"They will definitely think we’re low-class and feel that we lack taste and respect for them," Lucy replied.
I pointed to the small private room over there. "We can set up private rooms for those wealthy ladies for one-on-one training, and we can also invite therapists. After they finish dancing, they can also do so therapy. This is much more profitable than just dancing."
"Do you want to go for the high-end route?" Lucy asked, her interest piqued.
"Half high-end. Without popularity, we will close sooner or later. Relying on those rich ladies alone, we can’t sustain the entire business." I smiled. "But we can have a mix of both. It’s like you’re a millionaire, but no one knows when you’re walking down the street. But if you’re wearing Prada, carrying LV, driving a Maserati in the crowd, everyone will envy you. Similarly, if high-end mbers co to our store and don’t feel superior, who will co?"
Lucy looked at admiringly. "I didn’t realize it, but you’re quite insightful! I’ve been to those so-called high-end places before, and apart from the impeccable service, there’s really nothing special. On the contrary, I get a sense of superiority when I visit those more modest clubs."
"You see, you agree with , right?" I smiled. "Let’s go; it’s ti to talk to the property managent."
Lucy nodded, then called the property managent. After a long discussion, we settled on an annual rent of four hundred twenty thousand dollars, including property fees, of course.
However, the condition was to pay every six months or annually.
I directly paid a year’s rent, signed the contract, and stamped it with my and Lucy’s handprints.
I patted the contract and said, "Now, these two venues are ours."
Lucy also smiled. "5200 square feet. A very auspicious and festive number."
Only then did I realize. "Hehe, indeed!"
We had lunch directly on this side of the square at noon that day. At the dining table, she listed so items, plus the decoration, that would cost a total of eight hundred grand!
My heart was bleeding, but I had already paid the rent; I couldn’t just give up halfway!
As for the renovation, I thought about it and called Edward to see if he knew any reliable renovation companies. After a brief greeting, I got straight to the point. "By the way, I’ve rented a shop of over 5,000 square feet and plan to open a dance training center. Do you have a reliable decoration company to recomnd?"
"Ah, my sister-in-law is in the decoration business. That’s easy. I’ll ask her to give you a call," Edward said.
After hanging up, Lucy asked, "Are you contacting acquaintances?"
"Yes, a friend’s sister is in the decoration business, so she must be reliable."
"Is it really reliable for a woman to handle renovations?" Lucy expressed so doubts.
"It was recomnded by my friend, so it should be fine."
I completely trusted Edward.
However, it was indeed rare for won to be in the decoration business, at least none of the people I knew.
It was impossible to handle construction projects without drinking. For a woman, even with Edward backing her, it was not easy.
Soon, my phone rang. I made a gesture to be quiet and answered the call. Before I could speak, a clear voice ca through the phone: "Mr. Maine, hello, I’m Lauren!"
"Hello, Ms. Carter, I’m William Maine."
This woman’s voice was quite pleasant, but I had no idea what she looked like. "Edward should have told you the situation, right?"
"Yes, he briefed a bit."
Lauren said, "Are you at HT Plaza now?"
"Yes, I’m here," I replied.
"Good, I’ll co over now; please wait for for twenty minutes."
After that, she hung up.
This woman was quite efficient.
Since she was coming over, I couldn’t make her wait. So I quickly finished our food with Lucy and left.
Just as we arrived downstairs, I received a call. After reporting my location, I saw a woman in a shirt and work pants walking towards .
"Hello, Mr. Maine, I’m Lauren!"
She reached out her hand generously.
This woman was dressed casually, with white dust on her clothes clearly coming from a construction site.
She seed to be without makeup, completely natural, but her smile is bright and cheerful, making people feel good at first sight.
Especially those pristine teeth, unforgettable.
She exuded a very friendly feeling. Coupled with her appearance of over 80 points, I felt she should be in a mansion or luxury car, not on a construction site.
I ca to my senses and extended my hand. "Hello, Ms. Carter. I’m William, Edward’s friend."
"Alright, then I’ll call you William." Lauren replied.
After all, she was Edward’s sister-in-law. Since we were all acquaintances, there was no need for too much formality.
I introduced Lucy to her. "Ms. Carter, this is my partner, Lucy!"
"Hello, Lucy!"
"Hello, Ms. Carter!"
After the introduction, we went up to the third floor. After she inspected the site, she asked about our requirents.
We had already hashed out our needs over a al earlier, so we laid them out on the table. Business was business, and personal matters were another story.
Lauren took out a small notebook from her jacket pocket and earnestly noted down our requirents.
Ten minutes later, Lauren spoke up. "This site is not small, and with the requirent to complete it in a month, the labor costs will definitely be a bit higher. Adding the materials, it will probably amount to around nine hundred grand."
What?
Nine hundred grand, that was really expensive.
Lucy looked at as if to say, "Your friend seems unreliable."
I thought to myself, ’Nine hundred thousand is indeed expensive, but since we were already here, even for Edward’s sake, I had to let her take on this project.’
However, negotiations were still necessary. "Ms. Carter, is there no room for further discount?"
Lauren smiled. "There is so room, but we might have to compromise on the materials a bit. If it’s just the main area, around seven hundred grand should suffice. The most important part is the small room where high-quality materials must be used."
She continued, "I’ve worked on projects for beauty salons and dance studios before. If you’re aiming for a high-end route, then using good materials is necessary because wealthy ladies or quality-conscious elites are very picky."
"It’s like using regular carpet versus luxurious Persian carpet. Although they both serve the sa purpose underfoot, there’s a significant difference in quality. Lighting fixtures, sofas, tea machines, carpets, and so on should be of good quality, while the exterior can be more economical. If you’re unsure, I can list out a materials inventory for you later." Lauren added.
"No, no, I trust you." I hurriedly said.
I already understood that our initial budget was around eight hundred grand, and now she was quoting nine hundred grand, a difference of just one hundred grand.
And so of the issues she raised were things we hadn’t considered before.
"When it cos to professional matters, leave it to the professionals.
I have no worries," I said.
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