New Retail shop

cabla

Hi there is a new retail spot for rent in my local shopping centre. It isnt a big shopping centre but is always busy. There is a pub, Tesco, cloth shops bookie and chinese, hairdresser, butcher, newsagent, chemist and fancy food shop already there.

Does anyone have any ideas for the free retail space. What kind of shop works in these medium sized shopping centres. It used to be O2. But it was always empty.

Thanks
Cabla

YellowSheep

Hi Capla

Whats the size of the space?
Whats the prize per sq"?
What are the restrictions on the place?

Cheers Oliver

cabla

I havnt looked into any of that yet tbh. It is really just a guaging interest.

Size you would be talking maybe 10 metres by 6metres....REALLY ROUGH! Thats just me trying to remember.

Have you any ideas. I doubt there would be too many restrictions as there is a pub, bookie, chinese, hairdresser, butcher everything. I couldnt tell you as I havnt investigated but it would depend on what your thinking.

mr0bojangles

My gut feeling would be that pound shops (do we call em euro shops now or what) do well at times like this. But storage may be an issue if its circa. 60m2

My advice would be to sit outside for a few hours on a few different days and note the footfall. How many people walk by? Are they carrying shopping bags and where from? Are they window shopping or on a lunch break?

If you can piece together enough clues I'm sure somthing will make sense.

cabla

Cool that makes sense. Ye it aint HUGE....but would be ideal for a shop of almost any sort. Im not sure about how much storage is out the back though. Could be more....

Dont think Euro shop would work, just not the right clients in the area i think.

Would anyone know how successful a fitness shop be....like protein...weights...etc....

mr0bojangles

A head shop so man

It was actually my religion teacher in school who told us that during a recession the only true reliables are booze, drugs and porn :cool:

Not the most practical advice but it was a very dossy class.

To be honest I have no idea about fitness shops. I know that Lifestyle sports in my home town are closing down and my cousin owns a gym and he's noticed a down-turn recently. But maybe if people can't afford gym membership weights at home is an alternative. Again I'm really not qualified to speak to this though

cabla

Haha, its true though. Was thinking wine shop, but iv no interest in wine so dont think it would be the best for me. And besides Tesco sell it. And dont think the other two are gonna go down to well....ha

blue4ever

cabla wrote: »

Cool that makes sense. Ye it aint HUGE....but would be ideal for a shop of almost any sort. Im not sure about how much storage is out the back though. Could be more....

Dont think Euro shop would work, just not the right clients in the area i think.

Would anyone know how successful a fitness shop be....like protein...weights...etc....

Do you know what has always done very well in a recession - and its not off topic or trying to be silly - "sex" has boomed in ever resession. Mainly the illegal stuff - but is there someting related, clothing or 'items'!

I still think that if O2 pulled you would have to look hard at the traffic and the spending power of the traffic, they seem to be farily clinical on the retail front

Kine

mr0bojangles wrote: »

A head shop so man

It was actually my religion teacher in school who told us that during a recession the only true reliables are booze, drugs and porn :cool:

Funny, when I first looked at this thread earlier, firt thing that popped into my head was porn!! And then I read it...boom boom.

As for the weights idea, you'll need to know a bit about personal training etc to pull it off (:eek:). Personally, I got fed up paying gym memberships for broken, sweaty, mismatching weghts so I'm in the process of turning the parents garage into a gym of some sort. However, they can be expensive, I have still spent more on teh equipment than I would in gym memberships over the past few years. But then again, not too many people would buy teh level of equipment I would.

Problem with retail shops too is they do need a bit of an outlay before you start (I hope someone here who has one can clarify) but I presume the fixtures and fittings can be costly, and there is of course the stock necessary to have even before sales are made.

Anyway, ramble off, I'm off to browse the interweb....

martinr5232

Book shop??????

People get bored hanging around when they are not working.

Also a good place to just go in and browse.

cabla

Ye all very interesting. Well I do know a bit about training... well at least I know people who do and would be willing to help me out. I don't think a sex shop would work. It aint dark for people to slip in :P

Well I'm just really seeing what people come up with. See if it is viable. Only problem with the O2 was that there is a big shopping centre close by. So my shop would either have to be different than any shop in there, or a convenience store where people will just go there rather than find parking in the convenience store.

Hope that makes sense. Basically why would someone go clothes shopping there when there is a big shopping centre with huge choice. So it MUST be different..... Tricky...

Hanley

I know EXACTLY where you're talking about, because I went looking for the same O2 shop not too long ago.

