Broadway Mainstreet Store front 1700sq ft $350 a month!!

[mfatty500 454]

Wave 30 crisp C-Notes in front of him, if doesn't take it, you can always come up. Cash is KING...

[Macon Innovations 228]

Good luck to you...For now I'm using a roughly 200 square foot room in my basement

[Sue2 920]

raise your hands if you were one of us "back in the day" to try to make our fingers do that ??!!!

 

Right hand   -  yes

Left hand   -   no go

 

[fustratedinhawaii 71]

Right hand   -  yes

Left hand   -   no go

 

LOL....I can't do it with EITHER!

 

Macon, I've got a 8' x 8' space

 

GC, looking forward to pics soon

[jaybyrd 3,770]

6600 sf:) living every foot of it.

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

6600 sf:) living every foot of it.

And when he says living Jay means living.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Oops auto correct at it again. Loving it but yeah living here too.

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

Oops auto correct at it again. Loving it but yeah living here too.

So what your saying is your lovin living the shop? lol

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Something like that 

[express2100 154]

Sounds like heaven to me!

[gcextreme 475]

OK guys, update.

This place is roughly 22x23 which makes it about 506 sq feet...not all of that is usable as there is a walldivider splitting it about 3/4x1/4, then the bathroom...

 

Rent $325 a month.

Insurance $40.

Utilities Estimate costs:

Heating $100 a month

Electric $80 a month

Garbage $30 a month

Internet $55 a month

----------------

Total Estimate Monthly Overhead : $630.

 

 

 

Back Room

 

[jaybyrd 3,770]

I like the way they made display space when they downsized the window.

[gcextreme 475]

Yep thats where im gonna have glass mugs and wine glasses etc on display at.

Then to the left on the big white/grey wall im going to have wall racks/shelves etc.

In the center im going to have a round shirt display rack and a hat rack.

Then on the other wall, the dividing wall is goin to be my workbench with my heat presses.

Then on the far wall, will be more shelves and racks and supplies.

In the back room will be a work bench with my computer, my cutter, and a shelf for more supplies.

Its going to fill up fast and i will still be keeping alot at home and in my storage unit...

[gcextreme 475]

Anyway i figure to make my overhead costs, i would need to sell about 60 shirts @$15 each a month..so an average of 2 shirts a day...not including sales from decals and etched glass.

But thats about what i would need...i think its really doable.

[Sal316 166]

Anyway i figure to make my overhead costs, i would need to sell about 60 shirts @$15 each a month..so an average of 2 shirts a day...not including sales from decals and etched glass. But thats about what i would need...i think its really doable.

The more important number is how much in sales you need to cover your overhead and pay yourself a decent wage. After all, you are not a non-profit.

[gcextreme 475]

Yep thats true too. But i plan on having an evening job to make ends meet, at least until i can make enough from my business.

My wife just had a long argumentative phone conversation with her brother, who is a self-proclaimed business expert, and he says with a small city like Glenwood, its not a good idea to open up a store front...blah blah blah, and went on about how many people and customers are u really going to have....blah blah. 

I tried to explain to him, that right now 90% of my sales is online, on facebook and forums, the only way the locals get to me is thru my business cards and referrals from friends/etc. 

He went on saying there isnt enough business in Glenwood, etc...and i should open up a store in a larger city. I tried to explain to him, larger city may equal more business, but it also equals more overhead costs, and me being the only worker, i can only handle so many customers and so many orders all by myself.

For example, this 500sqft place, $325 would be $1,000 in Alexandria, 15 miles away, And customers from Alex will come to Glenwood for business. Their is a Photography studio in Glenwood, called Lane Studio, they even get customers from Fergus Falls, thats over 65 miles away!

And this city of Glenwood gets packed in the summer with vacationeers and people staying at the resorts and lake cabins.

Plus there are tons of local businesses to do work for as well, theres like 3 plumbing and heating companies, several construction and lawn care companies, and tons of resorts to do stuff for, as well as other shops down town.

 

Plus all the motorcyclists that come thru, it gets crazy.

 

There's always a risk, but i tell you this, i am tired of working my butt off to make someone else rich, while i still struggle...and if taking this risks means i have the chance to break out on my own and succeed, then its worth it.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Listen tell him about Jay's Place in a town of 800 and business is growing every year. If your good and fair they will come no matter where you are.

[pshawny 410]

My cousin's sign shop in Ortonville, which is smaller than Glenwood, has grown over the years and now does in excess of $600k/year in sales. Don't listen to your brother-in-law. What has he done that makes him think that he's a business expert anyway? Some people are doers, some are idea people, and others just talk.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

^^^well said^^^

[express2100 154]

You have been wanting to do this for a long time now and your boss being a Dip Azz may have opened a door to your future. There might not be a better time to pursue your dream then now. Right now you're hungry which will push you to make it work. You don't have anything to prove to anyone. Well other than your wife and if she has your back then piss on all of the haters and move forward.

One question.... Are those utility costs based on previous months bills or will you be on an even pay plan? Only asking because you won't know your true costs or usage until after your first quarter. Presses do draw a bit of power. It's neither here nor there just something to consider.

[gcextreme 475]

Yes my wife has my back and supports me.

Hopefully this weekend we will be painting the insides.

The utility cost are estimates, averages based upon what i was told by the former renter who moved on the other side of town into a smaller shop, a hair stylist.

She said she only moved because that place was too big for just her doing hair and the newer smaller place is all she needs. Its about 1/2 the size. She has two chairs a sink, shelves, etc, and a bathroom.

Anyway i need suggestions for my sign to hand over the window there, theres those 2 boards on the brick wall, so I guess i gotta mount my sign to that.

Not sure what to use. I measured it..the boards are 2', so guess i can go a bit bigger..maybe 3' and 6'.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

I struggled from 08 until around 2012 and was working full time to stay above water. Afree a similar situation with a supervisor I left my job on 2 minutes notice lol. Best thing that ever happened since I decided to give the shop 100% of my time and business steadily increased. BTW unlike many I'm not a saver so when I quit I had less than 500 to live on so hungry would have been a pretty good description.

[fustratedinhawaii 71]

If  you have loads of tourist coming your way this summer, that's almost NOW! BIKERS? NOW!! Hope you have some designs that will attract them to buy  t-shirts and such, maybe something from your town for them to remember by....pretty awesome  If summer will be your busiest time of year, PLEASE BE SMART and budget your money so you can stretch it out for those slower months...

Looking......AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK TO  YOU !!!!!!!!!!!

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Remember to stock up on hoodies for the 10 months of winter y'all have up there.

[gcextreme 475]

Haha its not that bad..we have like 8 months of winter. Lol.