Feb 28 21:40:04 109 PA - Business Behind Closed Doors

From Chronicles

Feb 28 21:40:04 109 PA.

GABRIEL'S RENTED ROOM

Fizzlesnoot shows up as requested with a rap on the door to let whoever is inside to know someone is outside waiting.

The door opens quickly, and as might be expected, Gabriel is there, wearing a smile. "C'mon in, Fizzlesnoot! Good to see you. I'd offer you something to drink and a nice chair, but I'm afraid that I'm right out of those things at the moment." He stands aside to allow the D-Bee's passage.

Fizzlesnoot steps inside with a tip of his hat and a warm friendly smile to take a look inside the small apartment. "Nice place. Could use some furniture though," noting the lack of furnishings. "So what's on you mind? Need some more Vampires spied on?" he asks with a chuckle, "Congratulations by the way."

As he closes the door, Gabriel chuckles, "This was only temporary. Didn't even need it as long as I thought I would." After a latch finds its place, he turns in the absurdly small little room. He then gets on with a smile and a, "Thanks," for the congratulations. "No vampires to spy on, Fizzlesnoot. Thought I might actually try to make use of your real talents, and all on an up-and-up level."

Fizzlesnoot tilts his head in curiosity, "Oh? How so?" setting his bag down to the side next to him. "I've got many talents, and all on the up an up. It's only proper to do business that way."

"Right at the moment, I need to have a number of items purchased, to begin with. I was hoping that you might be able to bring the price down. That's the first one. Do you have any experience with hiring and management?" Gabriel folds his arms and finds a nice place to lean against the wall.

Fizzlesnoot nods to the last question, "I think I would do a fair job in that respect though I have not personally had my own employees, my father taught me all he knew in managing his business. I grew up around this sort of thing. As for shopping, I always do my best to find the best deals, but that comes with timing and a little luck. This week might be horrible, but next week could be great. Is it something you would need in a hurry?"

Gabriel nods heavily. "Yes, yes. I have less than two weeks to open the club, and I'm overhauling parts of it rather significantly. Those parts that aren't overhauls are simply important repairs. So I do need things purchased as quickly as possible." He raises just one index finger. "I also need some of these items purchased quietly. It's still all completely above-board, I promise. Just some things whose awareness I'd rather play close to the chest." He stands, shifting a hip. "I'm working with installers, doing hiring... but there's a load of it to be done, and it's only me, myself and I available to do it. When the club finally opens?" Gabriel raises a shoulder, then drops it. "I'm going to need to manage the whole place. Do a lot of glad-handing when I'm not. So I need someone to be the actual floor manager, keep tabs on things like what the girls need, or if the bar needs to be stocked, basic payroll..." he waves a hand in circles. "You can probably see where I'm going with this. You seem to be the best man I can think of for the job, assuming we clear enough profit to give you a decent salary."

Fizzlesnoot rubs his chin, one of his finger-like mandibles scratching at his upper lip, "Hmmm, the management part seems easy enough, keeping stock and handling personnel. The shopping will have to be looked into and see. What's the budget your working with for what you need?"

"Well, that's the catch. I really don't want to spend more than a hundred grand to get the place up and running again unless there's something very critical that needs to be paid for. Going any further would bite into what I'm considering the emergency stash to jump-start the club a few times if it doesn't take off right away," Gabriel admits, his voice a little weary. "I've been working on it already, and much of it should be fairly inexpensive. But there are always the golden fleece items."

Fizzlesnoot nods listening to him explain, "Ok then, let me get a shopping list of the items you cannot do without, and those you really need, and those you can wait on if necessary. How bout that? Then I'll go see what deals can be found."

Gabriel nods, then searches inside a pocket... and comes up empty. "Where the hell?" His gaze falls on one of the bags, and he grumbles something guttural. "Just a second, I misplaced my list. So, would you be interested in the management job, assuming I can get you a decent salary?"

Fizzlesnoot nods with a very interested smile, "Would be so much better than working in the outer market in the cold. Even if a small salary. I can still do my sewing and carvings on my own time, an I do most of it now for the girls anyways. Tell you what, your going to have the best dressed girls in the city, no questions about that. Are you still leaving the business as is for the most part?"

