Mini-Mart in the Moobaan build

**beazalbob69** · 04-02-2013, 09:33 AM

Been in Thailand about 3 weeks now. We (meaning the Wife) had the idea to build a small store attached to the house as the store down the street closed due to the death of the Man who owned it. The wife has also started selling Pa Tong Go every morning out front as nobody else sells it in the village.

I will try to keep this thread updated but internet access blows out here. Only have 3g through my cell right now but might change soon.

Day 2 sorry no day 1 lol.
Reusing old columns from garage that was in the spot previously. Thats the FIL on the right He is a great guy and I get along really well with Him.

This is our house or should I say the In-laws house. It is BIG but unfinished. We are planning to fix it up some more in the future.

Another pic of the columns going up. The guy doing the work is local. Lived in the village all His life. One BIL is working with Him.

More to come when I have a chance. Hope you enjoy!

**somtamslap** · 04-02-2013, 09:35 AM

Good idea. Little shops are unassuming goldmines.

**Thetyim** · 04-02-2013, 09:57 AM

^
or a money pit if you start selling on credit

**beerlaodrinker** · 04-02-2013, 10:00 AM

Yeah, those little Ma & Pa operations could be a nice little earner,any farangs about where you live if so you could stock a bit of farang tucker as well maybe. by the way what is pa tong go ?

**somtamslap** · 04-02-2013, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

or a money pit if you start selling on credit

Only after you have gathered a few years of established clientele should selling on credit be thought about.

Brewing up your own, original Ya-Dong recipe will see the punters flocking in. I know this because I am one of the aforementioned punters.

**poorfalang** · 04-02-2013, 10:06 AM

go for it mate, been there done that, and it works, keeps the missus busy, and it provides a a bit of income, even if is just for your beer addiction, at least you wont have to go hand in pocket,( my advice set rules of credit and who deals with cash).

**Thetyim** · 04-02-2013, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by somtamslap

Brewing up your own, original Ya-Dong recipe will see the punters flocking in.

100% agree with you there and you don't need a license to sell Ya-Dong.

**Norton** · 04-02-2013, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

what is pa tong go

A donut kind of thingy.

**Thetyim** · 04-02-2013, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

by the way what is pa tong go

Where I come from it's pronounced Pat Tan Gor

Great in the morning with coffee

**beerlaodrinker** · 04-02-2013, 11:55 AM

Right, ive seen em in vientiane, punters stick em in with the rice soup, sort of like a greasy donut

**nigelandjan** · 04-02-2013, 12:12 PM

Good luck with it all Beaselb looking forward to the next set of pics .

Those things your missus cooks ,, a couple of years ago when we came back to Thai to visit , we crashed out in a hotel in Udon before going home the next day and my missus got me up at 2am to go to the market opposite to go and buy some ,, must have been jet lag , sure aint pregnant . I thought she called em Chinese cakes or something similar ?

**beazalbob69** · 04-02-2013, 04:26 PM

Some more pics.

Day 3 Finishing up the columns and starting the roof beams.

Gotta love how the Thais improvise "ladder we dont need no stinkin ladder!"

Por's Tak-Tak

We have already discussed the whole credit thing. Wife dont want to do it either but you know how it is here. We will see.

We got the license to sell alcohol and tobacco today took 15 min and 305 baht. People have to sell their 1st born to get an alcohol license back in the US.

The Po Tong Go she sells in the morning is a real money maker after we pay off the initial equipment investment we will get about a 40% profit!

More to come.

**Marmite the Dog** · 04-02-2013, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

I thought she called em Chinese cakes or something similar ?

That sounds more like salabao. That being said, the Midget gets the names of everything wrong. Tough language this Thai is.

**aging one** · 04-02-2013, 05:21 PM

Yeah I remember she had the two mixed up a few months ago. Sala bao is Chinese for sure, but Patanko is Thai. Good but always check the oil they are being done in. Cheap joints use the oil until it turns black and gets sludgy. Good ones are a treat, light as a donut.

