New Store.....

Zack_Attack · Posted: Apr 07, 2005 2:55 pm Post subject: New Store.....

Okay, So I was driving down the road today and I heard this commercial come on the radio for a skateboarding shop in the city next to mine. All of the sudden it hit me that I want to put in a wake/ski board shop. My grandfather owns some rental stores and he has an empty one right now. The city next to me is on Lake Cumberland (BIG LAKE) and I use Laurel Lake which is very small but there is absolutely nowhere to buy anything remotely resembling a wakeboard between Cincinnatii and Knoxville. I have the funding and everything and I can definitely afford to put one in. I was wondering though if anyone who owns a store or is affiliated with one can tell me how you go about getting franchises like Hyperlite/LF/CWB....etc... I just would like to know what everyone thinks bout my idea.

Bowen · Posted: Apr 07, 2005 3:16 pm Post subject:

Dude, I say go for it, but remember, you know the market in your area better than we do, if you think one would work, go for it, but from what I've heard, and numbers I've put together when thinking about starting one...you don't end up making all that much. Hopefully that shouldn't matter, b/c you are doing it for the love of the sport (I'm going to at least...).

Good luck

*Cough* and give me some free stuff Wink

Enzoborder230 · Posted: Apr 07, 2005 3:36 pm Post subject:

that would be sick, theres nothing than selling the stuff you love

justsomeguy · Guest

nashvillematt · Addict Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 823 City: Nashville

Make sure you back it with an online store. I am not sure of the mark-up on a board, or other equipment, but it cant be over 50-60%.

Its hard to invest 300 bucks in a board that Im only going to make 40-50 dollars profit on......You better have a high volume market.

I am a big believer of a strong business plan, and a 6 month waiting peroid to really think things out...If the demand is there, boarders will still be around to buy a board in 6 months.

jzwake · Addict Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 801

hyperlite140 · Newbie Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 34 City: ohio

i believe jeff jones is the hyperlite rep for that area so id contact him first if you are thinking you want to carry HO.HO is a really good company to local shops who dont advertise catalogs nationally.. I cant remember the names of the sales reps for CWB LF or OBrien off the top of my head but i can get their names too if your interested....hope this helps

poonjab · Criminal Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Posts: 57

Zack_Attack, send an email to each of the companies that you are interested in and they should get you in contact with the reps in your area.

Charge it, life is short and if you don't try you will never know your potential. Plenty of people will say you can't do it because this or that but if you want it bad enough you will ignore it and move forward. Proactive not reactive.

Sorry for the motivational speech.

J_DOGG · Posted: Apr 08, 2005 8:17 am Post subject:

All you need to do is be a legit company and place minimum orders with the reps carryn' the products you want.

It's that minimum order that kills people.

I used to buy LF stuff with a minimum order and I was just a chump with a big garage and had homies that would by stuff from me. They are getting real tight on what constitutes a legit company and the minimums are going up all the time. It used to be the best way to get some cheep stuff every year and sell of the other stuff to your friends for a great price. It's getting cut throat!

97Response · Outlaw Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Posts: 104

Cumberland Marine carries HO/Hyperlite. You might run into their territory.

Zack_Attack · Posted: Apr 08, 2005 12:39 pm Post subject:

justsomeguy, Yes I have worked in retail before. My father and Grandfather have owned carlots across KY since before I was born. I have been around sales and know how to talk to people. I know that its not going to be the most profitable industry for my area and I can accept that but I am looking at it like this. I want to see more boarders on my lake/area. There are hardly any around here. I love the sport and I want to open other people's eyes to the art/athleticism/fun of the sport of wakeboarding. My area is so brought down by these teenagers who are just interested in what kind of drugs they are gonna try and stuff like that. I want to show them the other side of life, I want to show them that the five hundred bucks they spent on coc and pills last week can buy them a board and much more of an adrenaline rush.

97Response, I know they have those franchises but I am not worried about. Reason is they are a boat store, they carry million dollar boats by the handfuls so I don't think that they are going to mind if I mooch their, probably smallest source of income. And if you were a new guy to the sport, wouldn't you rather buy a board of an individual retailer who is their for that main purpose. The guys up at Lake Cumerland Marine couldn't give a flyin flip about wakeboarding, I know because I have been up there and talked to them numerous times.

I am going to sit on it a while and see what comes out. I will post some pics of the potential shop to see if you guys think that its going to be a good fit for the purpose.

Thanks alot for all your input and good advice.