What about a dry cleaners? Is there one in the area?

cabla

Next door :P

Hanley

cabla wrote: »

Next door :P

Bugger... I know the centre, but don't know anything other than the Tesco and the unit that used to be the o2 store!!

At least I was on to something... (but someone else got there first!!).

cabla

Ye would have been good alright. Ye there used to be a family book store. They shut down. Dunno why there years.

Pub, bookie, chinese, fancy food shop, butcher, clothes shops, shoe shop, newsagent, hairdresser, chemist and tesco.

I could name a hundred things that could go there, but i doubt it would work. There is a small village down the road too with 2 chippers, centra, cafes, resteraunts, another small shopping centre with superquin.

Hanley

Pizza place... ala dominos?

Bandara

Greeting Card shop such as a Hallmark etc would fit in well from the sounds of your description.

Margins of over 70%, only requires one staff member on duty, minimal fitout cost as all your stands would be provided by your supplier FOC, very little in the way of hassle, stock doesn't expire etc etc.

Its a nice tidy of sideline business that makes you 60 or 70 grand a year and allows you to dedicate yourself to something else.

Hanley

Hammertime wrote: »

Greeting Card shop such as a Hallmark etc would fit in well from the sounds of your description.

Margins of over 70%, only requires one staff member on duty, minimal fitout cost as all your stands would be provided by your supplier FOC, very little in the way of hassle, stock doesn't expire etc etc.

Its a nice tidy of sideline business that makes you 60 or 70 grand a year and allows you to dedicate yourself to something else.

Good suggestion from a mind reader!!

I was going to say it, but I wonder what sort of range the newsagents carry....?

Would there be the potential to make it into like an "occassions" shop, selling all the hallmarky stuff, maybe flowers and some other stuff too?

Darragh29

cabla wrote: »

Haha, its true though. Was thinking wine shop, but iv no interest in wine so dont think it would be the best for me. And besides Tesco sell it. And dont think the other two are gonna go down to well....ha

Maybe a home made wine kit shop! They were all the go back in the 80's when folks had to brew their own wine due to the recession!

Bandara

Hanley wrote: »

Good suggestion from a mind reader!!

I was going to say it, but I wonder what sort of range the newsagents carry....?

Would there be the potential to make it into like an "occassions" shop, selling all the hallmarky stuff, maybe flowers and some other stuff too?

I'd be amazed if the newsagent had any weight whatsoever with the landlord.

The anchor tenants would be to only real ones who could prevent another business opening completely (unless they are exactly the same as a previous tenant i.e another chinese restaurant).

Hanley

Hammertime wrote: »

I'd be amazed if the newsagent had any weight whatsoever with the landlord.

The anchor tenants would be to only real ones who could prevent another business opening completely (unless they are exactly the same as a previous tenant i.e another chinese restaurant).

I meant it more in te way of would the newsagents be a direct competitor?

Like what sort of range of greeting cards etc do they carry!

YellowSheep

Hi Cabla

I would consider a Sandwich store with a good coffee.

Let me know if you want some advise on that.

Oliver

cabla

Hammertime wrote: »

Greeting Card shop such as a Hallmark etc would fit in well from the sounds of your description.

Margins of over 70%, only requires one staff member on duty, minimal fitout cost as all your stands would be provided by your supplier FOC, very little in the way of hassle, stock doesn't expire etc etc.

Its a nice tidy of sideline business that makes you 60 or 70 grand a year and allows you to dedicate yourself to something else.

I was actually thinking something like that myself... Would there be enough money in the 60-70k to cover my costs. Granted I wont be there a lot of the time. As you say, you can do other things.

Occasions would be the sort of think alright. Now the big huge shopping centre has card shops and they have huge rentals...and there is more than one, and they survive. Mine would be more a convenience one I suppose. Great idea...could you give me some more advice? Thanks....

Also Oliver... I'm not sure if a sandwich bar would work.... with nice coffee, I'll have to check. The reason I say this is there is a nice food shop right beside it which sell sandwiches and I'm pretty sure coffee, no sit down though, and the prices are high. But I'd appreciate any information though.

sneakerfreak

DO NOT open a sex shop

spent half my life in this business and believe me its finished.

A shopping centre will have a management firm and there will be restrictions so you could try a head shop but your lease would have to describe what you are selling well so that after you open if there are any complaints your lease will stand against any efforts to oust you from the unit.

