Chuck Carey, Bill MacKenzie

Being a business owner on Cape Cod offers the rare opportunity to work where you play and play where you work. For those who are fortunate enough to work here—whether you are the boss, owner or an employee—there is no better feeling than spending a lunch hour feeling sand between your toes. Establishing a career here can be as simple as a call to a local commercial realtor.

Realtor and Broker Associate with Commercial Realty Advisors Bill MacKenzie says he has seen many people purchase commercial properties and flip them into businesses that suit their talents. “One location was home to a hot dog stand for 17 years. The new owners took over and turned it into a place that serves grilled cheese sandwiches. They tested it and it worked,” he says.

Another business in Bourne, he says, changed from a restaurant serving up breakfast and lunch to a place specializing in Thai food as a dinner offering. And it is succeeding. “It’s all about being an entrepreneur,” he says.

When it comes to commercial real estate, the old adage of location, location, location rings truer than ever. Chuck Carey, owner and broker of Carey Commercial Inc. in Hyannis, has some wonderful commercial properties for sale with prime locations.

Located just across from Saquatucket Harbor in Harwich Port, where Freedom Cruise Line departs for Nantucket, is a small ice cream parlor with a big following of loyal customers. The building even has a small cottage upstairs that the owner can either live in or rent out for additional income. “It’s a great spot,” Carey says.

Another ideal commercial property that has it all, Carey says, is a liquor store in Brewster that has a beautiful home just above the shop. “It’s the kind of home that people want to own on Cape Cod,” he says. This is an ideal property, he explains, for somebody who wants to start a career or is looking for a new career in the second phase of their life.

Buying commercial properties can be a bit more complex than buying a private residence. “Some owners will sell the business only and hold on to the real estate,” Carey says. But not all commercial property purchases require working seven days a week. “Purchasing an apartment building doesn’t require showing up every day and can provide passive income,” he adds.

MacKenzie urges buyers to be creative when looking at properties and to consider other options for the space. He says if the location is right but the space doesn’t work, demolition could be the answer. “Some buyers and developers are willing to tear down a building and put up something different.”

Mary Stanley is a freelance writer who lives in Sandwich.