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Original poster

Owning a shop - am I not livng in the real world?

44 replies

luciemule · 08/05/2007 13:35

Apologies for long post before I start!!!Over the past couple of years, along with my idea of going back work and retraining as a teacher, I've been considering the option of having my own shop. I've looked into the type of shop I'd love to have and have found very few similar (if any) ones in the area where I'd be having it. The town (historic market town with large public school and high visitor interest)has a number of gift/type shops already but my idea is to have a shop/cafe that sells German style toys/gifts/decorations/polish pottery with perhaps a cake and coffee area (Kaffee und Kuchen!) attached. Now DH says what a daft idea and why would it make any money but then I think if the other gift shops make money (and they are similar ones to each other in the same town) then there must be a niche for the sort of stuff I'm thinking of as it'd be unique. Has anyone just dived in and tried to start their own shop or am I just dreaming. DH says why would they go to the shop when they can buy all of the wooden toys/authentic christmas decorations etc online? I disagree and think if there are enough tourists/locals with a need for the product then it'd work.
Anyone got any thoughts on it?

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Fimbo · 08/05/2007 13:37

Bubblerock has just started selling clothes from a shop after running at hotel. Keep this bumped for her to see.

saadia · 08/05/2007 13:38

I think you just have to do some market research first, I wouldn't dive in without testing the market - although I have no idea how you would do that.

Tinker · 08/05/2007 13:42

Are you based in the UK? Think these kind of shops struggle really. Are any of the shops limited companies? Can you check out their annual accounts on Companies House?

brimfull · 08/05/2007 13:44

Have you found out how much the premises would cost?

Coffe and cake sounds good,why the german/polish slant,do you have a connection?

brimfull · 08/05/2007 13:46

We have 3 shops,it is a huge amount of work,not a hobby type job.You need to be prepared to work long hours for a long time if you want it to succeed.
Much easier working for someone else imo.

Original poster
luciemule · 08/05/2007 13:52

Good idea baout the limited company thing - will check.
We lived in Germany for over a year and loved the whole coffee and cake thing and visitors always commented on how we don't really 'do' that kind of thing here.
The Germans do shopping and shops really well and I reckon a german style shop here would work really well. In the UK, there aren't many toy shops (selling traditional or modern toys - except Toys R Us etc) and I think a toy shop/decroations/coffee & cake shop would fill a niche. But will see. It's only an idea and DH always finds cracks in my ideas. The only similar thing I've seen in the UK is a shop in Bath (Hansel und Gretel) which sells similar stuff and has a strudel bar downstairs. I think people like things that aren't usual to their country.

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hermykne · 08/05/2007 13:52

lucismule
i had one,
you must evaluate your overheads first - rent / decor/ rates / saleries / insurance / opening hours / utilities.

then the cost of stock and keeping your shop replenished so local buyers are always surprised to see new things arriving in and dont get "bored" with the same thing.

stock costs money and you must spend wisely.

ensure your margins are adequate to cover the intital above costs plus your drawings.

staff will elt you down, and you must be prepared to work weekends too. and whenever there are crisis.

itsall about margins and costings.
are you going to the trade fairs ? maison et object in paris in september is the no 1 show for interiors accross the board (fabrics to christmas lights).

evaluate your local town for customers and the next 30 m,iles.
you cant sell something that is there as those customers wont come to you.
women will drive to a shop if "they have to have it"

goos luck

Original poster
luciemule · 08/05/2007 13:54

Yes GGgirl - it would be my full time work once both kids are at school and know how much hard work it'd be. The thing is, the town is really quite touristy so I think it could be a goer.

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FioFio · 08/05/2007 13:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
luciemule · 08/05/2007 13:56

thanks Hermykne - looks interesting and I might start looking into it all. I've got basically 2 years before I would start teacher training, which I will probably do anyway as a back up and will try to convince DH that it might perhaps work.

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greenpearl · 08/05/2007 13:57

Well I think it sounds a lovely idea. We have a German/Polish Christmas market that comes every year.
I would visit you !

morningpaper · 08/05/2007 13:57

I think generally tourists go for the "genuine" local connection rather than foreign connections

If you are particularly countrified (westcountry) they might think it is all foreign muck

BUT I would say that if you have some money (5 - 10k?) that you can "risk" then write a proper business plan and come up with proper figures and take it from there

Original poster
luciemule · 08/05/2007 13:59

Havve searched the area for at least 30 miles and there's not anything similar, except Toys R US within that radius.
In the town, there is a run of the mill gift shop and a more expensive kitchen gadgets/cushions/pretty dishes and bowls type shop. That's it really so could be good. The only cafes are a small coffee shop, which odesn't do good coffee, a bistro type shop and another 'tired' looking coffee shop.

