Eric C. Mergenthaler

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(No Transcript)
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Eric C. Mergenthaler 555 Mill Hill Terrace
Southport, CT 06890 Home 203.292.6607 Cell
203.923.3110 emergen_at_optonline.net   July 1,
2009      Dear Prospective Investor,   For years
I have considered and dreamed about creating my
own business. As I now had the time to put more
serious thought and effort into it, I have
decided to pursue it. As I began to spend many
hours researching, developing and refining my
idea, I have become convinced that it is not only
a viable idea, but that the potential is
tremendous. I have also realized that not only is
this the right time for me to do this personally,
but that it is the right time for the business
itself. As you will see from the attached
presentation, Planet X is a unique and exciting
concept. I imagine Planet X as a combination of
Johnny Rockets (an enormously successful
restaurant franchise from California), Five Guys
Burgers (also an extremely successful franchise,
but with a different, quick-service approach),
Serendipity3 (the famous New York eatery) and
Dylans Candy Bar (a successful NYC, and
national, candy store). There is nothing quite
like Planet X anywhere, and I am convinced that
it will be hugely successful. With the recent
changes in the economic, political and social
landscapes, the time is right for an old
fashioned, nostalgic, feel-good establishment
reminiscent of happier and simpler times. Planet
X is that establishment and Fairfield, Ct. is the
perfect town for its introduction. At first
consideration, the current economic crisis might
seem to be the wrong time to attempt to open a
new restaurant. On the contrary, it is the ideal
time. Because of the current economic recession,
many inefficient businesses have suffered and
closed. This, combined with the recent retail
development in Fairfield, has created a temporary
excess supply of top quality, vacant retail
space. Planet X will be able to acquire prime
retail space with a location and lease terms that
have not been available in many years. In short,
Planet X will be able to get into a market that
it might otherwise not have been able to, or
would at least have had much higher barriers to
entry. The current soft job market will also
benefit Planet X by providing it with relatively
inexpensive renovation and start up costs. It
will also be to Planet Xs benefit by making it
easier to acquire high quality employees at
reasonable wages. Additionally, while Planet X
will be able to take advantage of the benefits of
a soft economy, I am optimistic that by the time
that it is ready to open for business that the
local and national economy will be poised for
recovery. If, however, the recession persists as
some pessimists believe, Planet X is in one of
the few market segments that will succeed better
than others, as customers forgo the more
expensive restaurants and other forms of
entertainment and instead opt for the more
affordable ones, ones such as Planet X. Please
take a look at the prospectus that I have
attached. I am fully convinced that Planet X will
be hugely successful and that the potential is
virtually unlimited. I believe the proposed terms
of investment are generous, limiting risk while
offering tremendous profit potential. If you
would like to consider investing in Planet X and
would like to speak with me about it further,
please dont hesitate to call me at either number
listed above. Thank you for taking the time to
consider my proposition. I look forward to
hearing from you soon and to working
together. Sincerely,     Eric
Mergenthaler
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Coming to Fairfield, Ct. in the summer of 2009,
Planet X is a nostalgic, all-American, casual,
family oriented restaurant, classic ice cream
parlor and old fashioned candy shop reminiscent
of the 1950's.   Its classic, retro-diner
atmosphere and space exploration theme, complete
with black and white tile floors, vintage art and
neon signs make it a destination that kids love
and that parents find comfortable and comforting.
Its simple, high quality fare make it a casual,
affordable dining destination for all ages. A
classic and simple menu is centered around hand
pressed, 100 all beef hamburgers, kosher style
hotdogs, hand cut french fries and golden onion
rings. Hand dipped milk shakes, classic ice cream
cones and sundaes and old fashioned penny candies
top off any meal or make it a destination for
desserts, snacks and entertainment on their own.
Planet X also aggressively markets, organizes and
hosts childrens birthday parties, catering
primarily to boys and girls age 3-15. Planet X
will be located in downtown Fairfield with
2,000-3,000 square feet of visible, heavily
trafficked retail space. The restaurant will have
counter self-service for fast, convenient and
affordable dining. The menu will be simple with
classic, high quality hamburgers, hot dogs,
chicken sandwiches, french fries and onion rings.
One or two simple salads and/or wraps will be
offered for the health conscious parents, but a
core concept is to keep the menu and choices
simple and limited. Approximate to the meal
counter, yet distinctly separate, will be a
classic, simple and nostalgic ice cream counter,
offering a few popular flavors of traditional,
handmade ice cream cones, sundaes and shakes
(again, a key concept is to keep the choices
simple and limited). A third area of the space
will consist of an old fashioned candy bazaar
featuring penny candies to be purchased by the
individual piece or basket full. In addition to
the food items, tee shirts and other Planet X
novelties will be displayed and available for
purchase. Central to the three distinct sections
of the store will be a spacious dining area
consisting of tables, booths and counter seating
with a classic 1950's diner decor. Vintage NASA,
astronomy and space exploration memorabilia will
adorn the entire facility, replete with news
clippings, vintage posters, photos and classic
neon signs. One portion of this sitting area (or
perhaps an adjacent space) will be specifically
designed to accommodate childrens birthday
parties, which will be organized and run by the
store. Perhaps one, two or a few space theme
arcade games would have an appropriate placement
within the space as well.
