April 2017 | Business View Magazine

126 127 Preferred vendor n Coastal Sunbelt www.coastalsunbelt.com Good Stuff Eatery (andWe the Pizza) Both Harvey and Catherine say that they have turned down offers from investors who have wanted to buy them out or buy pieces of the company, but their interest re- mains in finding franchisees who want to run their own operations. “We said ‘No!’ to a lot of big money people,” Catherine states. “We’re looking for people that have been in, and know, the restaurant business.We’ re a family-run business and our franchisees feel like they’re part of our family.We sold an area to a gentleman in Saudi Arabia –he bought the rights for Good Stuff in Saudi and our entire family went to Saudi for the opening.We take a lot of pride in our brand.” Harvey explains that he works closely with new franchi- sees in order to find the best locations for their restau- rants. “We have to agree on location,” he says. “So, we work together in that respect. We check it out and make sure it’s correct for price, for return, for size, etc.– all the parameters that are necessary to have a successful restaurant. The quality of the building– that’s the first thing. Then, we dis- cuss accounting.We have a special accounting application on a weekly basis. Every week, all of the information is prepared and made avail- able – sales, payroll, and costs. So, we can take a look and see how successful the restaurant has been during the week. If there’s a problem, you catch it in one day rather than waiting a month to find out you’re behind the eight ball.We arm our franchisee with the different percentages in payroll, in food costs, in expenses –we have it down to a science.” Ever the accountant, Harvey further touts the economic benefits of becoming a Good Stuff Eatery or We the Pizza franchisee. “I specialize in tax savings and this business offers an op- portunity,” he explains.“You build one and you can write off just about a hundred percent of it. And now, you’re into your second year and the profits you make, you don’t pay taxes till the third or fourth year. So, it’s almost an impetus to open a second location before the end of the second year, because you can carry losses backwards and forwards. So, you have an opportunity to build a business and make yourself a lot of money.” Great food, great profits, and a dedication to great preparation all combine to create a win- ning recipe for the Good Stuff Eatery and We the Pizza. Sunbelt Produce Coastal We make it happen . www.CoastalSunbelt.com You’ll soon realize why hospitality and food service leaders in the Mid Atlantic rely on Coastal Sunbelt Produce. Give us a try! 9001 Whiskey Bottom Road Laurel, MD 20723 410.799.8000 CoastalSunbelt CoastalSunbeltProduce @Coastal_Sunbelt