# ice vending machine



## gp2394 (Jul 1, 2008)

I am always looking for the next business opportunity. Currently looking at ice vending machines. Do you think putting an ice vending machine at popular bait camps or boat ramps would work? Also, would you use them?


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## 24Buds (Dec 5, 2008)

I think its a heck of an idea! Cost may be huge. Power, stocking, theft etc. Best of luck. I would love to see it and yes I would buy a bag from ya. Price is King. Convinience is Queen.

Good luck with it!


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

The public ramps, good luck with dealing with city, state.

The private ones sell ice.


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## bone (May 28, 2004)

theres several in the league city area. i love them. but i can not imagine the cost of those things and how long the payback would be, they are huge machines. good ice though.

bone


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## shallowsport702 (Dec 11, 2007)

My cousin/roommate sells those things, and is also a service/parts manager..They seem to be good investments, but location is key. I don't think they're too much of a pain, you just have to maintain them. I can put you in touch with him if you would like. Let me know


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## fishin shallow (Jul 31, 2005)

Great investment in the right location but you need to maintain it daily. If someone puts coins where the dollar bills should go (and it does happen) you are out of business. Alot of times when I go by they will not accept my money for one reason or another, and that means not business


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## Gator gar (Sep 21, 2007)

I use one everytime I go by the thing, when needing ice. I love them machines. Better ice, more ice, less price. Open 24 hours.


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## Fisher_Of_Men (Feb 28, 2008)

I like them. I use the one located on Hwy 6 between Alvin & Manvel. You can actually place your ice chest under the chute and fill it up. I think I read that the owners of that one are about to put dozens into play...


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## Texxan1 (Dec 31, 2004)

Its a good ideal

I looked into purchasing two twice the ice machines but had issues getting the local guy who owns the rights to deal with me.. Finally talked to a lady who was very helpful, but the locations that i wanted to put them in they said they already owned those territories ( TCD and Seawall in galveston) and had plans in the future of adding some. The biggest problem i heard from them was dealing with the cities etc.

They run about 100k each and payback is usually in 5 years if you take all profit and pay towards it.

One thing to consider, is that you can and should place them in places that already sell ice... Think for example, If a place that has a ramp and bait camp sells ice. You can rent a spot on there property to put your ice machine and pay them a monthly fee. That fee they charge, might add up to about what they make of the ice profit montly.. So you get a spot to have your ice machine, and they make the same amount of profit with no work by them... It all works out in the end lol

If you have any questions, jsut ask. I researched this alot about 2 years ago

Thomas


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## boatmanjohn (Mar 18, 2009)

Ice machines might do pretty well in boat areas. I have a friend who sells ice from his bait house. He bought an ice machine and makes da** good profit from it. As a matter of fact, it's all profit by now. The utilities are included in the rent! But he sells by the bucket or the bag.


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## idlethru (Oct 11, 2007)

I have a good buddy that invested in one (100K) and put it on a lot in San Antonio...it's doing very well...it has broken down a couple of times, but seems to be operating at optimal level now. ... location is everything


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## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

I e-mailed a company 2 weeks ago about getting more info on investing in one of these. Not a peep yet. 

Don't put it close to a Buckees.


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## jeepjoe (Aug 27, 2006)

Used one up in Gilmer Texas this month and when you punched the button to receive ice, the machine played the song "Ice, Ice, Baby". It was a nice touch and made the family all smile so we will be using that one again.


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## 8seconds (Sep 20, 2005)

I use those all the time as well. I leave my chest in my bed and use a 5 gallon bucket I transfer the ice. Whoever came up with them is a genious!


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## Little-bit (Oct 19, 2005)

We have one here in Wadsworth. Its about 2 miles north on HWY 60. There is always someone there getting ice. You get a 16# bag or 20# bulk for $1.75. I get ice from there all the time.


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## d hop (Aug 12, 2004)

Would I use them? Yes. HOWEVER, personally I would never take the chance of getting all the way to the boat ramp only to find out that the ice machine was empty or broken.


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

Little-bit said:


> We have one here in Wadsworth. Its about 2 miles north on HWY 60. There is always someone there getting ice. You get a 16# bag or 20# bulk for $1.75. I get ice from there all the time.


wadsworth needs a bucee's. $0.99 for 20#'s of ice.


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## FormerHR (May 21, 2004)

There's one at a store on the Frio. Met the guy that owned it one day, he was from around Victoria. Guess he was sitting there watching his pocketbook get fatter because he had constant traffic at $3.00 a pop. We dropped our share over our seven days up there. If you can find the right location I would think it would be a goldmine - once you got the unit paid off.


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## Bukmstr (Nov 12, 2004)

Seems to me that you would starve your self on it in the winter months. Ok I know which is not to many of those in Texas. I have some friends that invested in coin operated car washes in they are doing very well.


