license for street trading (news)

[Dominic]

Putting it between the castle and Lighthouse Beach would cause a severe litter problem. That was why I suggested the area between St Nicholas and Pachyammos Beach. That area is better maintained, and more people will be around to admonish litterers.

[WHL]

One other point where would you get these vending machines from ? , they arnt cheap?, how much would you charge for a small bottle of water ? When you can get them for 20c in a supermarket , alot to think about.

[Anarita John]

A few years ago there was someone who had a vending machine business. However, they were small machines in tavernas and cafes that dispensed nuts and other small snacks. Think he used to post on Cyprus Living. Cannot see how the large type machines would be profitable and the mayor is very strict on what can be placed on pavements.

[Andrew-soy]

Thanks to everyone who responded with well wishes. (kansas, Chaddy) You’re right, without luck, we won’t get far in business.

Good luck with your venture, Andrew-soy

Thanks all for the interesting questions.

josef k - you’re right, we need to start with model calculations. Specifically for vending machines, I haven’t done any yet. I’ve just decided to gather information first. Like you, I believe that before approaching serious people in the municipality, we need to be prepared. If you’re interested, I can share my model once I’ve prepared it.

cyprusmax47 - thank you. The location is indeed an open question for me. I was thinking of starting with business centers since it’s simpler and will help me understand how it works. Special thanks to you for the price and solar panel quantity calculations. Of course, I don’t want each location to cost me 10K; the machine itself should be within 1-2K.

Dominic - yes, I understand the difference in locations. I’ve added ‘between St Nicholas and Pachyammos Beach’ to my list . Personally, I’ve dreamed of having a vending machine on Venus Beach. I go there regularly with my kids, and there’s only one ice cream vendor.

WHL - how much per bottle? Hm, honestly, I haven’t thought about that yet. I’m sure demand will ultimately determine the pricing. I think it’ll be around the kiosk price. After all, I want to do this for myself and my neighbors, and I’m not expecting to make millions. I just want to provide good service .

Anarita John - thank you. Can you recall the exact location? I’d be interested to check it out."

Feel free to ask or simply share your thoughts

[Anarita John]

The machines were in a lot of tavernas and cafes. They only dispensed small packets of nuts and other snacks you might have with a drink. Cannot remember what the person was called on Cyprus Living but it was something like Novelty Vendor. Someone on here might remember him. Sorry I cannot be of more help but it would be over 10 years ago since he was around.

[adyandkaren]

He used to be called "Novelty Vend", he was on most of the forums about 15 years ago.

[Andrew-soy]

It has been more than 10 days, and I still cannot find a like-minded person to work on the project. I have not received a single response to my emails from the municipality. I need to go in person and talk directly.

But you know what I found out? The license is issued for 3, 6, or 12 months. For me, this means another risk factor of not getting the license renewal later.

[Dominic]

It is worth noting that in August a lot of Municipalities go on their Summer Holidays. You may have better luck making contact in September. And, as stated before, contact them in Greek if you want a better chance of getting a response, or go and see them in person.

[Andrew-soy]

Thank you. Yes, August is definitely not the best month for visiting the municipality. I have decided to dedicate this time in August to finding a partner for this business.

I recently re-read a book by Napoleon Hill and realized that I often complicate things unnecessarily when I just need to take action and get things done.

I am not sure about the average age of the readers of this forum. I myself am almost 40, but I still haven't found the confidence to focus on one thing. How did you find what you love and make it profitable?

Currently, as embarrassing as it is to admit, 60% of my income comes from my salary. I want to create something useful for others. It might not be vending, but it must be something meaningful.

Wishing everyone a great day.

[jeba]

In my German hometown there is a shop which sells via vending machines only on a 24/7 basis. However, the situation is different there because normal shops with sales staff by law have to close at 8 p.m., so this gives all those customers a shopping option who haven´t managed to buy during regular business hours.