Not A Bad Little Earner

[khunandy]

Lads,

If you own a house on a main village road and have the facilities to open a small business consider an "ice cream buffet"

Against my better judgement my wife persisted in this enterprise and what a winner it has proven to be. You have to put a few flash bistro table and chairs in and a bit of flash but believe me...if you live in a remote Issan area the young ones will come and spend , it will be a meeting place.

Oh, you also need to sell Jugs of Vodka Ice Slushies to keep them coming back after dark.....honestly , location is a must and the rest is easy PM me if you live more that 20km away ha ha

[Amsterdam]

Lads,

If you own a house on a main village road and have the facilities to open a small business consider an "ice cream buffet"

Against my better judgement my wife persisted in this enterprise and what a winner it has proven to be. You have to put a few flash bistro table and chairs in and a bit of flash but believe me...if you live in a remote Issan area the young ones will come and spend , it will be a meeting place.

Oh, you also need to sell Jugs of Vodka Ice Slushies to keep them coming back after dark.....honestly , location is a must and the rest is easy PM me if you live more that 20km away ha ha

Hello Khunandy,

Just wondering where you get the ice cream from? Can’t the locals get there whisky at any local shop just as easy?

Cheers

Amsterdam

[PaddyThai]

In my wife's village near Chumphae farm incomes are way down for a number of reasons including the recent flooding. My sister in-law has ahairdressing salon in the village and customers are way down. I'm not sure if people, including kids, would have much disposable income.

Sounds like a good idea though.

[Thaddeus]

Any apparently successful business in Isaan will be copied to above saturation levels, that's why on one side of town there are eleven karaoke bars within a few hundred meters, in the town there are five internet/playstation shops and on the other side of town there is an entire stretch of road that can supply nothing but melons.

I haven't seen a melon seller smile for quite some time.

[farangconnection]

Any apparently successful business in Isaan will be copied to above saturation levels, that's why on one side of town there are eleven karaoke bars within a few hundred meters, in the town there are five internet/playstation shops and on the other side of town there is an entire stretch of road that can supply nothing but melons.

I haven't seen a melon seller smile for quite some time.

This sort of trading is or used to be, predominant in Israel. In Tel-Aviv, all the shoe shops were in one street, as were other forms of businesses. Of course I have noticed it here, especially the roadside traders out in the sticks. You find as Thad said a complete stretch of road with nothing but water melons, then a few miles further on another stretch with a different kind of fruit. Then you come to a section with wicker chair salesmen by the dozen. Coming out of Wattana Nakon, there is a shop that sells ornately carved loungers, well not a shop, but about six. On the highway 2 between Korat and Sara Buri, nothing but shops selling garden gnomes ( well everything for the garden) then come the slate merchants. I guess if you go to Khun Andy's village in a couple of months, you will find a stretch of road selling nothing but ice cream.

Edited November 18, 2008 by farangconnection

[lukey1979]

Thanks for the Positive info Andy its always a winner mate to hear of somebody sticking himself into a nice little venture in Thailand especially Issan.

Hats off mate Im also thinking of setting up some kind of business outside of farming in the next couple of years so keep us posted.

Luke.

P.s Most of my Ozzie mates are the most Loud mouthed and racist blokes i have ever met but i still love em. Ease Up on us Pommies!

[khunandy]

The ice cream venture is an extension of the shop we built. The shop is doing good business as we brought in an existing shop owner who lost her premises due to divorce. This works out well as she has a loyal customer base and we can leave on travels etc knowing she is taking care of business.

We threw her a lifeline and she is eternally grateful.

Nestle supply the ice cream fridge , cones ,menus etc and even clean the fridge out when restocking. We sell cheap..only 5 or 7 baht a cone but turn over a lot now the school bus has decided to pick up and drop off outside our place. Sundaes and bowls are more and usually purchased by teenagers and adults, the schoolies just want a taste and a treat.

The vodka slushies are blended with ice , vodka, sugar syrup and fruit concentrate, one jug is 60 baht and drunk from shot glasses...the height of sofistication.

The girls have created a nice relaxed atmosphere and it is popular. We didnt build a premises for this as we had a nice pebble-crete area under the house that was too nice for the car. I too expect other shop owners to buy into the trend but at the moment we arent at the stage of sitting outside with a stick waving down traffic.

[khunandy]

Thanks for the Positive info Andy its always a winner mate to hear of somebody sticking himself into a nice little venture in Thailand especially Issan.

Hats off mate Im also thinking of setting up some kind of business outside of farming in the next couple of years so keep us posted.

Luke.

P.s Most of my Ozzie mates are the most Loud mouthed and racist blokes i have ever met but i still love em. Ease Up on us Pommies!

Lukey,

Thanks for the feedback, regarding the comments made in previous posts...sorry for any offence, just a run of bad days and culture shock back in Oz.

[2008bangkok]

Hopefully they aren't on the vodka slushies before the school bus comes?

[pumpuiman]

Love to see a photo of your establishment.

Good luck to you

[lukey1979]

Thanks for the Positive info Andy its always a winner mate to hear of somebody sticking himself into a nice little venture in Thailand especially Issan.

Hats off mate Im also thinking of setting up some kind of business outside of farming in the next couple of years so keep us posted.

Luke.

P.s Most of my Ozzie mates are the most Loud mouthed and racist blokes i have ever met but i still love em. Ease Up on us Pommies!

Lukey,

Thanks for the feedback, regarding the comments made in previous posts...sorry for any offence, just a run of bad days and culture shock back in Oz.

Haha Dont Andy Im only mucking mate.

Us Brits and Ozzies love to hate each other its all in the banter mate.

Good luck mate and cheers for the heads up it sounds great.

[fred2007]

I just wonder if some one has a good business why tell every body else about it ? I would keep my mouth shut and open more outlets

[blackcountryboing]

Hey Andy,

Still got to meet up sometime mate for a beer... and try some of that Vodka now.

Hope all is well mate

Watch out for that luke... .. just joking ....no hes a mate of mine.

[lukey1979]

Ha small world Dean me old flower!