SOUL FOOD RESTAURANT - FOOD CART

Client Request for Mentoring

I want to start up a soul food restaurant on Staten Island and I really don't know the first thing about doing it. What I know is that there aren't any near my location however if one were near me I believe it would be very profitable. My questions is basically can you help? I want to write a business plan and then seek funding to purchase a location and start the business. However, while I'm starting the process for the restaurant I want to build clientele by starting a food- cart near the location; But through talking to some people I'm finding that it will be very difficult to do if i am not a veteran. 

Google Search "Soul Foods"


A traditional soul food dinner consisting offried chicken with macaroni and cheese, collard greens, breaded fried okra and cornbread.

 Getting a Food Cart in NYC - Getting a License

 The Current Status of Food Carts in NYC

 NY 5 STAR Soul Food Restaurants

 Soul Food Stores on Staten Island, NY

 How to Start a Soul Food Restaurant

 Sample Business Plans for Restaurants

 Highlights of the above link;
Soul food is traditional African-American cuisine that features a combination of ingredients featured in West Africa and the American south.

 Owners need to be conversant in authentic soul food cuisine 

 The launch of a soul food restaurant is similar to starting a restaurantof any kind 

 Social networking sites likeFacebook and Twitter offer soul food startup owners a ready-made resource for establishing meaningful connections with patrons.

 There are several expansion opportunities and growth strategies that are available to soul food entrepreneurs after you have successfully navigated the startup stage.

 If there isn't already a soul food restaurant near the location you are targeting, it may be for good reason. Among other things, make sure you consider these factors: local population, population growth, income levels, employment (blue collar or white collar), and ethnicity (Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native American, White). 
Prior to launching a soul food restaurant in your area, it's worthwhile to find out what the competition looks like. Use the link below to find competitors nearby. After clicking on the link, type in your city, state and zip code to get a list of soul food restaurants near you.

Once you've finished assessing the competion, be sure to talk to somebody who is already in the business

The probabilities on your being a successful business owner are much greater if you opt for franchising instead of doing it all on your own.

More Advice for Startups
These additional resources regarding getting started as an entrepreneur may be of interest to you.