Mac's Burger Shack

Since traditional lending has fallen way short of my goal I now turn to crowd funding..I am creating a craft burger joint called Mac's Burger Shack..whose main goal is to hire capable, willing homless veterans and women.
To do what needs to be done, what needs to ensure that, as a vet, no brother or sister in arms will be another statistic or will ever have to hear, " What has it got to do with me. " The  goal of this project is to put people to work NOW, this campaign is not about virtual reality, its not a joke about potato salad, its not about a watch with 3 faces, it about work, pride, dignity and self worth.
I am willing to do what so many talk about doing or throw money at programs,THIS IS NOT A PROGRAM. THIS IS THE TRUE SENSE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. All I am doing is to doing unto other how I pray they will do unto me, to all of us.
To build something, to be apart of something bigger than oneself, you too can be  that funding this project will be something your friends and family will be very proud your a part of. For at Mac's Burger Shack we employ and empower the homeless " One burger at a time."
The story is about caring, about wanting to be the boss I never had.

It starts in San Diego where I got in trouble for helping a fellow vet, who was homeless at the time,  with food that was a mistake order, thats very experience lead me to want to be a leader of compassion and a owner of my own business. Which leads me to want to open a burger joint, which is to make money yet have a compassion factor of wanting to hire homeless veterans, to take advantage of the countless years of leadership, training, motivation and dedication that all veterans have deeply ingrained in them, would want to tap that and empower them to restore their greater sense of self.

This venture will be my chance to say thank you to fellow vets in a true tangible way and to be a living and working example of the credo  " Leave no man behind." Having made contact with agencies who deal with the homeless population, will be used as a information where house and using them to screen potential candidates to work as staff in the venture, only to make sure that they are willing , capable and have some basic food and  or customer service skills
 
 The staff will be very much involved, right down to the style and color of the employee uniforms !  Staff will be helping to create a place of true customers service and value and not just another example of a consultant hired to follow a trend, A true burger joint, one where tradition, value and community are not just marketing buzz words. A place where atmosphere and ambiance are simple and to the point. not trendy but comfortable... 

As most know starting even the smallest of eateries takes money, most of the equipment will be used or re-furbished to cut down on spending and the most conservative estimate by two place here in Springfield, Missouri; Fellers and D Cloud would be at the very least 22,700$ and the rest would go to 

rent:min. 2,200$ Including deposit

utilities. min,3,200$ to be started

insurance: 1,200$

advertising:1,800$

Food supply from the local Sam's Club( cheaper than food service vendors)  4,000$

To ensure I maintain employee retention and longevity I will make their pay 3.00$ more than the local market for hourly position in  the food service sector, will make it a point to close on Sundays and Thanksgiving and always on Christmas. 

 Wanting to stay with local vendors and having many give a verbal and written commitment once the location had been selected, completely making a strong effort to make it sustainable and competitive. Working with many of the local college marketing departments and for fresh new eyes to ensure that I meet the criteria and challenges and answer best I can any and all question concerning a life long passion and dream.

My own experience come from owning my own catering firm back in San Diego, started with a pick-up truck, 5 dollars in quarters and a small kitchen in my condo. Having worked and managed everything from chain  Italian restaurants to Midwest Bar-b-Que to East Coast fried chicken shacks to West Coast bay area seafood to Hash houses.and the ever present truck stop greasy spoon.
 
Risks & Challenges
Condition of the properties will always be a challenge and any work to bring it to code works against a timely opening as well
the location. The other challenge would be that the area may see another burger joint as a possible glut of fast food places.


With 3 location having been picked out there is the chance by the time funding comes though, one of the 3 could no longer be available. staying in constant contact with area commercial real estate agents and having them alert me of any deals or closing or property owners in search of a venture that will fit their needs as well mine when it comes to affordable food service ready spaces

Other Ways You Can Help
ANY ONE WHO HAS EVER HAD A DISABILITY KNOWS THAT GETTING THE WORD OUT IS IMPORTANT TO BEAT THE STEREOTYPES THAT WE FIGHT AGAINST, MINE OF COURSE IS BI-POLAR AND AS A COMBAT VETERAN PTSD..SO PLEASE  ,IF NOTHING ELSE SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT WHAT COULD BE THE LAST GREAT SINGLE OWNER BURGER JOINT  IN THE MIDWEST. THANK YOU.