breakfast buffet idea wins imo

whatever business you do find something similar and see if it is doing well. then go there alot and make of list of what you can do better. if your list is long enough than you might have something.

Late night pizza shop. seriously. (see Mesa Pizza at UofMinnesota) its out the door at 2 AM after bar closes, its easy to eat on the go, you dont have to sit down but could make a chill hang out type area since you have the space..

also, it is a specialty za shop that has like mac and cheese pizza, philly cheese za, burrito, quesadilla za, like 20 more, as well..

I could probably find their contact info if you're interested. let me know.

pawn shop


+1 on the 24hr breakfast though .... there were a couple within walking distance from my univ in the plazas and they absolutely dominated. I-net access and get an espresso bar for all the hard cores who don't sleep.

Not sure on anything drinking related ... well at least from my experience all of the nearby pubs that weren't old school dives would be faddish and go in/out of trendiness and usually busto.

IF you can find a hole-in-the-wall in an area with lots of bars & clubs & walking traffic, open up a dive that sells cheap $2 drafts and bottle beer only--$2.25 domestic / $3 imports. Add a guy grilling killer $5 hamburgers, $3 dogs, and frying HUGE $5 plates of fresh cut fries. Play great music, hire hot waitresses, keep it simple, keep it small, and keep it $ all. The key is to find a place that allows outdoor seating, and where your rent won't take all your profits.

100% agree with the breakfast place in a college town, thing is you would have to be open 24/7 and deliver at all hours. You listed a bunch of restaurants in your town but think about it...what does a drunk/stoned college student want more than anything at 3am...bacon and eggs with cheeze involved somehow.

At least this is what I personally crave. And like others have pointed out it would be low startup cost and could turn great profits if done correctly.

Just know how to cater to your age group...have good deals that will actually get the attention of the student body...if you get them talkin about the super deal you have on tuesdays your restaurant will be on their mind on the weekends to.

The colleges in my area had something called campus dollars. Students could get money put on their University ID card and they could swipe it at various restaurants on and off campus. I'm sure the college in your area has something like it too. If you go with the restaurant idea, I would look into reaching some sort of deal with the school to accept these dollars if possible.

A lot of parents feel more comfortable giving their broke student kids campus dollars than real money.

Why is the breakfast idea so popular? When I was in college people stayed up until 3 am drinking and skipped all the early classes. Then again I suppose it depends on if your school is known for it's partying.


BTW delivery is annoying and difficult, try to make it an extra to the business and not required. Your carryout location should be prime!

YO OP, UCSB grad.

First some notes to above posts:
1) A gym is not the greatest idea cause like 70% of the population in the town have free membership to a baller university gym less than 1 mile away.
2) While late night pizza could work the town is already monopolized by two of the greatest pizza joints around and simply a 3rd just wouldnt cut it.
3) Keg delivery was outlaws in 2004
4) theres already 2 off campus book shops/copy shops

But srsly, just open another bar. That would make a total of 3; but heres the thing.
Study hall is chill and all but way too small an no seating.
Dubs on the other hand has tons of seating but is way sleazy; you know cloth couches that reak off beer, they use half the bar as storage (by the air hockey), the beer prices are way to expensive and the staff is/was often rude.

Do what you know best and open a bar; there is a law that makes it close at midnight, but sersiously who cares. There is low risk (being that nothing spoils, you wont really ever be understaffed, and youll never hate going to work).

ps what building? the karate one or javans?

pm me if u need more ideas or have Qs i thought about this crap for years but decided to venture south for awhile after i graduated.

there is no mountains with in 4 hrs of santa barbara, there is already 2 bike shops, and there not a huge market in disc golf (though a popular sport you can only sell so many disks)


And a medical shop is a terrible idea, theres already more ganja in the town than you can imagine and the university would never allow it. (yes the university has juristiction over the town, its hard to explain... but they do.

Randomly opening a small business is a terrible idea BTW. Like you see a building think "Man, great location." and now you can open a successful business?

You are talking about Mr. Pickles as the shop that is for sale? For any of the ideas kicked around the Breakfast place is best. Have you been to Cajun Kitchen? Something like that - just good, cheap food quick.

no, but were talking about a town thats 95% white/asian and 95% of those kids parets make 150k+ year (prolly 20% making over 200k easily). The competition is something ppl in BFI do not understand so dont let them rain on your parade.

*major franchieses or fast food palces are not allowd in this town (only ones there are a subway and starbuck).

im suprised to hear its the pickles place, but yea i mean who wants a 8$ sandwhich when theres much better food/beer options around.

theres only been 2 or 3 failed business in this town in the past 7-8years and they mostly faild because the staff/hours/attitude of the business sucked.

Whatever man. Clearly you've found Mecca for small biz. So I guess it shouldn't even matter what you open. It'll print money regardless. (PS: Why is the building for lease?)

well in all fairness i should say the reason a lot of ppl dont want to run a business there, and specificly why i chose to venture south, is the cost of living is through the roof. I cant find the COLA calculations the median house price is $979,500. Just from expierence gas is 15% higher than LA just (50 miles south) and there is no walmart or target like stores so everything is bought at a premium.

so when i say its really hard for a business to fail im not too far off imo but at the same time its hard to get ahead there in the long run and you aint gunna make a killing either.

if anyone wants to open a restaurant delivery and online marketing service or thinks it would be good in their college market let me know..we have them in 4 college towns, austin, ann arbor, bloomington, and madison with 2 more coming. we deliver for chilis and fridays along with the local restaurants and are looing for good markets to get into. its called straight2yourdoor.com if anyone wants to learn about it, leave a message in the contact us..if your interested

jason

This post is full of fail.

Your lack of understanding of fundamental economics paired with your erroneous understanding of the market all but ensures that you are not going to succeed in this venture.

late night hookah bar ftw w/ good cheap food.