CHAPTER 3
“Grand Traverse Bay at 7:16 am Michigan time is beautiful” - he thought - as he looked forward to the sound of the waves hitting the shore - the sound of his feet hitting the sand and the smell of the fresh cool air pulsing in his nostrils as he would run along the beaches as he has done 4 days a week for the last 4 years - during spring, summer and fall.
Robert Wells was having a good morning.
No, it wasn’t a good morning it was an exceptional morning. And today was going to be an exceptional day.
It was going to be an exceptional day because today Robert Wells’ brother David, was arriving at 10 pm Michigan time, bringing a check for $750,000 made out to MFI (Michigan Foods Inc., LLC.) - and those funds were destined for himself, David and their older brother Richard.
“Yeah baby - that’s $250,000 each” - he reminded himself.
And by 10:30 pm Michigan time he and David would be having beers, and whatever, at their own Family Restaurant and Sports bar - The Lions - in downtown TC.
“Yes siree, it was going to be a wild and crazy night - and maybe they’d even invite their wives and . . . maybe not” - Robert laughed to himself - his mind was in hyper drive.
Robert, David and Richard had been planning and developing their restaurant franchise business and dreaming of this day for 18 months.
Tomorrow Robert and his brothers would be going to the Empire Bank - where all three of them would be paying off $630,000 in 2nd and 3rd trust deeds that they had borrowed against their homes to capitalize MFI's expansion - over these last 4 years - to develop their franchise models: The Lions - Famliy Restaurants and Sports Bars - in northern and western Michigan.
And that check, as agreed, also meant they each would be pocketing a cool $20,000 plus each after all the loans, fees and taxes were paid off.
“Oh man - what a relief” Robert thought. “It has been too long - way too long. Thank God it is over”
Yes indeed it was a good day - as Robert hit the beach on his 10 mile run heading for his goal of 40 miles for the week - his mind quickly reviewed the last 18 months.
Yes - David - his aggressive brother - his beautiful, smart and balls to the walls little brother - the crazy brother - the one who found, recruited, hired and trained - the very talented and very rich Billy Gent - the Michigan State Suma Cum Laude MBA, - the grand son-in-law of John Henderson - the Texas oil multi millionaire . . . MFI’s first franchisees in Texas. And with that $750,000 check - Henderson had just committed to invest $21 Million - $6 million cash and $15 million in credit - to build 4 state of the art Family Restaurants and Sports Bars in 3 Texas cities - 2 in Dallas / Fort Worth, 1 in Austin and 1 in Huston - all in the next 60 months - modeled after MFI’s - very successful The Lions - Family Restaurants and Sports Bars
“Oh man” he thought
After 6 miles Robert had to stop running for a minute and just take it all in.
He fell on the sand - rolling on his back - in a fit of laughter and relief.
It was finally happening
“Thank you universe” Robert said out loud
“THANK YOU” he shouted at the top of his lungs.
“WOOOOOO WEE” he whooped .
Sitting on the beach, gazing out onto the crystal clear bay water, feeling the warm summer air - and gently wrapping his arms around his knees at 8:06 am Michigan time - Robert Wells, CFO of MFI - just took it all in.
Robert Wells was having a good morning.
No, it wasn’t a good morning it was an exceptional morning. And today was going to be an exceptional day.
It was going to be an exceptional day because today Robert Wells’ brother David, was arriving at 10 pm Michigan time, bringing a check for $750,000 made out to MFI (Michigan Foods Inc., LLC.) - and those funds were destined for himself, David and their older brother Richard.
“Yeah baby - that’s $250,000 each” - he reminded himself.
And by 10:30 pm Michigan time he and David would be having beers, and whatever, at their own Family Restaurant and Sports bar - The Lions - in downtown TC.
“Yes siree, it was going to be a wild and crazy night - and maybe they’d even invite their wives and . . . maybe not” - Robert laughed to himself - his mind was in hyper drive.
Robert, David and Richard had been planning and developing their restaurant franchise business and dreaming of this day for 18 months.
Tomorrow Robert and his brothers would be going to the Empire Bank - where all three of them would be paying off $630,000 in 2nd and 3rd trust deeds that they had borrowed against their homes to capitalize MFI's expansion - over these last 4 years - to develop their franchise models: The Lions - Famliy Restaurants and Sports Bars - in northern and western Michigan.
And that check, as agreed, also meant they each would be pocketing a cool $20,000 plus each after all the loans, fees and taxes were paid off.
“Oh man - what a relief” Robert thought. “It has been too long - way too long. Thank God it is over”
Yes indeed it was a good day - as Robert hit the beach on his 10 mile run heading for his goal of 40 miles for the week - his mind quickly reviewed the last 18 months.
Yes - David - his aggressive brother - his beautiful, smart and balls to the walls little brother - the crazy brother - the one who found, recruited, hired and trained - the very talented and very rich Billy Gent - the Michigan State Suma Cum Laude MBA, - the grand son-in-law of John Henderson - the Texas oil multi millionaire . . . MFI’s first franchisees in Texas. And with that $750,000 check - Henderson had just committed to invest $21 Million - $6 million cash and $15 million in credit - to build 4 state of the art Family Restaurants and Sports Bars in 3 Texas cities - 2 in Dallas / Fort Worth, 1 in Austin and 1 in Huston - all in the next 60 months - modeled after MFI’s - very successful The Lions - Family Restaurants and Sports Bars
“Oh man” he thought
After 6 miles Robert had to stop running for a minute and just take it all in.
He fell on the sand - rolling on his back - in a fit of laughter and relief.
It was finally happening
“Thank you universe” Robert said out loud
“THANK YOU” he shouted at the top of his lungs.
“WOOOOOO WEE” he whooped .
Sitting on the beach, gazing out onto the crystal clear bay water, feeling the warm summer air - and gently wrapping his arms around his knees at 8:06 am Michigan time - Robert Wells, CFO of MFI - just took it all in.
posted by Hubbell's Writings at 3:12 PM
<< Home