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Buying a Coffee Shop Shouldn’t Be a Grind…

A friend of mine, a successful owner of a few coffee shops, once told me what brought him to this industry. Years ago, he was sitting at one of the ubiquitous coffee shops in New York, having a small escape from his cubical and enjoying his mid-morning cup of coffee. Sitting in a comfy chair,Continue reading

What’s Brewing in the Coffee Shop Industry?

Every morning, I make myself a double espresso in my fancy new espresso machine. It’s not just that I love the taste; it’s a ritual for me – morning paper, tasty espresso in my favorite cup, and a dark chocolate candy. My husband prefers to drink his coffee by the gallon and attack his busyContinue reading

Business Matchmaking Should be More eHarmony than Tinder

I recently met one of my girlfriends for a cup of coffee. As we explored the meaning of life and solved the world’s problems, we also discussed her desire to settle down and get married. For a while, I was puzzled why she had such a difficult time finding her Mr. Right. She is aContinue reading

Selling your business: Business broker or real estate broker?

When I first meet them, many of my clients assume that business brokerage and real estate brokerage are essentially the same professions and that these professionals are completely interchangeable. This is actually one of the most common misconceptions in my business. So, let’s cut to the chase. What do these professions have in common? First,Continue reading

Selling your business: How to prepare.

Selling a business is a complex endeavor that involves many steps. To maximize the chances of selling your business at the highest possible price, you need to start preparing in advance. Timing A lot of owners consider selling their business when it becomes loss-making or when revenue is declining. While selling a business that isContinue reading

Are You Going to Sell Your Business? Watch our new video.

Are you a business owner contemplating a sale of your business? Let Comer Business Brokers (CBB) help you Sell Well™. People intuitively understand the need for experts. When your circuit breaker constantly trips, you call an electrician. When your pipe bursts, you call a plumber. When your alternator dies, you take your car toContinue reading

Secrets of buying a business profitably: Secret 1 – Don’t reinvent the wheel – buy it.

There are many reasons why you may one day decide to own and run your own business. Perhaps your aspirations exceed your current station in life. Perhaps you are a natural entrepreneur. Perhaps you were fundamentally moved by the American dream. Or perhaps you just had a terrible case of the Mondays. Whatever your reason,Continue reading

A Perfect Fit: CBB Advises Chou Chou on Sale

Chou Chou, a very successful boutique in Rowayton, CT, announced on January 15, 2021, that undisclosed buyers have acquired substantially all of the assets of the company from its current owner, Katharine B. Sanford. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Conceptually, Chou Chou is “a chic seaside boutique in the heart of Rowayton. It’sContinue reading

Demystifying the Small Business Sale: CBB Advises Mystified on Sale

Mystified, a renowned Mystic, CT escape room business, announced on December 31, 2020 that Michael McDonald has acquired substantially all of the assets of the company from its current owners, Shelly and Brian Wilson. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Since the first escape room locked its doors in 2007 and challenged people toContinue reading

Driving Success: CBB Advises Fleetmasters on Sale

Fleetmasters Sales & Service, LLC, a Windsor Locks, CT provider of repair and preventative maintenance services for fire apparatus, municipal emergency vehicles, and commercial trucks, today announced that Michael Baron has acquired substantially all of the assets of the company from its owner and co-founder, Tom Stempfer. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. FoundedContinue reading

Another Deal Inked: CBB Advises Bad Fish Tattoo on Sale

Bad Fish Tattoo, a Norwalk, CT tattoo studio, today announced that Pieter Spijkers has acquired substantially all of the assets of the company from its current owner, Anthony Neave. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Originally opened in 2008 and acquired by Mr. Neave in 2014, Bad Fish Tattoo is a highly-rated, well-known studioContinue reading

Pet-owners and Furry Friends Rejoice! CBB advises on Sale of Natural Pet Food Store.

Your Healthy Pet, a Newtown, CT, all-natural pet food and supply retail store, announced that Dianne Bromley and Christopher Ranaudo have acquired substantially all of the assets of the company from its current owners, Tom and Mary-Kay Novak. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. After experiencing a frustrating and heartbreaking journey with the health ofContinue reading

Escaping Comfort of Corporate “Nest” and Taking “Flight” into Entrepreneurship – CBB Advises the Wild Bird’s Unlimited Franchise Store on Sale

Comer Business Brokers (CBB) just helped Wild Birds Unlimited, a nature oriented retail store, Sell Well and announced today that Roger and Jennifer Fontaine have acquired substantially all of the assets of the company from its current owner, Ronald Bailey. Wild Birds Unlimited, a Glastonbury, CT specialty retail store, announced that Roger and Jennifer FontaineContinue reading

Success is Delicious: CBB Advises a French Bakery, Isabelle et Vincent, on Sale.

