Yup I'm an idiot or a genius.

Alot of local retailers closed their doors recently and there's more to close shop within the year. The market is falling but there is still a market there. With mor retailers out of the way, there is less competition. Most of the retailers that closed all opned shop in the 80's and have not changed or updated much since so the showrooms were all clutter and seen better days.

Polling people and getting info I've seen a trend that a cleaner more classy interactive showroom is the way to go and I'd be the only one round with tis type of specialized setup.

My plan is clean esthetically pleasing singular themed show room. Keep a relative minimum in stock to keep overhead as low as possible. I have Robert Thibert distribution just 5 minuts from my location so I have access so all the bolt-on car and truck accessories one could shake a stick at.

Any other shop owners or managers have any advice or reccomendations for things to look at to have some success?

Cheers
Donald

 

DONT get a job that pays good and keep your hobby for after hours

 

it's not a hobby, I've been an installer for 6 years full time. I'm tired of making other people alot of money and being very restricted.

 

I'm in the same boat.
I'm sick and tired of working for someone else, lining their pockets with money instead of my own.
I wish I had more time after hours and a larger space to do my own stuff on my own time.
I have some hook ups and what not, its more a matter of getting my name out than anything.

 

I been in that boat awhile, I work nearly an hour from home, have a baby now. I work 48-56 hours a week. I make good money, but my boss makes much better on my back. I allready have a well established local name on forums and such and a good loyal customer following. My shop will be opened 5 minutes from my house, 5 minutes from my major supplier, and 15 minutes from JAM indstries (JBL, Sirius, Bassworx, Infinity, Audisson, Hertz). I don't play to get filthy rich with this, the market just isn't there anymore. But given the closeness of my suppliers I won't have to keep too much in stock so I can keep my overhead very low..and y ace in my sleeve. I'm native and the shop will be a reserve with good access to a huge client base so all sales are tax free and I'll have no income tax to pay.

 

I make peanuts for what i know and how much i do.
I make a whopping $12.48 + 10% commission, and I have at least 8 years on the books, and several more off.
It just sux cuz there arent any openings in the larger "more specialized" shops.
But for all i know they dont pay well either
I've got a baby due on halloween, but ya i want to venture out on my own, but there are SO many hurtles to over come.
Mainly financing, banks dont seem to like me for some reason. Yet I have a stellar credit rating.
I wish there was something I could do to just take off and never look back.

 

steve do know of any place hiring installers in the durham area its alex so still at fs?

 

I see less and less shops around here to....

I just gave up my $26/hr welding job a year ago so I could be closer to my wive and
kids..my son is autistic so I can not work out of town any more..I am needed to keep
things leveled out at home

the money isn't to bad just selling enclosures although if I was set up in a larger shop
I could do ALOT better
at the moment I am searching for an investor to help open up a shop here so I can move
my tools to a proper area that allows for more complex projects and it would be nice to
have an actual showroom to show off my stuff
but untill then I just have to suck it up and keep pounding boxes out of a single stall
garage