**chitown** · 04-02-2013, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Originally Posted by beerlaodrinker

by the way what is pa tong go

Where I come from it's pronounced Pat Tan Gor

Great in the morning with coffee

The wife calls it Chinese bread. It is great with some of that sugary dip and coffee. I wish I could eat it

**Thetyim** · 04-02-2013, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by aging one

Good ones are a treat, light as a donut.

You should try the ones they make in Chiang Rai.
They are the size of a baguette and the lightest and best I have ever tasted.

**Borey the Bald** · 04-02-2013, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by aging one

Yeah I remember she had the two mixed up a few months ago. Sala bao is Chinese for sure, but Patanko is Thai. Good but always check the oil they are being done in. Cheap joints use the oil until it turns black and gets sludgy. Good ones are a treat, light as a donut.

That oil is nasty. I take them home, wrap in dry paper towels, and place in a hot oven for about 15 minutes. Forces much of the oil out and they end up much improved.

**superman** · 04-02-2013, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by beazalbob69

The Po Tong Go she sells in the morning is a real money maker after we pay off the initial equipment investment we will get about a 40% profit!

You do realize that one you do something in Thailand that makes money everyone will copy you. In a short time your shop will be one of a dozen in the village. When I moved into where I live 7 years ago there was one small convenience store. Now there's at least 6 with more being built and a Tesco Lotus in the pipeline. There's far too many doing it for the size of the village. Something will have to give.

**robuzo** · 04-02-2013, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

^
or a money pit if you start selling on credit

Yes, the build is the easy part. Making sure grandma understands basic principles of accounting is the hard part. Just ask my wife.

**beazalbob69** · 04-02-2013, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by superman

Originally Posted by beazalbob69

The Po Tong Go she sells in the morning is a real money maker after we pay off the initial equipment investment we will get about a 40% profit!

You do realize that one you do something in Thailand that makes money everyone will copy you. In a short time your shop will be one of a dozen in the village. When I moved into where I live 7 years ago there was one small convenience store. Now there's at least 6 with more being built and a Tesco Lotus in the pipeline. There's far too many doing it for the size of the village. Something will have to give.

Yes but the way I understand it Thais have to pay a small fortune for the recipe's so hopefully we will be good for awhile. We have lots of other things going on for additional income. Can't put all your eggs in one basket here.

**Rural Surin** · 04-02-2013, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by somtamslap

Good idea. Little shops are unassuming goldmines.

Depending on the operator.
Kind of a balancing act of business profit and extended community.

As Thet has mentioned - don't fall into the extending of credit shite.

The positive can be looked upon as supplemental.
A good thing for respective families.

**tayto** · 04-02-2013, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Originally Posted by aging one

Good ones are a treat, light as a donut.

You should try the ones they make in Chiang Rai.
They are the size of a baguette and the lightest and best I have ever tasted.

Sri Sai Mun market and delicious.

**Albert Shagnastier** · 04-02-2013, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

I thought she called em Chinese cakes or something similar ?

That sounds more like salabao. That being said, the Midget gets the names of everything wrong. Tough language this Thai is.

They call 'em the Chinese doughnut

**Albert Shagnastier** · 04-02-2013, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Great in the morning with coffee

Don't forget the kai luak

**beazalbob69** · 05-02-2013, 03:47 PM

Next installment!
Days 3 and 4.

Finishing up the roof beams. I love how the Thais think that sunglasses are enough protection for welding. These guys are crazy.

More roof work.

Another pic of the house showing the trucks temporary parking spot.

The left side of the new building will be a new garage for the truck with a storage area in the back for the mini mart.

Fake wood trim? Check. Beginning to install the roof panels this went pretty fast took only 4 or 5 hours from start to finish. Looked much easier than the smaller clay style tiles.

The roof just about finished! Looks a lot bigger with the roof on. Looks pretty good to me.

The store will have direct access to the house by this door that is already there.

This is one of our bedroom windows! The wife wants it to stay I am not so sure I want a window from my bedroom to our mini mart.

Thats it for today. Almost caught up with pics anyway. Stay tuned more to come.

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