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Fairfield, Connecticut was voted by Money
Magazine in 2006 as the ninth best place for
families to live in the United States and the
best place for them to live in the Northeast, in
part due to its affluence, low crime rate and
high quality of life. With a population of
approximately 58,000, Fairfield consists of
roughly 21,000 households, over a third of which
have children under the age of 18. Within a five
mile radius of downtown Fairfield there are over
50,000 households and nearly 200,000 people. The
town supports eleven public elementary schools,
three middle schools and two high schools. In
addition, Fairfield is home to no fewer than
seven private secondary schools as well as
Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University,
each with over 4,000 undergraduate students.
With over 95 of the population being
non-Hispanic whites with an average age of 35.8,
a median income of 83,512 and the average family
earning over 100,000, Fairfield provides the
ideal customer base and audience for a classic,
retro- American dining establishment such as
Planet X. While there are many successful
restaurants in the town, the nostalgic
atmosphere, space exploration theme, focus on
inexpensive, comfortable, quality fare and
combined ice cream and candy bazaar will make
Planet X unique. Fairfield also has four public
beaches a short distance from the downtown area
which provide the ideal atmosphere and ambience
for the ice cream and candy shop portion of the
business. Additionally, there is a desperately
under-served demand for local facilities which
cater to childrens birthday parties. This lack
of supply is evidenced by the months-long
reservation requirement to plan such events at
existing establishments, places such as My Gym
and Hands On Pottery. It is also made obvious by
the popular and common practice of local
residents traveling over twelve miles away to
host their childrens birthday parties at My
Three Sons in Norwalk. Planet X will fill this
niche and prosper from this situation. To make
the town of Fairfield even more attractive, the
downtown business district is in the early stages
of significant revitalization and expansion. With
the recent success of Borders Bookstore, Victoria
Secret, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor and other
national chains anchoring the downtown business
district, developers have nearly completed the
new Brick Walk expansion. With the imminent
opening of JoS.A.Bank, Mango, Trek Bicycle and
several other national and local retailers, the
growth prospects for the area are significant. In
addition, the town is moving forward with the
planned construction and development of a third
Metro North railroad station, a development that
promises to create 860,000 square feet of new
office space, 32,000 square feet of new retail
space, a high rise condominium complex and a new
180 room Hilton hotel. Once completed, this
project promises to bring additional growth and
prosperity to the area. The current economic
weakness and national recession are also
providing Planet X with a tremendous opportunity.
The weak real estate market has created excess
supply of available commercial retail locations.
This will allow Planet X to obtain a desirable
space at favorable terms rental rates that have
not been available for years. It will also allow
Planet X to obtain equipment, fixtures, furniture
and merchandise at a discounted rate. The soft
job market will allow Planet X to perform any
renovation or construction at a fraction of what
the cost would have otherwise been in the recent
past. It will also allow Planet X to more easily
obtain high quality employees at reasonable
wages.
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Planet X was conceived by and is being created
by Eric Mergenthaler. For the past seventeen
years, Eric has been a successful Equity
Derivatives Trader with AGS Specialist Partners
on the trading floor of the American Stock
Exchange. After a long and successful career on
Wall Street, Eric has decided to leave the
commuting life in order to do something
different, something closer to home, more
enjoyable and more rewarding. Before his Wall
Street career, Eric worked in the restaurant
business and food service industry at several
different establishments and in many different
capacities. At some point he has held nearly
every restaurant job imaginable, including food
preparation, Line Cook, Busboy, Waiter, Bartender
and as an Assistant Manager. Eric grew up in
nearby Westport, Connecticut and has lived in
Fairfield for the past eleven years. He has
extensive family ties to the community, including
his parents, siblings, nieces and nephews. His
children, Lauren (age 10), William and Caitlin
(twins, age 8) all attend Mill Hill Elementary
School in Fairfield. Eric is among the very
customers that Planet X is targeting. He is very
much in tune with Planet Xs customers, what they
want and what they are willing to pay for.
Along with his ambition, Eric brings his many
years of business experience and financial acumen
to Planet X. His intelligence, insightfulness,
creativity, devotion and unparalleled work ethic
ensure the ultimate success of Planet X.
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Meals Planet X
Meal- Planet X Burger, basket of French Fries or
Onion Rings, Root Beer Float or Soda Pop.....
