Help please Starting up your own local shop - Childrens shoes

[RuthT]

Help Needed

I have an idea of starting up a childrens shoe shop in my local town/village. There is definately a market for one given the demographics and the type of shops on the high street.

I have never owned a retail business
I do not have any idea about how to fit shoes
or What stock to carry
Costs of setting up a shop etc

Does anyone have any experience in this area, willing to mentor me or tell me how mad I am!

Im not selling through a e-bay shop as i find it eats up loads of my proffit and im only testing the water (this is my first listings of shoe's), i also sell other baby/kids products including items i have made myself (taggy blankets). I just love kid's shoes and find it so hard to find shoes for my girls which is why a shoe shop would be a great idea.
There is a childrens shoe shop a few miles away from me, they also sell designer kids clothes and a few baby toy's. They stock a range of shoe's including start-rite.
I dont think selling on the net (e-bay) is a great idea as most people want there children to try on before buying but at the moment i can't afford a shop (i'm working on it)

Good luck Chippy Minton!

I mean Marne!