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Q.
I am very
interested in starting a resale/thrift shop specializing in home furnishings,
tableware, women's vintage clothing, china/tea sets. (example would be
"shabby chic") I shop flea markets, thrift & resale shops all
over the Cleveland, Ohio area. (there are many, but mostly charities -
Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc) I want my shop to have high quality merchandise
that I buy at fleas, antique & thrifts & repaint, repair (minor) and
resale in a beautifully merchandised shop. Maybe the shop can have a tea room
also. There is nothing like this here (that I have found) there is only one
store in all of Ohio that I have found that sell the "Shabby Chic"
line & it is a very upscale store in a very ritzy mall.
Where do I
begin to find out whether this would be a good business to start. How do I
start? I don't have much money to invest, I have found that the Cleveland
Growth Association has COSE, which is a division dedicated to small
businesses, they offer classes in starting your own business, but those are
around $400 for a nine week class, but before I can invest $400, I want to
know if it is even a good business to start. Where do I go for that kind of
advice?
The only other
source I have found is Victoria Magazine's "The Business of Bliss"
& "Turning your Passion into Profits" which are two books that
specifically focus on starting a craft/decorating/ design/ clothing type
retail shop.
Great success
stories. They also offer an Entrepreneur Seminar in NYC, where you can meet
the Publisher and other women in similar businesses. I still feel as those I
have much more research to do.
I work full time,
have no children & my husband wants to see a business plan before he would
agree to utilize our savings for this business idea. anyway, any advice,
resources, or help you can provide on what direction I should go in would be
appreciated. Thank you. -- Debbie
Advice
by Deborah Brown
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