Nibiru Meal- Nibiru Dog, basket of French
Fries or Onion Rings, Root Beer Float or Soda
Pop..... Little X Meal- Junior X Burger, small
basket of French Fries and small soda
pop....   Burgers Hand pressed, 100 all beef
burger patties   Planet X Burger- Our signature
burger, so big and juicy it might not even really
exist. 1/3 lb burger patty with cheese, bacon,
lettuce, tomato, ketchup and mayo.   Double X
Burger- Huge. Not for everyone. Must be 14 years
of age or older, id required. Two 1/3 lb burger
patties with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato,
ketchup and mayo. Triple X Burger- So big its
obscene. A full pound of meat. Three 1/3 lb
burger patties with cheese, bacon, lettuce,
tomato, ketchup and mayo.   Earth Burger-
Standard, Terrestrial burger. Big and juice,
without all the extra stuff. 1/3 lb, burger
patty.   Junior X Burger- A smaller version of
our signature burger 100 all beef burger patty
with cheese, bacon, lettuce and ketchup. Junior
Earth Burger- For the little explorers that
prefer to stay closer to home 100 all beef
burger patty. Toppings American Cheese, Bacon,
Chili, Onion Ring, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles,
Onions, Sautéed Onions, Sautéed Mushrooms,
Jalapeno peppers, Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, Bar-B-Q
Sauce, A-1 Sauce
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Hot Dogs, Sandwiches, Etc.   Nibiru Dog- Be
careful. This dog might sneak up on you and
destroy you. -Kosher style Hot Dog with chili,
cheese and onions.   Hot Dog- This dog wont bite
you. -Plain. -With Chili or Cheese.   Chicken
Sandwich..... Grilled Cheese.... Chicken
Strips.... Chili. House Salad.  Sides   French
Fries- Hand cut, fried in 100 pure oil with no
trans fats Large basket. -With chili. -With
cheese. Small basket. -With chili.. -With
cheese.   Onion Rings- fried in 100 pure oil
with no trans fats -Large basket. -Small
basket.   Drinks   Milk Shakes- Hand dipped, made
with Ashleys homemade ice cream -Large. -Small.
Root Beer Float- Every astronauts favorite.
Made with Ashleys homemade ice
cream -Large. -Small. Fountain Soda Pop-
-Large. -Medium. -Small.
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Ice Cream Candy Feature Ashleys Homemade Ice
Cream Flavors Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry,
Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, Chocolate
Chip Cookie Dough Toppings Sprinkles,
Crunchies, Walnuts, Chocolate Syrup, Hot fudge,
Marshmallow, Whipped cream   Apollo 13 Party
Sundae The perfect way to celebrate your return
to earth with your whole party! -Thirteen scoops
of ice cream, topped with as many toppings as you
wish... Satellite Sundaes- Why not? -Three
scoop. -Two scoop. -One scoop.   Dishes
Cones -Three scoop. -Two scoop. -One
scoop.   Milk Shakes -Large. -Small.
Penny Candy.
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Birthday Party Package 1 - Model
Rocketry   Each attendee will be given simple
Estes model rocket to assemble and paint, with
the help of the Planet X counselors. After
completing the rockets they will play a Planet X
game. They will then be served junior burgers and
hot dogs along with baskets of French fries. The
meal will be followed with a 13 scoop Apollo 13"
birthday ice cream sundae (two sundaes for
parties greater than 14). Each participant will
be given a Planet X tee shirt and small bag of
penny candy to take home along with their
completed rocket.     Birthday Party Package 2 -
Candy Making   With the help of a Planet X
counselor, the group will make colorful, homemade
hard candies. After completing the candy making,
they will play a Planet X game. They will then be
served junior burgers and hot dogs along with
baskets of French fries. The meal will be
followed with a 13 scoop Apollo 13" birthday ice
cream sundae (two sundaes for parties greater
than 14). Each participant will be given a
Planet X tee shirt and small bag of penny candy
to take home along with their homemade
candy.   Birthday Party Package 3 - Ice Cream
Party   Party participants will be served junior
burgers and hot dogs along with baskets of French
fries. The meal will be followed with a 13 scoop
Apollo 13" birthday ice cream sundae (two
sundaes for parties greater than 14). Although
Planet X will supply two counselors for your
party, any additional games and/or entertainment
will be supplied by the birthday boy/girl. Each
participant will be given a Planet X tee shirt
to take home as well as a small bag of penny
candy.
