93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

Crazy, my father owns a pretty successful 4x4\speed shop in Fairbanks, AK been in business for about 23 years and has a nice location and a huge inventory. (which he insists is good for business I think its a lot of overhead sometimes).

Anyway he has been pressuring me to come back and "buy" it from him and the longer I tell him no the sweeter the deal is getting. Basically at this point I'd be making about the same as I am now when you figure there are no income or sales tax up there. Also could write more stuff off I would be the owner of the business which has no debt except for the property which is on the main drag in the city.....

Plus he has only worked it part time the last few years. So its never open on the weekends, which seems like alot of potential buyers would be shopping for crap.

I grew up there its not that bad but you know its not that great either. I like it here but I do miss the business and compared to my job as a Software Support Analyst it would be alot more fun.

Man but Fairbanks is crazy.........I would have thought if I was going to move someplace it would be someplace with NICER weather. Sorry just thinking outloud....

Poik

Sounds pretty cool. But how often would you get to drive the vette up there? Plus you get annual checks just for living there . That's kinda out there though.. I don't think I would be up to it if I were you. Same pay, more fun, but it's a whole different place. Just gotta weigh the pros and cons and decide lol

Tranzor

If it were me, I would probably do it... sounds like a better deal than working in the rat race with the rest of us. Believe me, if I could make it work, I'd probably live somewhere a little more off the beaten path... I hate dealing with traffic, tons of people, etc.

Owning your own business sounds like a good deal too... especially since you're taking over one that already is successful, so it isn't like you'd have to build it from the ground up.

krazzycowgirl

after being born up in that area & spending most of the first 7yrs of my life up there, He would be able to drive the vette somwhere for about 4-5 months. It normally starts snowing & has about 2feet of snow on the ground right about halloween & starts to melt on about March or april. of course from about May - june or July its like light for 24hrs so he can cruise in his vette picking up gals all he wants.

Nathan

my aunt moved up to alaska recently

some days would be -30 degrees for the high....
3 hours of sunlight
or 22 hours of sunlight...

i don't know
i couldn't deal with any extremes to be comfortable in life.

TwoFast4Lv

iTrader: (8)

I havent been since I was a kid. Parents used to work out of Cordova. Mom ran the Cordova house and Ken was a diesel mech. (most boast are diesel). Alot of history every where. Never been to a more beutiful place.

Then again the most popular past time is drinking and fighting I remember one night while we were there Mom came home with a new black hawk...she had taken from a drunk in the bar as he was waving it.

Bobby I say wieght the options and see where you are. Might as well get a new duramax with tank heaters to hual the vette with I mean come on you gotta represent!

Mikey 97Z M6

iTrader: (37)

If you thought the place could be "self sufficient" enough, go back there for a month and get it running under it's own hired management. Then make a trip back there every couple months to check up on the new management etc..

Also, I'd want to look at the books before I made commitment like that.

Just some thoughts...

Mike

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

LOL Ellis that cracks me up, I would have to get a nice company truck and do the lift and wheels etc. Plus have the vette ready at track days can't have a slow vette owning a shop call the "The Performance Shop."

Its actually very nice in Fairbanks in the Summer, the winters are hell but no rain its usually sunny and clear for the few hours the sun comes out.

But as Ellis said growing up there I did ALOT of fighting and drinking, its pretty isolated in Fairbanks, Anchorage isn't so bad its more like a big city.

If it were just me I'd probably do it especially because the income potenial is pretty high considering my father works another job at Clear AFB as a Radar tech.... ( NOW THAT is a job I'd move up for). It would be nice not having to play the big corporate games and work for the "man". But its also nice being able to DRIVE to Seattle or Tahoe if I wanted to.....

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

If it were somebody else owning the place I'd agree with you, but its a family business I actually managed it for 2 years when I was younger. The ONLY long term debt is the building and property and I think there is quite a bit of equity on that. He pays for all the parts ordered at the end each month with a credit card (air miles) then the card is paid right after. He almost turns over the inventory each year and again I think he has too much. So while I'd have to see the books before agreeing to terms I have seen last years income statement talked to his accountant, I would make what I make now pretty easy, although I would make it part of the agreement to make that no matter what for the first couple of years....

