Starting / Owning a LBS

1981.
1981. Posts: 270
edited February 2008 in Workshop
erm, bit of a weird one – does anybody have any advice on owning or starting a local bike shop?

I guess it's my mid-life-crisis kicking in, but I can't think of anything better than talking to like minded folk and fettling bikes for a living (forgive the rose tinted specticles).

I have a plan, that I may action - but would welcome any advice from anybody with some real world experience.

Thanks in advance.

1981.
FIXIES.HUUB

Comments

  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    A generous bank manager and a desire not to get rich would be pre-requisites. I don't think anyone does it for the money. Cash-flow is what kills off most small-businesses - borrowing to buy too-much stock at deep discount and then failing to sell it quick enough to fund the debt. If you have little experience of retail or the bike trade, I'd try and spend a year or so running somebody else's emporium to find out about the trade at someone else's expense - at least you'll get reimbursed for your efforts. Likewise, you can get to know the various distributors and dealers, the business cycle and the products.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..

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