ruuning a business like a snack bar or massage out of RV?

[steveh2112]

hi, does anyone know the rules if we want to run a snack bar, mini restaurant and/or Thai massage place out of our RV in national and state parks and other RV campgrounds?

thanks, steve

[GoneCamping]

The Rod & Reel repair may have more redeeming qualities than a portable massage parlor, but I think you'd run into the same (or similar) problems with license and tax purposes...

[Community Alumni]

steveh2112 wrote:
ok, i get the message, it was a stupid idea

thanks

No this is not a stupid question and you may be on to something here with the massage. As far as the snack bar and mini restaurant I am not sure how you could get around the health and safety rules and the contracts that other vendors already have in the national parks.
The massage idea at truck stops may be doable but not out of the RV as that may draw a negative response or thoughts about what was going on in the RV. But I have seen some truck stops with services such as Chiropractors, Churches and a Tattoo Business. (See Midway Truck Stop in Missouri). They also so have restaurants so a job as a cook may be possible if you like to cook. Do a Google search on truck stop massage and a lot comes up.
You would need a contract with the property owner and you may be able to travel from place to place on a schedule of some type to fill in the need where needed something like the traveling nurses.
Anyway do not give up on the dream or idea this is the USA and a lot is possible here.
Good Luck

JimR

[TXcampingfamily]

An internet business would be best. Most people who run businesses out of their rv are internet based. If you just want to sell out of your rv, I would think you need a business that would meet more of everybody's needs in an Rv park. Rv repairs, maybe those personalized camping signs.

[Dick_A]

Moved from Campgrounds to Workamping

[westernrvparkow]

bigred1cav wrote:
OK< I have a question. How do you think a rod & reel repair and rod making business would go in camping areas?

It would great IF there was someone with a broken rod or reel. But you take a campground with 100 Sites, maybe 20 of the guests are fisherman at all, only about 10% of those are serious fisherman, willing to pay to repair a rod or reel instead of going and buying another Zebco 202 combo pack. Of those 2 guests, the odds that any of them have a broken rod or reel is about 1 in 100, or a 2% chance of getting any business. Put another way, if the park changes over every night, you would get a customer every 50 days if everyone in the park new about your venture. Not very profitable. Now, maybe you could go to a park in a fishing rich area and advertise your services on craigslist and the like, but the odds are pretty good there will be established shops competing with you. Best bet for to make a living repairing rods and reels is online service where they send the equipment to you, you repair it and send it back. Price it right and advertise in the right venues, you might have a business. But it is competitive and you will be hampered by the fact the top line rods and reels have lifetime guarantees, so you won't be seeing those. And do you really have the skills and experience to say you can repair a broken fly rod that cost $500 to $2000 and make it like new? If you tried and failed, you would have one mad hornet of a customer to deal with.

[bigred1cav]

Dyngbld wrote:

bigred1cav wrote:
OK< I have a question. How do you think a rod & reel repair and rod making business would go in camping areas?

If I had the talent I would do repairs for nothing. Maybe offer custom made rods for a price. But then I am a horrible businessman.

I can do both. How would you let people know?

[Dyngbld]

bigred1cav wrote:
OK< I have a question. How do you think a rod & reel repair and rod making business would go in camping areas?

If I had the talent I would do repairs for nothing. Maybe offer custom made rods for a price. But then I am a horrible businessman.

[bigred1cav]

OK< I have a question. How do you think a rod & reel repair and rod making business would go in camping areas?

[NoVa_RT]

You can have a food truck type set-up that also has some RV features. For all the reasons previously cited, you'd probably have to focus on doing business away from campgrounds. The Class B Forum has a long thread about a Sprinter converted into a frozen yogurt van. That was in Australia, and it appears that the RV features were intended more for traveling to business opportunities rather than camping. That may be a more feasible business model.

[2oldman]

I think he's got it.

[SDcampowneroper]

Business activity requires inspection, licensure, state and federal tax numbers. If you could obtain all of these, it is still unlikely that any private retail property owner or service provider would allow you to operate on their land for liability reasons without paying a fee to them, as a concessionaire, in addidition to site fee.
A local small business must have, and give, the trust and support of other businesses for mutual cooperation. There is an unwritten social trust between small business owners to respect each others endeavour, to not infringe on it until an absence of service is apparent.
No, this is not Thialand where there are few government rules. Here , There are government rules and social graces protecting health and safety of consumers.

[Opie431]

Sorry but I do not think the massage idea will work either.

[trailertraveler]

Executive wrote:
You could probably do the massage thing out of your RV at truck stops and/or rest areas....:B:B:B.....Dennis

I remember stopping at a truck stop and asking permission to overnight in the truck lot in the RV. The manager said that they and the police did not allow RV's in the truck lot because of all the rolling brothels and drug dens. He showed me where to park in the back of the car parking lot across multiple spaces parallel to the curb.

I would think having customers coming and going from an RV would draw attention pretty quickly.

[DutchmenSport]

steveh2112 wrote:
ok, i get the message, it was a stupid idea

thanks

No, it's not a stupid idea, nor a bad question. That's what these forums are for, to ask questions and get advise, and pass on knowledge.

The only "stupid" question is the one never asked...

A lot of fantastic brain-storm idea were birth right here