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## Bozo (Jun 16, 2004)

If I had the money or inclination to get into the ice vending business, I think I'd target locations very close to day laborer hangouts. That way all the contractors could swing in and get ice and workers in the morning. One stop shop; times money for the boss man.


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## raz1056 (Jun 16, 2006)

POC has one also $1 for 20# bulk or 16# bag.


Little-bit said:


> We have one here in Wadsworth. Its about 2 miles north on HWY 60. There is always someone there getting ice. You get a 16# bag or 20# bulk for $1.75. I get ice from there all the time.


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## Little-bit (Oct 19, 2005)

Gilbert said:


> wadsworth needs a bucee's. $0.99 for 20#'s of ice.


Bucee's~Now that would be sweeet! But then there would be a ton of folks in this Lill ol town getting ice all the time. I would rather just pay a little extra. What I really need to do is just buy a ice machine for the barn.


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## warcat (May 22, 2004)

Just met a guy who owns several of them. Try putting one in a small town. His best money maker is in Orange Grove, Tx.


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## Bill Fisher (Apr 12, 2006)

i like the machines........ you oughta improve on it tho and design one that also dispenses frozen bait for coastal locations ........ 

ballyhoo, mullet, squid, herring, etc.......


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

oh, you said ICE vending machines...had my head spinning there for a minute...


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## Rusty S (Apr 6, 2006)

The ticket would be to have one on a trailer that you could take to and rent to event coordinators. rs


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## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

Rusty S said:


> The ticket would be to have one on a trailer that you could take to and rent to event coordinators. rs


good idea. might consider putting a couple of freezers on a lowboy with gens and running up and down the driveable beaches.


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## funrivers (Jul 2, 2008)

You talking about at Frio Country? Yea, we drive by every weekend and always see at least one carload there so can imagine the traffic throughout the day.

However, I am curious of the maintenance costs vs profit. One thing the Frio Area could use is a Car Wash (like an auto/laser wash) but I have a feeling the repair cost adds up..

Overall, I think it's a great idea and this is the first year I have seen such a contraption and as always.. location location location.



FormerHR said:


> There's one at a store on the Frio. Met the guy that owned it one day, he was from around Victoria. Guess he was sitting there watching his pocketbook get fatter because he had constant traffic at $3.00 a pop. We dropped our share over our seven days up there. If you can find the right location I would think it would be a goldmine - once you got the unit paid off.


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

East Texas would actually be a good year round location, somewhere around the southern part of Rayburn.... All coming from Beaumont and Houston

You would have the fisherman, skiers, party goers and campers from March til September.... Then from October til January, you would have deer hunters.... Zavalla maybe?? You wouldnt see much money coming in from October to March on the coast....

Only thing is that you would have to live up there or have somebody that would maintain it for you...

If you put one there, I am going to require 1 percent of the profits for my expertise in business placement.


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## boashna (May 28, 2004)

who is the vender for the ice


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## kenny (May 21, 2004)

Five years at the coast near a ramp is a long time......rust might be a problem.


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## boom! (Jul 10, 2004)

Rusty S said:


> The ticket would be to have one on a trailer that you could take to and rent to event coordinators. rs


I've had them for years. 4- 1000lb machines with water filters and rollers for the full chest to be rolled out.
I guess that the 100K is for the franchise because I can build the above trailer complete for just under 75K.


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## StinkBait (May 31, 2004)

http://www.icehouseamerica.com/product-details.asp

I will sinking my fair share of money into the one in Concan this week!


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## railman (Aug 1, 2004)

Main Frame 8 said:


> I e-mailed a company 2 weeks ago about getting more info on investing in one of these. Not a peep yet.
> 
> Don't put it close to a Buckees.[/quote]
> 
> Guess what? Someone put in an ice vending machine across the street from Buc-ees in Giddings.


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## michaelbaranowski (May 24, 2004)

Like many have said location is key cause I don't see how anyone could compete if you are anywhere near Buccee's since it is only$.99 for 20#.


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## fishdoc1 (May 22, 2004)

Someone put a Twice the Ice in POC this past spring. It got Speedy Stop to change their price for a 20# bag of ice from $2 to $1. I saw this weekend that Speedy Stop went back to $2 I guess for the 4th weekend holiday. I am going to have to give Twice the Ice some business so maybe they will be able to hang around awhile.


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## B2 (Jun 11, 2004)

We wore that machine out this past weekend in POC!!!


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## PalmsUp (Aug 1, 2005)

A buddy of mine owns the rights for twice the ice south of Houston, PM me and I will forward your info to them


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## boswhale3 (Feb 9, 2006)

I use the he!! out of the one in Hitchcock, love it.


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