside of the door.  Then I realized "Hey, I have the key" and was able to take it off from the inside.  I'm hoping these can generate enough $$ to put my master plan in motion for December 1.
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