Head shops dont do well in working class areas,they do better in middle class areas/mixed areas and areas with plenty of students.

cabla

No I don't think ill be opening one. Middle aged area really. There would also be uproar I can tell. I'm still investigation possibilities however.

So any more suggestions welcome. I may look into a Dominos or something, but there is already one serving the area.... does that matter?

sneakerfreak

cabla wrote: »

No I don't think ill be opening one. Middle aged area really. There would also be uproar I can tell. I'm still investigation possibilities however.

So any more suggestions welcome. I may look into a Dominos or something, but there is already one serving the area.... does that matter?

As far as I know its the one guy with all the domino's franchises (in Dublin at least).

Also huge money for this franchise and a long time to wait for profit.

Again I could be wrong on all this.

cabla

Ye dont think dominos would be viable.

joolsveer

If the centre is Roselawn in Blanchardstown I dont think a sex shop would have much chance of success as the locals are very politically in touch.

There is a shoe shop there but I don't like it as they are not very knowledgeable on consumer rights. I think clothes are out as there a few already. I was surprised that the bookshop didn't survive because of the schools in the area.

I would like to see a Tex/Mex food outlet.

cabla

The book shop i think would have survived. I think they just left it. Think he might have been sick. It wasnt a great shop, not much going on, old looking, not modern.

Tex/mex? Like what? Just a food shop with that kind of food?
Also I was thinking maybe a better shoe shop. With runners etc....

YellowSheep

Hi Cabla
If you want to do anything with food make sure you talk to me. I created the Lemongrass Franchise and did work for Nude, Cocoon, EuroSpar etc. I have a concept in my head will work and does not need a huge financial layout, as well as all can be leased. Let me know if you decided what do you want to do. You can PM me or contact me on olivermueller at eircom dot net or on zero eight seven two three four one nine eight one. Cheers Oliver

cabla

Thanks for that. Ill pm you

TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan

Possibly the worst reason to go into business is because there is empty shop space. You need to be passionate about your job and product otherwise its unlikely to succeed, when the going gets rough (all businesses have rough patches) the passion is the only thing that gets you through.

@yellowsheep - fair play for offering your help. I think all of us business owners need to help start ups to get the economy going again. Although a sandwhich store might be a tough start up in this climate is located next to a tesco that sells 2euro sandwiches.

cabla

Fancy Dresser wrote: »

Possibly the worst reason to go into business is because there is empty shop space. You need to be passionate about your job and product otherwise its unlikely to succeed, when the going gets rough (all businesses have rough patches) the passion is the only thing that gets you through.

@yellowsheep - fair play for offering your help. I think all of us business owners need to help start ups to get the economy going again. Although a sandwhich store might be a tough start up in this climate is located next to a tesco that sells 2euro sandwiches.

Well I was only checking out what people had to say. Didnt mean I was gonna go open a shop. I dont think a sandwich store will do well. Just not the right place for it.

DubTony

Forgive my ignorance, maybe I'm out of touch. Whats a HEAD shop?

drunkmonkey

DubTony wrote: »

Whats a HEAD shop?

They sell legal Highs, bongs, that kind of thing....

i think you'd need a brass neck to open one....

@cabla, any idea why the 02 store closed, is there a carphone in the complex?

cabla

No there is no other phone shop. I dunno, It is close to the Blanchardstown shopping centre so I presume most people must have went there.

Phoenix3

Cabla,

What is your background,what do you specialise in?Ithink the answers to these questions would start to provide the answers you are looking for.It is very difficult to just open for business if you don,t have a backround in same line.

I still think a good Deli?sandwich shop would thrive there.The present deli just never worked in my opinion because it was never properly stocked to capacity.To me it always looks like it is clearing out what stock is left before they pack it in.

cabla

Which one is that now? The shop beside it, the cakes and all?

Lplated

cabla wrote: »

Which one is that now? The shop beside it, the cakes and all?

Cabla - this is Roselawn, right?

Have you ever sat in the car park and watched the way traffic works down there? The vast majority of cars pull in to the main car park, people walk straight into Tesco without passing the many shops in the row, including your empty one.

The number of people that go up and down the alley way in front of the shops is much lesser than the number of people that use Tesco's down there imo - in other words, you would want to be careful of needing passing trade there.

One way you might get an answer to this is do a survey of 100 or so houses around the area - ask general retail questions, including 'is there any retail business you feel is missing from your area?' - that might help.

cabla

Thanks for the help. I think the unit is sold anyway, according to Lisney. It was only a thought really and to see what people thought might work.