Location of Shattered Dreams

The little chicken wing joint near my house (see here) had a U-Haul backed up to the door this weekend. It was a terribly gloomy day; overcast with not a lick of sunshine to be seen. Sullenly, they loaded up the truck with their tables, chairs and appliances. A woman was very carefully folding table cloths and placing them mournfully into boxes. The whole scene really wrenched my heart.

Every time I see a small business go out, especially after only a few months, I can’t help but think of the people whose dream it was to own their own business – and how that dream is being shattered. I imagine that it’s a couple who have worked diligently at back-breaking jobs, and for years plotted and planned the business that would be their savior from the daily grind. They waited until they had just enough money and jumped at the cheapest location they could afford so that they could jump-start that dream a little sooner. I can imagine it so clearly because I know I would be the same way.

What I really wish, is that I could hop back in time and give them a tip about starting a business – location, location, location. It’s a cliché, but obviously one that needs to be trotted out again and again. The primary reason this new venture failed is because they wanted to open a lunchtime restaurant far away from the business district. For such a place to succeed, it needs to be nestled near dozens of businesses so that hundreds of hungry workers can get in and out of it during their arbitrarily set lunch hours.

If the couple starting the business had explored the idea of a franchise rather than going it alone, they might have done a bit better with regard to location. One of the selling points for many franchises is that the franchisor – the company selling you the brand – will assist you in choosing a location. At first, this may seem like too much control on their part, but it’s really in your best self-interest.

Choosing a location can be far more difficult than you might first think. There’s more to analyzing traffic patterns then sitting in front of a location and counting the numbers of cars that pass by. You’ll want to know the quality of that traffic and the demographics. What you’re hoping to discern is if that traffic will actually stop and become patrons. This requires a degree of research that is beyond most people. The franchisor will have the resources to do it properly and you’ll welcome them in the long run.

I just wish that the little wing place had tried signing on with a franchise or at least done some simple research on the location they chose. Perhaps then their dreams wouldn’t be folded neatly into a cardboard box and stored away for the rest of their lives.

Franchise "Creature Feature" Writer