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Candy
Grill - Fryers
Sink
Refrigerator / Sink / Washer
Ice Cream
Pick-Up Area
Table Seating Area
Counter Seating
Counter Seating
Dimensions 57 x 43.5 ft - 2479 sq ft
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Based on preliminary estimates, start up costs
for Planet X are expected to be between 350,000
and 450,000, depending mostly upon the location
chosen and the amount of renovation and/or
construction required. In order to be fully
equipped for any unexpected cost overruns and to
be assured a comfortable and successful opening
without unnecessary financial constraints, Planet
X plans to raise 625,000 (any unused and
unneeded amount will be returned to the investors
accordingly). This will be entirely done through
equity financing, sacrificing equity ownership in
the interest of avoiding the current difficulties
and expense of obtaining debt financing. In order
to attract and incentivize prospective investors,
the proposed terms are generous. Planet X is
incorporated as a Limited Liability Corporation,
affording the investors the benefit of
partnership taxation while also providing them
with limited liability protection. The rate of
distribution will be accelerated until all
initial investors have recouped their initial
investment as well as a significant return on
their capital. All initial excess earnings will
be distributed to the limited partners at rate of
75 until they have recouped their entire
investment. Once they have recouped their entire
initial investment, the rate of distribution to
the limited partners will become 50 of excess
earnings until they have received their initial
investment capital as well as an additional
profit of 100. Finally, after the original
investors have recouped their entire investment
and additional 100 return, the distribution of
profits to the limited partners will become 25,
where it will remain for the life of the entity.
Shares will be available in twenty-five units of
25,000 per share, each representing 3, 2 and
1 of net profits accordingly. As the Managing
Partner, Eric Mergenthaler will draw a modest
salary at a rate of 80,000/year. This salary
will not be initiated until financing is
complete, a location is acquired and the terms of
lease are agreed upon and finalized.
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Estimated Start-Up Budget Requirements
 
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Estimated Monthly Overhead

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Eric C. Mergenthaler   555 Mill Hill Terrace
Southport, CT 06890 H 203.292.6607 Cell
203.923.3110 emergen_at_optonline.net
  Equity Derivatives / Options Trader   Trading
Management Support Risk Management
Mitigation Client Relationship
Development   Financially astute trading
professional with a unique background and
knowledge of equities, equity derivatives, and
associated pricing theory and risk mitigation
strategies to facilitate continuous portfolio
growth. Demonstrate exceptional understanding of
the equity derivatives business. Thrive in a
demanding and chaotic environment requiring the
ability to make split-second decisions, resulting
in highly effective trading outcomes and strong
risk adjusted returns. Leverage various software
and systems, including Bloomberg and pricing and
risk management platforms to conduct market
monitoring. Consistently achieve profitability
and success in a changing trading environment.
Regarded as a proactive team player with strong
interpersonal communication skills. Lauded for
expertise in training staff to exceed firm
expectations. Additional capabilities
include   - Revenue Generation Bottom-Line
Growth - Trading Compliance Initiatives -
Financial Transaction Management -
Interpersonal Communication - Client
Relationship Development - Equity Derivatives
Expertise - Risk Management Mitigation -
Profit Loss Oversight    
Professional Experience
  AGS SPECIALIST PARTNERS, LLC, New York,
NY 1991-2008 Option Specialist / Market
Maker   Expertly managed the largest and most
active options crowds on the floor of the
exchange trading accounts with haircut in excess
of 10 million and average annual profit of over
3.5 million for this stock and stock option
specialist market making firm. Provided and
maintained fair and orderly markets for Apple
Computer Inc., Amgen Inc., and Yahoo! Inc., among
others while trading the firms capital.
Established and maintained a track record of
profitability. Selected as senior post supervisor
to evaluate daily trading activity of
specialists ensured ongoing compliance of SEC
and American Stock Exchange regulations. Firm
Representation Designated as option specialist
unit head to represent the firm at exchange
meetings and events. Served as an integral and
highly regarded resource to communicate with
potential and existing clients. Business
Strategy Added sustained value as a member of
the firms marketing committee. Contributed to
the creation and implementation of effective
marketing strategies to drive order flow and
incentives / guarantees to customers. Staff
Training and Development Spearheaded the design
and launch of training initiatives related to
pricing theory and trading strategies.
Facilitated professional development efforts of
junior staff as part of ensuring a productive and
high performing team committed to goal
attainment. Program Creation Championed the
creation and implementation of a trading team
approach to facilitate firm growth and
profitability. Talent Identification Recruited,
interviewed, and hired new firm employees as a
member of the firms hiring committee. Identified
junior talent that represented long-term value
for the firm. Previous Position Option
Specialist Clerk, (1991-1992) Floor Reporter
American Stock Exchange, (1990-1991)
Education
 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, BOULDER, Boulder, CO
Bachelor of Arts in Economics Study Abroad
Spanish / American Institute for Foreign Study
International Economics, Seville, Spain
Computer Bloomberg, MicroHedge, Actant,
TradeSpeed, and other proprietary and risk
analysis platforms Additional NASD Series 4, 7,
55 and 63 conversational Spanish volunteer,
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society