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Original poster
luciemule · 08/05/2007 14:02

The town (MP) has a french market every so often and is twinned with Naort in Germany so locals tend to like the whole continental thing it seems. Nothing in the town is very locally produced, except the monthly farmers market and butchers shop.
I was going along with the fact the christmas type market/events are all really popular.

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morningpaper · 08/05/2007 14:03

A good coffee machine will need to be put in your business plan

A chum bought one recently for his business and it was 5 k!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was v. tasty though

greenpearl · 08/05/2007 14:07

Maybe you could get funding free for enhancing your Twin town connections?
I would certainly exploit that for free publicity and have free editorials in local paper, maybe source some of your stock from the German town if poss? Make a link with one of their coffee shops? Get their recipese etc.
Could they be there at your grand opening? Could you arrange Britsh cake/scones to go to them ?

Original poster
luciemule · 08/05/2007 14:14

thanks greenpearl - do you know? - I did think that the whle twinning thing might be an advantage and will check it out too.
I was thinking too how you see some shops and wonder how they survive. There's a model areoplane shop that's been in the town since I was born and it's still going. It's not in the town centre and looks drab and almost shut up, yet he must be earning a living somehow so why wouldn't a nice shop do well?

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greenpearl · 08/05/2007 14:44

Ah but he probably owns the lease and paid it off years ago so he probably only pays for the power and a couple of grains of coffee. Sorry !
We had a model train shop like that for years too.
Let us know if you do it and good luck!
I am in process of setting up website too.

Malaleche · 08/05/2007 14:51

I've had a souvenir shop in a popular Spanish town with the most visited monument in Spain for 13 years. It takes up all your time, weekends, holidays etc... If you're hoping your trade will be the tourists bear in mind you'll have no summer or Easter hols yourself. I am sick of it. Have to go and eat now but will check in again later....

Original poster
luciemule · 08/05/2007 16:13

Thanks guys - I know what you mean about the tourist thing but there isn't really a seasonal tourist thing in the town - it's popular all year round. Without giving away the actual town so nobody steals the idea, let's just say it's a bit like Wells only smaller. You know - famous school with beautiful school buildings(lots of visiting parents), quaint cottages and narrow streets.
The other pro is that the town is expanding its new housing and the growth has predicted the need for a new primary and middle school so a lot of younger people moving into the town.
Also, I have a lot of family in the town and know some would like to help out.
I spoke to my mum about it earlier and she thinks it's a fab idea and didn't diss it, as I thought she would.

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Skribble · 08/05/2007 23:25

Sounds very similar to what I would like to do. I want a kindof traditional tearoom but not stuffy. Lots of home baking perhaps panninis and baked potatoes at lunch time (no fried food) and and area selling traditional/ classic and original toys and gifts.

No money or guts to go fo it though.

EllieKthePA · 08/05/2007 23:31

we have a shop similar to your description, i live in a reasonably small market town but it seems to be fairly busy. It was started as a gift shop, one of those that sells designer bits and kitsch, and then when then shop next door came up she expanded and added a tea room on but with the same name as the shop.

madamez · 08/05/2007 23:39

I had a shop for a while when DS was a baby: it didn't work out. However, your idea sounds a lot more focussed than mine was, and if you have family prepared to help out (I presume you mean "work for f* all for a while) you might be in with a chance of making it work.
Good luck with it anyway.

Skribble · 08/05/2007 23:45

Good mark up on food and drink sales but limited turnover in a coffee shop/ tea room (limited selling hours) and more labour intensive.

Decent mark up on gifts and toys, less costs in actually selling.

Original poster
luciemule · 09/05/2007 09:27

The kaffee und juchen bit of it would be smaller than the toys/decs. It would literally be drinks and cakes (as in Germany) rather than the whole jkt pots/sandwiches idea. I worked in the rather tired coffee shop for a while and that has a large upstairs room and the large downstairs area. That would be ace for it but imagine it would be expensive as it's in the market place. Spoke to DH last night and he didn't diss the idea completely and said we'd think about it - a bit of hope then!

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