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And How I Almost Let Something So Lucrative Get By. Don't Let This Be You.
I'm sure you've heard it before. It's been said, so many times, "Living in Florida is Paradise."
Well, I can tell you that I too came from the North over 40 years ago, and I have to say it's probably as close as you can get alive. So many people move into this beautiful state each year and many come to take it easy so to speak, or maybe retire altogether. In these tougher times, having that little bit extra or earning more income is more important than ever.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Tony Castronovo and I am the owner of Big Top Concession Carts, located in Lake Placid, Florida. I spent the last thirty years in business running my manufacturing company, day-in and day-out, for the most part confined between the walls of my complex. Since my teenage years, I always wanted to be in business for myself, as well as experience the freedom of running a business at my own pace and at different locations. Several years ago, I was commissioned to design and manufacture concession carts for the rental industry in the European market. I was always intrigued with that industry, you know you've gone to a show or event and here is this person having the time of their life, talking with people and at the same time charging some exhorbitant rate for a snowcone, or something to that effect.
Anyway, we did our job and went into production with these carts and filled the clients demand in a couple years. Then, I went on with business as usual, until a couple of years ago. My sons came back to our company and were able to take some of the pressure off me. They were doing such a fine job, it didn't take long that I started to get a little bored. One day, I was reorganizing one of our storage warehouses and came across the cart molds. I thought maybe this was the time for me to build one for myself and see what the vending business was all about. So, I had the molds brought in to our factory and sat down and made a few changes to bring them up to today's standards, and from there went a bit further in quality. I figured maybe it would be fun for my wife and I to go out a couple weekends a month, and do some events and shows, while making some extra money.
I chose to make a lemonade cart first, equipped with everything convenient, to prepare quality glasses of lemonade, quickly and efficiently. We did our first Arts and Crafts show. It was a Fourth of July weekend. I figured I would bring enough lemons to sell a hundred glasses of lemonade that day. I was concerned that many of those 100 lemons would go to waste, and thought that I had brought way too many for my first time out. Little did I realize, I was to get the surprise of my life. Within five minutes of the shows 10 AM opening, we were making and selling lemonade. The pace quickly picked up and both Pam and myself were working vigorously, trying to keep up with the line that was getting longer behind our cart. I couldn't believe it, and thought, why didn't I do this 30 years earlier?
Just before noon, we were running out of lemons, so I sent Pam to the store to get more. She got back and I was completely out and had to take a break, leaving more business to the other lemonade person who was at the same event. She went to three local grocery stores and cleaned them all out of lemons. Anyway, we made it through the show and at 5 PM, it ended. We were exhausted but had a pocket full of cash! We had sold a total of 240 glasses of lemonade at $5 a glass!
Simple math, folks.
Total Expenses
Space Rental: $50
Gas: $30
Lemons: $72
32 oz Cups, Lids, Straws: $53
Ice: $10
Bottled Water: $25
Sugar: $12
Cost Total: $252
Gross Income
Price of Lemonade: $5/glass
Number Sold: 240 glasses
Income Total: $1200
Final Balance
Gross Income: $1200
Total Expenses: $252
Florida Sales Tax (7%): $84
Net Profit: $864 NOT TOO BAD FOR A DAYS WORK!
Since that memorable day, we have expanded our cart business to over twenty carts that vend everything from popcorn to cotton candy and even a new fully-mobile pizza trailer, and a second is in the works.
I resurrected Big Top Carts in late 2008 and made them available for the first time direct to the US consumer. We can offer you the ability to own your own business and control your own identity, be your own boss, set your own schedule, sell what you want to sell, work as much or as little as you choose. You can use Big Top Carts to supplement your income for that little bit extra spending money. How about starting a whole new career and providing a good income for you and your family to live from? If you are fortunate like Pam and myself, maybe your kids will join in. It's a great thing to have the whole family together, and making a living to boot!
Well, I told you my story and I can tell you none of it is fiction. If you enter this site with the attitude that I will work hard, be courteous to my customers, make good products, and are willing to give up a few weekends a year, you too will be able to write your own version of my story. Who knows? Your story may have an even more lucrative ending...
Sincerely,
Tony Castronovo
President
Big Top Concession Carts
S u c c e s s i s D e f i n e d b y D i v e r s i t y
In today's day and age you need to be able to move and change at a fast pace to gain the competitive edge. We designed Big Top Carts to give you the ability to change your carts venue in literally minutes. In these times we never quite know what to expect from one show to another, let us show you the versatility of using a Big Top concession cart in your business plan.
