VendStack builds recurring revenue through smart vending machine placement in Detroit. Target: 20 machines, $20,000/month in net profit.
Starting with 3-5 machines. Reinvesting every dollar until the route is built.
Michigan LLC — $50 filing. EIN from IRS (free). Business checking at a local credit union. Separate finances from day one.
2-3 used combo machines ($1,500–$3,000 each). Cashless card readers included. Total startup: $3,000–$6,000 per machine including inventory and permits.
Apartment complex lobbies, gyms, factories, medical offices. Offer the property 15–20% of gross revenue. Location contracts come first — machines come second.
Profits from machine 1 fund machine 2. Repeat until route density makes a route driver worthwhile (15–20 machines). Then stop working in the business.
The big operators don't want the mid-rise apartment lobby. They don't want the gym in the suburbs. Their overhead is built for hospital systems and corporate campuses.
That gap is the opportunity.
Detroit's low commercial real estate costs and ongoing neighborhood revitalization make it one of the best cities in America to build a vending route from scratch. New developments are hungry for amenities. Property managers are open to deals. The math works here before it works anywhere else.
Every profitable machine adds to cash flow. Every contract adds exclusivity. The goal isn't 20 machines — it's a route that generates $20,000/month while you sleep.
It's not about the machines. It's about what you build with them.