"Great! Thanks, Fizzlesnoot. Just... try to keep it a little classy, okay. The less-is-more theory. Obviously can't turn it it a non-strip club, but I can dial back the obvious parts. Guys don't need to see bare pussy to be coerced into buying the same number of drinks and the same number of bills thrown on stage." Gabriel fishes around for a little while, grumbling, then asks, "What would you consider a fair small salary?"

Fizzlesnoot thinks about the numbers on that question for a bit, "Well, right now I make roughly 700 credits every couple weeks selling outfits to the dancers, which is an increase from just selling odd trinkets down in the market, which I only made 300 in about the same amount of time. Knowing this, I would think a thousand in the same amount of time would be fair. There is a lot of responsibility in taking care of this type of establishment. Though, unless you're changing the layout totally, there was a dormitory in the basement. Trading for a warm bed, three hot meals, some cold drinks while entertaining the customers and a small bit of spending cash, say 500 credits every two weeks, could make due and keep your cost down on that aspect greatly. I'm not the type that needs massive amounts of money, I've made due this far without being a rich man, a little longer isn't going to hurt me."

That number makes Gabriel cringe. Right when he'd been happy at finding what he was looking for. "I'm not sure my own employer would go for that. I might have to see how the club's doing before I know if I'd be able to pay you out of the immediate profits. Sorry." He hands across a neatly folded sheet of paper. "Current shopping list."

Fizzlesnoot takes the piece of paper and begins to peruse the list of items needed. With a smile back up to Gabriel briefly before looking over the list while he talks, "You have a lot to learn when it comes to business, never take or leave the initial offer, always counter offer with below what you're willing to pay. Looks like I'm going to have to teach you a few things during this whole process. Tell ya what, I'll help you out regardless of future pay. I want to see you succeed at this, so I'll do what I can to help out, and if thing get rolling well, we'll talk about compensation again in a month. For now, we'll call it a friend helping out a friend get his business started." A broad grin comes when he finally sees the end of the list, "Well well, now the last part I definitely can help out with, I do love games of chance. They are quite easy and inexpensive to set up. From what I see here, I can help with a couple of things. Some of the patching material, I have, Cards, dice, and even the sculptures you are looking for, I might be able to do myself, would just need the marble itself which should be cheaper than a statue."

"Oh, I think that undershooting the price by zero is pretty good, don't you?" Gabriel asks with a pleasant laugh. "So you can do the carvings, as long as you can get the raw material? That sounds like a good deal. The casino part? That's likely a pipe dream right now, as I'd nead people to run the games, overhaul the basement... more of something to look forward to. Anything you can do to bring down the price. Tell you what -" he waggles his finger "- friends helping friends. If the club takes off and actually makes a profit, I'll split my first month's salary, if I can't afford to keep you on permanently. What do you think of the list?" He leans over and taps the pieces about lights, shadows and crosses. "Figure that after what happened, I'll make it officially a no-vampire zone. Which is the part that needs to be kept quiet until opening."

Fizzlesnoot rocks his head back and forth a bit, "Eh, nothing seems all that difficult to find, just whether the price will be right. I'll get started on this, and the casino will be ready for opening day. All we need is a table and some backup money, but the house usually has the advantage, so I wouldn't worry about that too much. It will pay off rather quickly."

Gabriel nods with a smile. "Okay. Maybe two poker tables, blackjack table with a competent dealer. Craps and roulette if it's affordable and can fit." He starts to quiet, then adds, "Oh, and buy a slot machine. People love yanking the arm, no matter how rigged it might be. Remember though, this is still friends-helping-friends. I can't guarantee you anything. As far as the hires, send them my direction. I'd prefer to speak with them myself. Don't worry, I'm on this as well, and with a lot more. Not just dumping my own club in your lap."

Fizzlesnoot pockets the small list and lifts his bag from the floor, "I'll let you know what I can come up with. Will probably take a couple of days, but will let you know the good news or the bad news, either way."

"Alright," Gabriel says with a grin. He opens the door politely, which in this little closet didn't require much more than stepping out of his own way. "You know where to get me now. I'll open up if you drop by. You might catch me at the club, too. I'm working with the repair crew already, and some of the other fixes that I have in place." He reaches out to shake Fizzlesnoot's... hand?

Fizzlesnoot offers a tip of his hat as he departs and gets to work on the list.