Italian Ice from Italy

[Mariagrazia]

Hi everybody,
I'm writing from Italy (Milano, northern part) because I'm seriously thinking of relocate in Maine with my husband and two wonderful children (we deeply love that state) and open an ice cream store. We are both 43 yrs old.
In the next months I'll attend courses in one of the best school regarding this "art" and my husband has a deep experience in managing so we will have to study together all the facts and figures of this kind of business.
I just want to consider one thing with you.
If I want to earn with my husband, for example $ 75,000 every year how many premium ice creams I have to sell ?
I know is seems a generic question, but who already owns this kind of shop with success can quite easily answer to this question.
I know you have to consider lots of variables (including weather, location, ability of the owner, quality of raw materials, etc.) but I'd like to know the intimate structure of costs and profits of this business.
Thanks everybody for your answers and sorry for my bad English ! :)

P.S. Now I have to read carefully the Ice Cream Business Plan just downloaded.

[Mariagrazia]

This pos has been read almost 60 times, but nobody replied. Very strange, indeed.
Bye.

[JohnB1534]

This is a strange site. When I first found it I was impressed, at last people who understand my business.
I've been at it for 8 years so I do have something to offer, when I offered those people would disappear.
Worst yet when I asked a question no one answered.
When people have a common interest, in this case Ice Cream, you can usually start a social network and make some new friends, seems Ice Cream people aren't to friendly.

To answer your question.
It took me 3 years to get my business where I wanted it( worth keeping).
This really surprised me but I found customers in my area were not used to going to an ice cream store.
Once I got them coming they kept coming.
It took me 5 years to get to the income you want.
I now exceed your expectations, not bad considering we open April 1st and close October 1st.
This year we served 55000 customers, over 40000 were kids or small cones.
Local population is 12000.
You can do this with 2 people (you and your husband).
It cost me 40000 to open, most of that was a soft serve machine.
We have soft serve and all that goes with it, plus 24 flavours of hard ice cream.
We buy our soft serve mix and hard ice cream wholesale.
If you have any other questions ask away I will try to answer.

[Mariagrazia]

Oh, my God. I'm not alone on this island !!! :)
I was feeling like the last Japanese soldier in the Pacific !!
Thanks a lot for your kind reply and my compliments to your excellent business, considering your very low local population.
So, we can't say that it is a bad investment. We can't say, actually, that there's a big risk if you know your job and you love your customers, isn't it ?
Sorry, where are you from ?
Best,
Mariagrazia.

[JohnB1534]

I'm from Canada near Toronto.
I don't think it's a risk as long as you do your research.
Location is the most important asset you will own.
Be prepared to go hungry for a couple of years but that's true of every business.
If you can only last 6 or 12 months don't even start.

[Mariagrazia]

Thanks a lot for advices.
You are perfectly right when you talk about location.
I, actually, hope to have a longer season by selling something else, maybe coffee and patisserie.
If you have any other advice for a beginners, feel free.
Bye, bye.

[JohnB1534]

Remember life is short.
12 to 16 hours a day for 6 to 8 months is enough.
Let someone else serve you pastry and coffee while you enjoy your holiday.

[Mariagrazia]

:D:D:D

You are a philosopher. That's the reason why we love Maine. ... the vacation land.
Best,
Mariagrazia.

[JohnB1534]

What's the weather like over there?

[Mariagrazia]

Right now, we have :

56 °F with light rain

[JohnB1534]

It's the same here with 45 MPH winds.

Every year in mid September when I post our closing date people say why are you closing so soon.
My answer is always the same, wait a week and you'll see.
I wouldn't want Ice Cream weather all year we need a break but 10 months instead of 6 would be nice.
Of course 6 months is really only 5, the start of April can be nasty as can be the end of September.