The Everest Blog

Lately, more people have taken an interest in starting an ice vending machine business. While this is exciting for those getting into it, others in the area may have done the same thing, so competition for popular locations might get a little tight.

But don’t get discouraged. Instead, take it as a challenge to be more creative with your machine locations. To help get you started, we’ve come up with some cleaver locations to put your new ice vending machines.

Apartment Complexes

Many ice machine owners try to find locations near populated residential areas. This usually includes gas stations and convenience stores. However, people tend to overlook apartment complexes. The larger ones are usually away from most housing districts, so they don’t get much attention from ice vending machine owners.

This could be a great opportunity for you to jump on. These larger complexes usually have a centrally located management building where you can put your machine. If the apartment complex is large enough, you could easily make a profit from just the people who live there. If the main building is near a populated road, you can also attract passersby.

College Campuses

Another place that people forget about is college campuses. Some ice vending machine owners skip these locations since college students are known to be broke and likely won’t want to pay money for ice.

However, these people seem to forget that college students crave convenience. If they have a house party they need to quickly prepare for or a group gathering on the quad, they’re going to need a lot of ice and fast. A nearby ice vending machine will make a killing in these locations.

The Fairgrounds

Local fairgrounds are great places to hold all kinds of events. From auto shows to the county fair, there are plenty of events with vendors who could benefit from an ice vending machine. When you run out of ice and have a long line of customers, the convenience of a nearby machine can’t be understated.

The key thing to remember with this type of location, though, is that there might be times when there aren’t as many events happening, which can hurt your sales a bit. However, the amount you’ll make during these events will more than make up for it.

Camping Areas

The final clever location for your ice vending machine is campgrounds. Nothing’s worse than getting to your campsite only to realize you forgot to pack ice. Since many campsites are secluded, a nearby ice vending machine can be a lifesaver.

Of course, you don’t need to limit yourself to designated campgrounds. National parks and RV parks also make great ice vending machine locations. Anywhere that people will spend a lot of time outside will be a great spot for one of these machines.