She’d learned that the club was closed this season during the upgrades, though it was still open to golfers.
She entered the lobby and then headed back to the kitchen. She knew her way around, she realized. It was funny the stuff that comes back to you, even after decades. The last time she was here, she’d split tips with the bartenders at the end of her shift.
“Put that in the storeroom. We can’t unpack that until they finish the painting.” This had to be the manager, he was ordering workers around like an emperor.
“Hello, I’m Hope Venerable.”
“Hello, yes, I’m Clyde Brubaker, manager.”
He walked forward, and they shook hands.
“The unit is out back.”
Brubaker’s short legs moved fast, and Hope picked up her pace to keep up. She’d have liked to look around the kitchen. But Brubaker didn’t slow down.
They walked out to the back door, and there it was, already outside, under a tarp.
She lifted the tarp, and Brubaker stepped back as she inspected the oven / range combo.
It had six burners and a side-by-side oven. It would be in the front of the house at her restaurant. The back of the house already had ovens and a grill top. This piece would be Hope’s instrument, the place she cooked in the main dining area as she would for her family and friends if they came to her home.
“It is only three years old, and honestly, it wasn’t used much. The previous management didn’t see the value of our full-service restaurant. We’re in the midst of changing that and need something more significant. We’ll be doing weddings and other large events, so this isn’t the size we need.”
It did look almost new. Hope felt like she might have hit the jackpot. It was worth what he’d listed it for, probably more, but she decided she needed every penny too. So, she gave it a whirl.
“I’ll give you five thousand for it.”
“That’s five grand less than I listed it for.”
“You need it out of here, and I don’t see anyone else clamoring. You can’t ship it. If you for one of the liquidators to take it to Detroit, you’ll have to offer them a cut.”
Clyde Brubaker considered her argument.
“Plus, you’ve got a few people here who can load it into my truck right now. I’ll get it off your hands today.”
“All valid points, but not five grand worth of valid points. I’ll do eight thousand.”
“I tell you what, I’ll give you the eight, but I need you to throw that chest freezer we walked past on the way out here. Load those things in my truck, and I’ll call it a deal.”
Brubaker narrowed his eyes at Hope. He took a breath. The sound of drilling somewhere in the clubhouse seemed to push him to make up his mind.
“Deal. This stuff really needs to go to make way for our state-of-the-art Lancache.”
“Ooh, wow, yeah, impressive. I’d love to see that when it’s in.”
They shook hands, and then Hope got out her new checks.
It was strange to know she had the funds to back this purchase up. Again, she felt a smile on her face. This was a lot of money, but it was for her new restaurant.Herrestaurant!
It made her feel like her dreams were coming true, dreams diverted since she was the beer cart girl here.
“I’ll get my guys to load it,” Brubaker said.
She watched him wrangle a few of his staff. The stove and oven were heavy, but they had the right equipment to do the job. She made a note to make sure Dean was around later today; he’d offered his crew up to help her unload and install her new appliances.
It was a victory, this bargain she’d struck for the equipment. She knew the value and knew how to negotiate to get the best terms. Maybe she did have a knack for running a business.
She’d learned a lot from her catering jobs. Planning a budget and sticking to it was one of those skills. And without that, she’d never get her restaurant off the ground.
