 With
low overhead, Earl S is making twice as much with his
vending machines as he did driving a bus.
If someone catches Earl servicing
one of his candy machines, chances are they'll get
a free handful of sweets.
It's this Salem businessman's philosophy
to give a little something back to those who make
his business work. In his case, it's the customers
who plop quarters in his machines to satisfy their
sugar cravings.
"I make 17 cents off each quarter
that people put in those machines," Earl said.
"So what's it costing me? Eight cents, and it's
not even costing me that because I can guarantee you
the next time they go by they'll put a quarter in
my machine."
Earl retired from driving tour buses
years ago. He traveled with his wife, Glenda Rees,
for a while, taking her to all the places he'd been
on his job. But life on the road got tiresome and
expensive, so they went home.
After two years of boredom, the retiree
gambled on two small business ideas. He put money
into a balloon decorating business and loose candy
vending machines. The balloons bombed, but the vending
venture blossomed.
What began as a way to earn a little
post-retirement income has become quite profitable
for Earl. He works about 80 hours a month and makes
more than twice what he did as a bus driver.
"My wife was leery at first,"
Earl said. "But after three months she looked
at the books and she said, 'I think we should buy
more.'"
Now Earl has 150 machines spread
from Portland to Salem, and in small communities such
as McMinnville, Newberg and Hillsboro. They are located
in places such as manufacturing companies, tire stores,
telemarketing companies, bingo parlors and retail
outlets. His machines, which cost $700 each, brought
in between $25 and $250 every month.
"This business affords a chance
to make a good living and the time to do the other
things I like to do," he said.
He peddles popular candy such as
plain and peanut M&M's, Mike & Ike, Hot Tamales,
Reeses Pieces and Skittles, as well as cashews and
mixed nuts.
"Peanut M&Ms are by far
the best sellers," he said. "They easily
outsell any three varieties every month."
It only takes about 20 minutes to
service each machine. "I can do about 30 a day,"
he said.
Earl, who donates 10 percent of
his profits to the Boys & Girls Club, said it's
the low overhead that makes his business so profitable.
"I work from home and drive
around in my van," he said. "I don't have
the high overhead that corporate America has."
He said his business is virtually
trouble-free, except for the occasional vandalism.
His main frustration is the same
lament of many small business owners: big business.
About the only time he loses an account is when an
establishment tells him they've signed a deal with
a large vending company.
"I'm the little guy here,"
he said. "And I'm the one who's going into their
businesses and buying their goods. That doesn't make
any sense to me that they would do business with corporate
America and not do business with me."
Still, Earl said he has as much
work as he can handle, and there's plenty of room
for growth in the area.
"I'm not going to be buying
any more machines, because I don't want to work any
more," he said. "I'm supposed to be retired.
But this area could handle 350 more machines."
-Statesman Journal - August 13, 2001-
Article written by Shawna Rorem
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