Sylvester Tally envied the success of his friend’s coffee business, yet he didn’t know whether he could afford to leave his job to open one of his own.
The answer to Tally’s dilemma can be found on the first floor of the Wellington Webb Municipal Office Building, and it has little to do with a cup of joe. Tally is the proud owner of an Espresso Beverage Cart designed and manufactured by Carts of Colorado.
The 49-square-foot cart sits just to the left of the building’s front lobby and has everything a coffee barista needs, minus the overhead that comes from operating an individual store.
Tally is responsible only for his cart, which includes tidying up after his customers, and paying a rent to the Webb building.
About 250,000 entrepreneurs worldwide are running their businesses out of a cart or kiosk manufactured by Carts of Colorado. And, like Tally, they’re seeing the benefits that a mobile merchandising system has over a traditional store.
“I am able to keep my overhead down dramatically by operating inside this office building,” Tally said. “The building provides heat, electricity, and they pick up trash.”
Tally bought his first espresso cart from Carts of Colorado for close to $26,000 a few years ago; now he takes in an average of $450 a day for his coffee business.
Tally’s success would not have happened if it weren’t for John Gallery, the brains behind Carts of Colorado, and the person responsible for bringing the first vending-cart legislation to Denver.
With a desire to bring the hot dog stands of Chicago to Denver, Gallery worked with the city and county of Denver to pass a law that made vending carts legal downtown. Shortly after the law passed in 1980, Gallery and Carts of Colorado were fitting vendors with personalized carts.
“Anybody can get a cart,” Gallery said. “You don’t even need a high school diploma as long as you can add and subtract, and have some business sense.”
It takes just minutes to design a personal cart or kiosk from the company’s website, Gallery said. However, a cart’s success doesn’t come the second you choose it — it takes a lot of planning and skilled mentoring.
“Ninety-five percent of those who have purchased my carts have been successful because they don’t blow the money they earn. They expand their business by putting their earnings back into the business,” Gallery said. “Most people think getting into the vending business is cheap, yet most invest $10,000 to $15,000 of their own money upfront.”
The investment includes the cart or kiosk, but buyers must also plan for the necessary health, electrical and other certifications necessary to launch their business.
“I have a lot of experience in the food service business, which comes as a plus for Carts of Colorado because I am able to help the customer develop their cart every step of the way,” Gallery said. “My job is to make sure my clients have exactly what they require, and if I don’t think their vendor idea is going to work, then I am not going to waste their time or take their money.”
As for Tally, he’s a success because he is doing something he loves, for a product he truly believes in.
“As a people person, the cart gives me a chance to touch a lot of lives,” Tally said. “And coffee isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.”
Anna Haislip: 303-954-1638 or ahaislip@denverpost.com
This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to a photographer’s error, the coffee cart was misidentified. It is called Coffee Etcetera.
