How do I go about opening a sewing and craft store?
I live in an urban area. The nearest fabric and craft stores are 64 to 154 miles away. I would like to start a sewing & craft store out of my garage in hopes of expansion into a small community 20 miles from me. But I want to start at home to see if this will prosper.
Make sure you have enough of a target market to warrant the expense you are about to assume. If you are looking into holding inventory, you will probably need a bank loan for inventory and those payments will be due whether you sell or not. You will have to attract the buyers to you and that means a pretty high advertising budget. Unless you are prepared to work the "store" all of the time you will need to hire at least one assistant because you can only wait on one person at a time. Check with local zoning ordinances because your neighbors may not be alright with semis of inventory driving down your street, especially if its an urban community. I am not being negative here but trying to point out things to think about. Make sure you have all the right business licenses for what you intend to do. Check with your insurance company about a rider for business from home. Check with your accountant and attorney because you don't need tax or legal problems. With that said, the best source of information for you is FREE. Check with COSE (council of small enterprises) and SBA (small business administration) that provides assistance in preparing business plans with you, not FOR you and can give you some incredible resources to make sure you know what you are getting into. It's going to take time to recoup your start up capital so don't expect to be an overnight success. My motto is: "don't wait for your ship to come in ... swim out to meet it," which simply means don't let you dream die. If you are serious about doing it, make the calls and get going... TODAY!!!
|
|
Fabric Store Bolt of Flat White Lace Sewing Trim 21 Yards 5/16" Wide Polyester $9.00 |
|
|
Fabric Store Bolt Ecru Lace Sewing Trim 13 Yards 1.5" Wide Cotton Crochet Style $9.99 |
|
|
CreamThread 300 yds spool to match fabric in store $2.75 |
|
|
Fabric Store Bolt of Ecru Lace Sewing Trim 2.5 Yards 2" Wide Floral Design $4.00 |
|
|
Fabric Store Bolt Ecru Lace Sewing Trim 18 Yards 2" Wide Floral Design Polyester $9.99 |
|
|
Fabric Store Bolt Ecru Lace Sewing Trim 2 Yards 2" Wide Cotton Oval Eye Design $4.00 |
|
|
Fabric Store Bolt of White Lace Sewing Trim 12 Yards 1/2" Wide Polyester $7.00 |
|
|
Fabric Store Bolt Ecru Lace Sewing Trim 14 Yards 2" Wide Floral Design Nylon $8.00 |
|
|
TRUE VALUE HARDWARE STORES EMBROIDERED FABRIC PATCH $13.00 |
|
|
McCalls Sewing Patten Catalog 2005 Holiday Issue, from Hancock Fabrics Store $7.99 |
|
|
Mighty Mendit $3.50 Mighty Mendit Is Not A Glue, But A Flexable Bonding Agent That Grabs, Adheres & Interlocks The Fibers Of Virtually Any Fabric For A Permanent Repair, Dries Crystal Clear & Safe For Most Surfaces & Many Fabrics, The Bond Will Remain Strong Even After 50 Washes, Whether Its Denim, Leather Or Lace You Can Use Mighty Mendit Any Time, Any Place.... |
|
|
Floursack white dish towel 100% cotton 30 x 38 inch 24 thread count medium weight quality 6 pack $19.99 Flour sack hand dish finger tip 100% cotton hemmed towels are great for drying dishes wiping up spills and using as buffer over delicate fabrics when ironing. There are many uses for these handy towels that measure 30 x 38 inches (76.2x96.52cm). This listing is for 6 towels or you can contact Tiger Textiles for more bulk pricing. This item ships from Tiger Textiles in Grand Rapids MN and usually s... |
|
|
OLFA 9654 RTY-2/DX 45mm Ergonomic Rotary Cutter $12.45 The 45mm Quick-Change Rotary Cutter a rolling razor blade used to cut materials into shapes, strips and pieces for craft projects. The Quick-Change Rotary Cutter has an easy blade change with just a single click. No more assembly with a washer and a nut. Just slide the locking mechanism and the blade immediately releases. The innovative spilt blade cover allows for switching hands effortlessly wit... |
|
|
Black & Decker SZ360 3.6-Volt Ni-Cad Cordless Power Scissors $14.75 BLACK and DECKER POWER SCISSORS *3.6V *Cordless power *Use on fabric, cardboard, paper tarps, canvas, vinyl window screening and more *Ergonomic design - scissor blade in-line with material, soft comfort grip *Includes: 3.6V scissors, universal cutting blade and charger... |