Isabelle et Vincent, a Fairfield, CT patisserie and chocolatier, today announced that Jill and Mike Saulsberry have acquired substantially all of the assets of the company from its founders, Vincent and Isabelle Koenig. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 2007 by French immigrants seeking to recreate their popular Strasbourg patisserie here inContinue reading

Show me the monnneeeeyyyyy! (aka How long will it take to close the sale of my business?)

Patience may be virtuous, but when I first meet potential clients, one question is inevitably top of mind: How long will it take me to sell my company? At the risk of sounding like a lawyer, the answer is “it depends”. I realize this answer is about as satisfying as a warm blanket on aContinue reading

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Comer Business Brokers wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! When we’re not helping business owners Sell Well, we Party Well. See our Christmas party pictures below.

Selling your business. What to do and where to start?

So you’ve decided to sell your business. Congratulations! It is an exciting time, but you may have no idea where to start. Don’t worry. I’m here to help you Sell Well™. Where do you start? First and foremost, you need to decide whether you want to go it alone or hire a professional. While theoreticallyContinue reading

Uncork the success: CBB advises a local wine store on sale.

GLASTONBURY, November 29, 2017 /PRWeb/ Charles Fine Wine, a Glastonbury, CT purveyor of hard to find and sought after wines, today announced that Tony Rousseau and Cheryl Carboneau have acquired substantially all of the assets of the company from its founder, Charles Bissell. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1988, Charles FineContinue reading

Molasses in January – The Sales Tax Clearance Problem You May Not Know About

Have you ever tried to buy a business in Connecticut? There are two guaranteed problems – finding a business that still makes money here, and obtaining a tax clearance certificate. Why is a tax clearance certificate important? Without it, sellers can’t sell, buyer’s can’t buy, lenders can’t lend, players can’t play – you get theContinue reading

Reproducible Success: CBB Advises Reprographics Company on Sale

Comer Business Brokers today announced the closing of the sale of a Connecticut-based full-service reprographics business to private buyers. Founded in 1990, the company principally services architects, engineers, construction professionals and government agencies with print and digital solutions and information management services. The seller, a talented entrepreneur, spent years building the business from scratch toContinue reading

Specialty Skills Help Close ~$300k Specialty Retail Sale

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Comer Business Brokers (CBB), in conjunction with Larson Associates, has just helped another business owner Sell Well.™ Comer Business Brokers and Laron Associates recently closed a nearly $300,000 sale (including inventory) of a multiple-location specialty retail business. Juggling multiple locations, multiple landlords, a franchisor, a lender and sufficientContinue reading

Ignorance is never blissful: Know what you’re buying when you buy a business

Have you been thinking about buying your own business? You may already have begun researching industries, numbers, risks and other aspects of being a business owner. But when you finally find an exciting business to buy, the question most likely to pop into your head is “What exactly am I buying?” Interestingly enough, the converseContinue reading

Buying a liquor store: A tasty cocktail of opportunity.

Have you been thinking about buying your own business? Chances are, you have never owned a liquor store, but you have heard that it can be a good investment and a good business to own. To help you to make up your mind, we decided to devote this blog to discussing different aspects of owningContinue reading

Selling your business. Mistakes that could cost you BIG $$…

So you are thinking about selling your business. While you may already be imagining yourself somewhere on a beach in Florida or Hawaii, there are some common mistakes that, if unavoided, won’t allow you to Sell Well™. FALLING BEHIND IN TAX FILINGS – The first thing any potential buyer will ask you for is yourContinue reading

Buying a Business: Franchise vs. Mom & Pop

So you’ve decided to buy a business. Congratulations! It’s an exciting time, but you may have no idea where to start, what you want or what fits. It’s strange, but true: most first-time buyers tell me during our initial meeting that they want to buy a business, but have no idea what kind of business.Continue reading

