What business would you open if you had infinite money?

[Tnwagn]

This is a hypothetical situation I have to come up with some ideas for. I have my own, but would like to hear what other ideas there are out there. While I'm up for out of the box thinking, be reasonable with your suggestions.

The rules are

1. You have basically unlimited initial money. I'm not talking Richard Branson, build your own space program money, but enough to get just about any business on its feet.
2. It will be located in an area around a college. This means that the average person that will be frequenting the business will be college-aged. It is also located in a downtown area as well as next to a large river.
3. The idea for your business has to be something that is feasible. While a 24/7 shop where you could get the most kick ass aardvark food available might seem cool, that isn't something that would be able to keep its doors open very long.
4. It has to offer something that isn't already offered in the area. Sure, a bar is a fine idea and can rake in money, but there are already a hundred bars in the area. Same thing with a bank, we have enough.
5. It has to be legal.

So, given these rules, what are some out the box ideas you all have for a business. Make sure to give some explanation (Don't just say you want to open a Grilled Cheese only restaurant, give me some reasons why it's a good idea and how it would work).

['93CB7Ex]

junkyard or used auto parts business.

keep the prices low so the college kids will become interested in fixing there own shit and saving money.

id keep the place on a small scale to start to get an idea of the amount money to be made in that area. if it succeeds great. if it fails, then its not much lost and move on elsewhere.

i'd also process the cars to the furthest extent. all the metals separate, wiring removed, all usable parts removed etc. get the most money out the car before it goes to the shredder.

But I think that if the part prices where low to start to bring business for a few years, you could raise them 2-3% once you have that business base so far.

[sulimed]

call it me being a dick but......... if i had infinite money. i'd be building cars and making babies

[Hopeless]

social hangout/home cooked food joint w/ bar and/or cafe.

id prefer to have a quieter place, so itd be more mature oriented. things like drink specials that run from 4:30pm to 7:00pm, where people just getting off work or out of class can sit down and have a couple drinks before calling their friends/significant others etc to go out or do whatever.


In the morning focus on simple on the go style breakfast like chicken/sausage biscuits

in the afternoon/evening focus on easily turned around foods such a burgers, hotdogs, grilled/fried chicken sandwhiches, fries, and onion rings.

utilize 1 or 2 daily lunch and supper special based on a type of comfort food with first come first serve and once out is no longer offered until the next day..

things like red beans and rice , bbq chicken quarters with homemade mac and cheese/mashed potatoes/rice dressing, bbq pork/brisket sandwhiches, soups cooked from fresh ingredients daily.

have more of a lounge type atmosphere but well lit, most seating arrangements for 2-4 people , smaller tables, couple booths, and maybe something like small couches/lounge chairs with coffee style tables.

offer free wifi, tv or 2 with morning news or important/local sporting events.

establish a good rep with the university by holding dinners that send proceeds to an alumni, business college or athletic fund, and repping the university fanfare on the wall, student ID based discounts, etc.

operate from 6-7 in the morning to 10-11 in the evening.

thats just off of the top of my head without really really digging deep into laws and other stipulations that may come with being close to a particular college, or actually sitting down and heavily planning something.

[dhill_cb7]

If the money was unlimited I would have to say a beer distributor/liquor store depending on which state you are in. It would have all the exotic brands and yes unfortunately the cheap brands too for those college kids. I would then have a bar included and employ all college students. Drop the prices on things the college students will drink and they will never forget where the "cheapest" is.

Then for the people who do not like the cheapest I would have everything else reasonably priced. I mean it would take a lot of money to get an establishment up and running and well respected in an area.

[deevergote]

I assume that the infinite money for startup is ONLY for the business, and can't be taken for personal use. Otherwise, why start a business?!

Is the infinite money startup capital only? Like, once the business is up and running, would I no longer have access to unlimited funds? That's the biggest issue with a business... not just startup money, but having enough to stay afloat until the business becomes profitable. In this scenario, too much startup capital would defeat the purpose of making the business profitable, and too little will make it difficult to survive long enough.