I'd have to stay up there for a few years but the idea would be to go up work for a few years get it all figured out and put in some "time" to appease the old man then hire somebody and train them for a year or so then leave. Fly up every couple of months to work for a few days....But that would be 5-7 years down the line...

Jantzer98SS

iTrader: (54)

I think it sounds like a good opportunity. Most don't get the chance to change sceneries that easily and if you don't like it, it's not hard to come back. Personally, I would let the wife sway me one way or the other because if it's not a mutual decision you might not ever stop hearing about it.

WAHUSKER

iTrader: (4)

Sounds like a sweet deal Bobby....IF you want it. I have never been to Alaska so I have no opinion. I hear they have a couple BIG-*** mosquitos up there. And these tiny little critters called no-see-ums that hurt like Hell when they bite you. But maybe Fairbanks isn't in the marshy area....excuse me, tundra.

Look at it this way, what could be worse than living in Portland?

Scott - who sells TB baldes? Is that a dealer only thing?

94LT1TA

Hey, hey, hey now there is nothing wrong with Portland. Sooooo much better than anywere in Washington!!!!

Steven

97BlackT\A

Gee, dude, I don't know. If I replace my dying Ferd with a 4x4 it will be a long drive to give you my business.
I guess I could handle it.

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

LOL dude I think I could send you some parts from the suppliers no problem, not just 4x4 stuff either...

I don't know I gave a pretty stout list of demands including a down payment for a nice house on a couple acres for a shop, also an "opt out" where I could walk away no hard feelings within 4 years with appropriate notice. Couple of others but those two are probably the big ones that are going to be rough on him. He's always like to see me work hard for everything so I don't know on the house thing. But I don't think Jyla would make it without it...

Plus I'd have to raise the vette back up and I'm not sure if I could make myself do that

WAHUSKER

iTrader: (4)

Hey Bobby, I saw a 4x4 Vette once....thought it looked pretty darn sweet too! Tho I was 16 at the time & living in Nebraska.

tjwong

Heck Bobby it don't sound that bad! I was living in New Mexico for a long time before coming back home to PDX. Let me tell you if I knew I could make a decent living there in NM I would go back! I loved it there, the weather was always sunny, great winters for skiing and summers were sunny and not too hot. I know its a a lot different than Alaska, but each place has its highs and lows. PDX is my home but right now I am finding its a little hard to make a decent living here too Maybe because I decided to make a hobby into a job! Heck if this keeps up and if I am going to starve I may as well starve in NM

Visceral

iTrader: (1)

Yeah OK....


dude.....


So they built the Fred Meyers at College and University. BFD. The place is still a shithole consisting of college kids (like I was) and alot of GIs with very little to do.

They put down pea gravel all winter instead of salt (better on the metal, worse on the paint), and they clean it up sometime in September aout 3 weeks before they start putting the new stuff down for the first snowfall of the next year.

None (or few) of these folks know what we are talking about when we talk about Fairbanks. Jyla would **** a brick. She really would. HTF can she do her hair and look good if theres 4% humidity and you have to wear 4 layers because its been 40 below for 3 months.

Folks, I was in Fairbanks for the record low of -86 farenheit. For the next 3 months, it got above -30 once, for one afternoon (-20 something). The air is so dry you can throw hot water in the air and it evaporates before it touches the ground.

Any other semi-shithole.... sure. But Fairbanks? You gotta be shittin me.

TwoFast4Lv

iTrader: (8)

Come On Chris tell us how you REALLY feel

I was pretty much born and raised in Yakima (about 160 miles from here) and loved it. After living here for eight years the last place I would want to go is back. I seriuosly have night mares about it LOL. I was going broke faster then I could make money and I had no bills!

I miss my family but we all know it is for the best!

93TAWicked1

iTrader: (28)

HAHA Chris you have spoken the truth although there were good things about it as well You have also given some very good reasons why I don't jump on this, it literally could be any where else in the lower 48 and Anchorage and I'd be all over it!

I could just see Jyla in some Bunny boots......

Visceral

iTrader: (1)

LoL!

If thats all she's wearing... you need to keep your fantasies to yourself