Want to open a sporting goods / general store?

[menhaden_man]

Check out the SBA, they have local advisors that will talk with you about opening a small business. Pulling together a business plan forces you to think through what everyone is saying here and really helps decide on whether the math works out.

Good luck either way - I've always wanted to open a small tackle shop like the ones I used to go to in the 80s (when you could still buy minnows and a biscuit at 5 am!).

 

[mtnbiker208]

I have been self employed in retail for over 20 years.
You biggest issue, will be your employees adult children and how they affect your employees.
Cash flow
inventory control
traffic control
advertising
building maintence
will all be easy compared to dealing with your employees adult kids.

 

[gabenzeke]

I know this is a downer, but I genuinely believe you could make more working at a sporting goods store and have way fewer headaches and risk to go along with it.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Patton]

Maybe I missed it, but have you considered an e-commerce store? Lower overhead, same industry, opportunity to have much of it automated to run itself, drop shipping without holding inventory, etc.

 

[Shadow14]

Maybe I missed it, but have you considered an e-commerce store? Lower overhead, same industry, opportunity to have much of it automated to run itself, drop shipping without holding inventory, etc.

Im not really interested in an online store... maybe eventually I'd have one attached to the physical store but on its own no.

 

[Shadow14]

Since I see you are a GA guy, I’ll give some more input. I mainly know the fly fishing industry so that’s what I’ll speak on. Every fly shop in GA that I know of is owner or was started by someone with another job. There have been some other shops but they have come and gone. The only shop I’m aware of started ground up is the fishhawk, but from what I’ve heard Gary still used his “college” money to start it- so he didn’t exactly start from zero. They almost don’t count because they are in the absolute perfect location.

That being said, the Hunting/conventional fishing/camping market is much more sizable than flyfishing but you have many more competitors too.

As an example of competition, AO started out as a flyfishing/hiking/outdoor store, but I think they only saw real success once they decided to focus on fly fishing. That alongside competition from REI and online probably drove them into being solely a fly shop.

We have a few very successful gun shops in the area, most I see are going for sales volume over making a high margin. Today’s customer are so savvy you pretty much have to be. FFL gives gun shops a slight advantage because people can’t purely price shop once you account for the transfer fee.

As a specialized shop, employees are harder to come by too. The average highschool or college student doesn’t have the in depth knowledge needed. At the same time, you typically can’t afford to pay a ton either.

Agreed.

Finding good knowledgeable employees is very difficult.

 

[KenLee]

A bar with only fried food and video poker.

Drop a pin. I'm in!

 

[roadrunner]

Another thing with a sporting goods store is you would need employees. Do you really want to deal with employees?

Dealing with high maintenance managers at a company isn't a whole lot different...

 

[Snowcrest6]

Liquor license will help you stay afloat

 

[Mojave]

A friend owns a bowshop in Germany, he's an American former military guy.

He does well there. But he has unlimited customers as he is near a military base and the only bow shop the Germans have access to.

My local bike shop has some outdoor stuff I buy. Solomon boots, and things that are not normally found in a big box.. We have Cabelas and Sportsmans warehouse within 30 miles.

He focuses on lines that the big boxes don't carry.

Archery companies that only sell to bowshops and not to big box if that is your plan.

Fishing companies that are the same.

Too niche and you'll have a bunch of wierd shit no one will buy.

 

[Mojave]

A friend owns a bowshop in Germany, he's an American former military guy.

He does well there. But he has unlimited customers as he is near a military base and the only bow shop the Germans have access to.

My local bike shop has some outdoor stuff I buy. Solomon boots, and things that are not normally found in a big box.. We have Cabelas and Sportsmans warehouse within 30 miles.

He focuses on lines that the big boxes don't carry.

Archery companies that only sell to bowshops and not to big box if that is your plan.

Fishing companies that are the same.

Too niche and you'll have a bunch of wierd shit no one will buy.

We also have a local bow shop in Cruces. I am not a bowhunters, but most of their lines are the exact same as what you can get a Sportsmans or Cabelas like Sitka, Swarovski and so on.

Remember if the big box has it, and you try to compete you will lose because you won't be a tthe same tier for purchases.

Swarovski has tiers, you have to buy something like $50,000 to get the same discount.