Snail business
"Starting a business, it sounds easy, but nowadays, it's tough to do any kind of business," remarked Chen Yu.
Chen Yu paused for a moment; this phrase sounded strangely familiar, as if it could be applied anytime.
"What are you thinking?" Zhang Wenxiu asked.
"Nothing, Mom. Who said that it's tough to do business? Look at Uncle Da, he's doing great in his business."
"Are you suggesting that your dad should start a clothing business?"
"Clothing business is an option, but it requires a considerable amount of capital and inventory turnover. Let's not consider that."
"Capital turnover, inventory... Xiaoyu, do you understand all this?"
Zhang Wenxiu was surprised.
"Mom, it's not that hard to understand. I even understand how to build an atomic bomb."
"You're getting cocky just after a compliment, talking about atomic bombs. How about you make a tea egg bomb for me?"
"Erm..."
Tears welled up in Chen Yu's eyes. He knew the principles of an atomic bomb, but when it came to making a tea egg bomb, he had no clue.
"Mom, why do you always change the topic? But speaking of tea eggs, you're right. Clothing might not be the best option. How about we venture into the food industry?"
"Food industry?"
"Yes, Mom, your cooking skills are amazing. Running a food business would be profitable."
"Do you really think a food business is profitable?"
"Absolutely! Our teacher said that the economy is booming, people's living standards are improving rapidly, and food is a top priority. Running a food business is definitely profitable."
"Your teacher said that too?"
Zhang Wenxiu glanced at Chen Simian. Originally, they had considered running a food business, but they hadn't expected their son to suggest it as well.
However, thinking about their limited funds, they shook their heads. "You don't understand. Starting a restaurant now requires a significant investment. You need to rent a space and purchase kitchen equipment. Plus, there's a lot of competition. If you don't have enough customers, you'll incur losses."
"Mom, please let me finish."
Seeing his mother's expression, Chen Yu knew he had guessed right. His parents were actually considering opening a small restaurant.
"Alright, go on."
"Mom, have you calculated how much it would cost to start a restaurant now?"
"Depending on the size, a small one would require around 20,000 yuan, while a larger one might need 50,000 to 60,000 yuan. Of course, there are even larger and more upscale ones that would cost hundreds of thousands."
"It seems like Mom wants to open a large restaurant costing hundreds of thousands."
Chen Yu chuckled.
Alright, he would definitely help his mother achieve that dream in the future.
"Don't tease your mom."
"No, really. Mom, I think you've got it wrong. I believe the initial investment doesn't need to be 20,000 yuan. It could be done with less, perhaps even below 10,000 yuan. If we're frugal, we can manage it with less than 10,000 yuan."
"Less than 10,000 yuan? Consider rent, kitchen equipment, and renovation; it would easily amount to 20,000 to 30,000 yuan. How can we manage with less than 10,000 yuan? It seems like you, a high school student, only know theoretical knowledge. Alright, you're just like this. You only know what's in books. Alright, your dad has finished eating, and I have to clean up."
Seeing that Chen Yu was just talking nonsense, Zhang Wenxiu stood up to clear the dishes.
"Mom, don't rush. What I meant by less than 10,000 yuan is not a random claim. If we're not opening a large-scale restaurant or a breakfast shop for students, we can consider running a small snack shop."
"A snack shop?"
Chen Simian, who had been silent all this time, interjected, "A snack shop? Are you thinking of selling spicy snails?"
"No, it's not spicy snails, but it's somewhat similar," Chen Yu replied.
"What is it then?"
"River snails," Chen Yu finally got to the point after all the buildup.
River snails, also known as screw shells, were a common dish found in many late-night eateries, including those that served spicy hot pot and restaurants, because of their delicious and spicy flavor, which was beloved by many customers.
"Fried river snails?" Chen Simian asked.
"Yes, exactly. Fried river snails," Chen Yu confirmed.
"You mean you'd only sell fried river snails?" Chen Simian inquired.
"Yes, that's right, only fried river snails," Chen Yu nodded.
Chen Simian shook his head. "I think it's a bad idea. There are already so many places selling fried river snails. Why would anyone come to us specifically?"
Chen Simian thought Chen Yu was just a child and not taking things seriously. He believed that it was best to save enough money first before opening a restaurant.
"Dad, you shouldn't underestimate it. There are a lot of people who love eating fried river snails. Mom, do you like fried river snails?"
"I do like them, but if you only sell fried river snails and others offer a variety of dishes, how can you compete with them?"
"Mom, you need to change your perspective. While others might have fried river snails as an additional item on their menu, we would specialize in them. We can definitely offer a more professional and specialized experience."
Chen Yu wasn't just talking nonsense. In his previous life, a restaurant in the county town started by specializing in river snails, and it quickly became a sensation. The restaurant even registered a trademark and had dozens of franchisees.
However, Chen Simian didn't seem to grasp the concept at the moment and shook his head, clearly not convinced. But Zhang Wenxiu, who was beside them, seemed to understand something and asked, "Xiaoyu, when you say specializing in river snails, do you mean something like a specialized clothing store?"
"Haha, Mom, you're so clever. Just as I thought, you're the smartest in the family. Yes, that's exactly what I mean. I want to create a river snail specialty store, similar to a specialized clothing store. Once we establish this river snail specialty shop, anyone craving river snails will think of our store first."
With this clarification, Chen Simian began to think more seriously. "A specialty river snail store, where people come to us whenever they want to eat river snails?"
Although river snails were different from clothing, in essence, they were quite similar. Just like specialized clothing stores, which attracted customers looking for specific items, a river snail specialty store could create a niche market and build a strong brand identity.
Because it specializes, it becomes more professional.
Because it's more professional, it attracts more customers.
"Wenxiu, what do you think?" Chen Simian looked at Zhang Wenxiu.
Zhang Wenxiu didn't respond immediately but asked, "Xiaoyu, your idea is good, but a bowl of river snails costs only 3 yuan, and the profit margin is low. How do we make money?"
"Mom, it's true that the profit margin for river snails is low. However, even with low margins, it can add up significantly with a large number of customers. Just think about it, if we have 100, 200, or 300 people coming to eat our river snails, how much can we earn?"
Currently, it was a different time compared to the future, and the cost of living was low. Earning 100 yuan a day was considered a high wage. If hundreds of people came to eat river snails, they could easily earn more than 200 yuan a day just from selling river snails. This was undoubtedly more profitable than running a regular restaurant. And that was just the baseline.
"100, 200... Are there really that many people?" Zhang Wenxiu asked in disbelief.
"Absolutely, I guarantee it. Moreover, Mom, even though we specialize in river snails, we can also sell beverages. Think about it, river snails are delicious but spicy. After eating for about ten minutes, our customers will definitely want to drink something. They might even drink more than one bottle. Besides beverages, we can also add some alcoholic drinks. You see, isn't the profit coming in?" Chen Yu explained.
"Beverages, alcoholic drinks..." Zhang Wenxiu remained silent, but she was already calculating the potential profits in her mind.
"Old Chen, what do you think?" Chen Simian took a puff of his cigarette, contemplated for a while, and just when he was about to express his thoughts, he suddenly turned to Chen Yu and said, "Alright, Xiaoyu, go back to your room and study. Your mom and I have some other things to discuss."
"Oh, okay," Chen Yu obediently nodded.
Although his parents hadn't made any commitments yet, he knew they were considering it seriously.