Anyway, assuming I have as much as it takes to get a business up and running and past the unprofitable stage... I would open a bar. In a college area, a bar will ALWAYS be successful (as long as the owner is smart enough not to get shut down for serving minors!) I'd have a small stage for bands to play.

[deevergote]

If the money was unlimited I would have to say a beer distributor/liquor store depending on which state you are in. It would have all the exotic brands and yes unfortunately the cheap brands too for those college kids. I would then have a bar included and employ all college students. Drop the prices on things the college students will drink and they will never forget where the "cheapest" is.

Then for the people who do not like the cheapest I would have everything else reasonably priced. I mean it would take a lot of money to get an establishment up and running and well respected in an area.

You can always tell a PA resident, with your weird state-owned liquor stores and privately owned beer distributors!

I love that I can go into just one store in NJ, pick up a 6 pack of a microbrew, a bottle of whiskey, and a keg for a party in a single visit. Of course, we can't buy beer at pizza shops or convenience stores.

Sorry for the
Back on track!

[chessboxer]

2 chicks at the same time.

Oh, wait.

[Leung]

I'd open a beer garden. Since this is an old German neighborhood, people would probably flock to it, otherwise an ice cream shop. There's only one around here besides the gas station that serves ice cream. I figured it'd give something for the families to walk to with their families during the summer time.

[stewie]

id open a casino with a restaurant and a night club inside it...

legal drinking age in canada is 19, so almost all college students will be able to go there and drink and gamble while on their lunch breaks...after an exam...to kill a friday night....or go for a quick bite to eat during lunch or for dinner with a gf or friends..

sure theres a chance that i might lose some money due to kids winning....but the ammount id lose is far less then what id be raking in.

[deevergote]

2 chicks at the same time.

Oh, wait.

[crazymikey]

Pep Boys with an extra large ricer section.

[Tnwagn]

Thanks for all the ideas guys, keep them coming

junkyard or used auto parts business.

A good idea, however people don't have anywhere to work on cars in this area. You have to remember, most colleges sell more parking passes than spots available. Perhaps this idea would do better if it included areas where people could work on their cars free of charge. That way, the people would almost be forced to buy the parts since the garage space is free.

social hangout/home cooked food joint w/ bar and/or cafe.

This is a good idea. Unfortunately, we already have something like this around town. It has done very well, so take that as validation that your idea was good

If the money was unlimited I would have to say a beer distributor/liquor store depending on which state you are in.

Unfortunately, TN law only allows business to either sell beer or liquor, not both.

I assume that the infinite money for startup is ONLY for the business, and can't be taken for personal use. Otherwise, why start a business?!

... I would open a bar.

The infinite money is just for startup costs. Obviously, we could assume there would be a small overlap to bridge the gap between startup and money-making, but there isn't a flow of money coming in to keep the business alive after that period.

A bar is a good idea, but we have plenty of bars. If there was to be a bar, it would have to be something completely different to encourage people to frequent it and not some already established drinking hole.

Our main idea is a bar/laundromat. College students have a huge need for washing clothes, as campus housing usually has ~4 washers to handle and entire building. Being able to down a few cold ones with friends or strangers while waiting on clothes to finish would be magical.

I'd open a beer garden.

There is a beer garden just down the road and it is doing well. It is, without a doubt, my favorite place to go to drink.

id open a casino with a restaurant and a night club inside it..

Casino would be perfect, but unfortunately it is against the law.

[deevergote]

Bar/Laundromat would be awesome... until you had to clean puke out of the machines!

[dhill_cb7]

Yuck.....But deev whats up with the PA comment haha? Is it really that noticeable?

But i may include an auto repair shop? You drink at the bar walk/ get a cab, you come in as my employee(student) the next day and work on your car. Sounds like a good deal to me!