Apparently the Health Department has this...I don't know...thing about how you can't own/operate a pub out of your place of residence. Personally, I don't know what the big deal is. I mean, I've been serving alcohol out of my apartment for years...is it really so horrible that I decided I actually wanted to get some of that money back after all this time?
Sigh.
So if you haven't guessed by now, the business that I was trying to start up has come to a grinding halt. I still hesitate to officially call it quits, but since my financial backers at the Powerball failed to come through for me last week, I'm afraid the end is in sight. And I have to admit, I am a little more upset at the prospect of not seeing this to fruition than I thought I would be. I guess I never stopped to consider how much time, energy and emotion I already invested into my project. The worst part wasn't just coming home the evening I got the news and seeing all of my materials on the table, all of my samples, and realizing there was nowhere for everything to go but in the dumpster; but the fact that I had absolutely nothing to talk about, nothing to do, and nothing to plan for the business for the first time in weeks. I mean, this was never going to really be anything more than a nights/weekend type of thing; I wasn't going to become a multi-bajillionaire or anything, but it was mine. It took almost 5 years to finally come up with something I thought I could actually turn into a business of my own - and in one swift email it was all gone.
Yes, 5 years. I know, I know...despite my outwardly apparent quick-wittedness, I can't always be creative at the speed of genius. I mean, I've had other ideas for businesses. They just haven't always seemed especially viable.
For example: I came up with this ingenious idea to park my pickup truck outside my friendly neighborhood IKEA on Saturdays and Sundays and just lie in wait. Inevitably you come across the couple who drove to the store in their Prius just to "look around" and winds up leaving with an entire bedroom set. Prius + IKEA = waiting 3 days for your furniture to arrive. So here's where I jump into action. For a small fee, Pick-Up Chicks can load your purchases in the bed of the truck and follow you home. Problem: for the folks that only bought a bookcase or a table, I probably would stand there and watch that poor couple try to figure out the dynamics of furniture boxes versus usable square footage in a Prius and enjoy a good laugh for at least 20 minutes before walking up to offer the company services. Potential customers tend to not do business with company owners that point and laugh at their own lack of judgment.
I know someone who once had this great idea to open a Laundromat/Strip Club. You walk in, throw your clothes in a washer and pick up a timer. You're notified when it's time to move everything from the washer to the dryer and then once everything is dry. Fluffers and Fold, it could be called. Course truth be told, this probably works out better on paper than in real life. Despite the fact that wives want their husbands to help out with the housework, this is probably not what they have in mind. You probably should come home with sparkly clean laundry - not laundry with sparkles on it.
So back to the drawing board. I can't say that I'll give up on the idea of creating a new business idea - but at the lightning fast pace at which I develop ideas, it could take me a while yet. Honestly I still have a little bit of let-down to work through after this first failed venture. I'll get over it and bounce back, but it'll take just a wee bit longer I think.
Meanwhile, if you know of anyone who could use about 100 pint glasses, 50 shot glasses and a few hundred coasters that say "Gina's Brew HaHaus" on 'em....just let me know. All the other...um...inventory has been properly disposed of.