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Irina was with us every step of the way!
“Buying a business can, at times, be a daunting and confusing process. Irina was with us every step of the way. She answered any and all questions and concerns; she was the bridge that kept us all connected and communicating.
Irina is a true professional. She was invaluable in helping us buy our first business. Thank you, Irina!”
Michelle & Chris F., buyers of a reprographics company
Irina was a complete pleasure to work with!
“Irina Comer was a complete pleasure to work with. She is a great communicator and relies on very good common sense in all her decisions. I felt that I was well watched over throughout the entire process of having my business sold. The business closing occurred without a hitch, which was a great relief. I can wholeheartedly recommend Irina and her expertise for any business transaction.”
Charles B., a wine store seller.
I was impressed by quality and expertise of Chris and Comer Business Brokers!
“Christine Motta of Comer Business Brokers worked tirelessly to find the right buyer for my unique business. This was a complex transaction between seller, buyer, franchise, and landlord. Christine was a tremendous communicator and mediator and researcher and worked with all parties to come to the right outcome for everyone. She was truly amazing and encouraging to work with and I am very thankful”
Ron B., owner of a Wild Birds Unlimited Store
Great Experience, Thank you!
“At times of today where business dealings are harder than ever, it was a breath of fresh air knowing that brokers are still out like Irina Comer. I had the true pleasure of crossing paths with Irina where the clear, transparency, direction and guidance was second to none. I took a chance, a life savings chance on this company where people say never look back. I will always look back and be thankful that I was given the opportunity to work with Irina and allowed me the next journey of my life. Thank you!”
Doug, buyer of two established CT franchises
Irina is a seasoned professional in every way!
I have worked with Irina for many years as a SBA lender and highly recommend her to anyone seeking to sell a business. She is extremely knowledgeable about the entire process and very thorough and detail oriented. A seasoned professional in every way!
Michelle Orr, Live Oak Bank SBA Lender
Irina is the ultimate broker!
“We were skeptical about being able to find a way to buy our dream business, but Irina assured us that she would be able to coordinate financing, provide references for expert legal counsel, and serve as a professional liaison between us and the sellers.
Irina was not only true to her word, but she exceled at every aspect of the process. Her business acumen gave us confidence that the deal would come to fruition. In addition, Irina’s sense of humor made us laugh, even when obstacles seemed overwhelming at times. Irina is a tremendous communicator; she always responded quickly and effectively when we had questions or concerns.
When searching for a broker, there is no need to look further than Irina Comer. She is a top-notch professional, worth her weight in gold! Irina is the only broker we will ever consider as our representative!”
Jill and Mike S., Buyers of French Bakery
We highly recommend Irina to any one selling their business!
“We highly recommend Irina to any one selling their business for her professionalism, knowledge, and availability. Irina is very knowledgeable in accounting and marketing, enabling her to correctly value and emphasize the strengths of a business. She also has strong expertise in the day to day tasks of running a business allowing her to develop a strong marketing plan of a business.
She is also very professional and available at any time whether in person, by email, or over the phone. In addition, she is a strong professional who always meets deadlines. She had an answer to all of our questions and attended to every step in the sale very quickly. Irina is always optimistic while remaining realistic. Her professionalism, combined with her knowledgeable in real estate, marketing, and accounting, make her a very strong broker.”
Isabelle and Vincent Koenig, sellers of a French Bakery
Irina, you were an absolute pleasure to work with!
“We are so appreciative of your help during the buying process of our wine shop! You held our hand through a very stressful process and made it all happen. Thank you for driving across the state of CT last minute to make sure we had all of our paperwork, applications, tax information etc. all in order! You made a dream true and we are so excited to make The Best Wine Shop in Town just that! You were an absolute pleasure to work with! We love your calm demeanor and extensive knowledge of the buying and selling process!”
Cheryl Carboneau and Tony Rousseau, a liquor store buyers
We could not have sold our company without Irina Comer.
“My business partner and myself reached a time in our lives where it was time to consider retirement. We had a very respectable printing business and wanted to find the right person to carry it on but had no idea where to begin. We reached out to Irina who explained the process and immediately began the search. She found the perfect buyers who were as passionate about the business as we were. Neither ourselves or the buyers had ever bought or sold a company before but Irina walked us through the entire process. She not only worked directly with us and the buyers but interacted with the additional parties involved such as the banks and attorneys keeping all the moving parts together. We highly recommend her. We could not have sold our company without her.”
Chris and Bob, sellers of a blueprinting company.