How to Set Up a Country Western Store
Opening a Country Western store is a difficult but rewarding challenge for an entrepreneur with who loves the cowboy lifestyle. In addition to a large upfront investment, opening a Western store requires good management and business skills. In order to ensure success, a Country Western store should have a solid business plan, good location, sufficient marketing and relevant inventory. Getting your ducks in a row from the start will lead to fewer problems once the doors are open and good continuing management will keep you open for business.
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Instructions
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Develop a Plan
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Research the clothing industry and, specifically, the Western wear industry. Determine if there is a demand for Country Western products in your area. If you don't have any experience running your own business or working in clothing retail, take some college courses in business management or fashion merchandising. Read as many books as you can on the subject of running a clothing store and operating a small business.
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Write a business plan. A good business plan can help you obtain funding and serve as an ongoing resource for your goals and strategies. Your business plan should include your start-up costs, your marketing plans and the policies of your business. If you need help writing a business plan, visit your local Small Business Development Center or SBA chapter.
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Use your business plan to obtain funding from your local bank or investors. Examine your start-up costs and plan ahead for working capital expenses. Ideally, you should plan to have at least one year of operating expenses plus your start-up costs before opening for business.
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Select a location. Look at retail locations for sale or lease in your area. Your upfront expenses will be greater if you buy a building, but leasing can be an affordable alternative when you're just starting out. Evaluate the costs associated with each option and determine which best suits your budget. When choosing a location, also consider the surrounding area and see if the people in your target market live nearby. Make sure the location has adequate parking and storage space for inventory, and that the space is big enough to accommodate the inventory you will carry.
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Determine which products your store will carry. Will your inventory include clothing and accessories, or also tack and horse health products? Once you have chosen inventory, choose your suppliers. If you are in the Western industry, examine the products that you buy and look for suppliers that carry those. Ask members of your target market which products they are likely to buy. If you know other, noncompeting western store owners, ask them for recommendations on suppliers. Read references designed for Western store owners, like Western Lifestyle Retailer, to build a list of potential Western product manufacturers to buy from.
Set Up Shop
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Once your location has been selected, you will need to get your store in order. Purchase clothing racks, shelving units, hat racks, and buckle or displays for your inventory. A good way to save money on this expense is to check local auction and newspaper listings for used fixtures. If a business has closed or upgraded their fixtures, you can pick up second-hand fixtures for a fraction of the cost.
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Hire employees to help run your store. Place an ad in the local newspaper, online, or with a local employment agency. When interviewing candidates, look for individuals with strong customer service skills and pleasant personalities. Since your staff is a reflection of your store's style, people who enjoy Country are ideal. If you will be selling tack, look for individuals with horsemanship experience. Also consider having a skilled hat shaper on hand for individuals who purchase new hats in your store. When deciding how many employees to hire, consider the size of your store. A general rule of thumb is one full-time and one part-time employee per 1,000 square feet of store space.
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Establish store policies on credit, refunds and hours. Make sure your employees are aware of these policies and abide by them. If you will accept credit cards, set up a merchant account.
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Start marketing your store before opening through local media and your website. Decide if you will accept online orders and have a web designer set up the site with an e-commerce function. Get your business listed in the local yellow pages and, if you have the budget, put an ad in the local newspaper or area equine publications.
Manage the Business
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Once the doors open, the hard work begins. Even if your store is only open from 9 to 5, chances are you'll be putting in long hours. Organize a system for tracking inventory, sales and expenses. Keep accurate payroll records and get a good accountant to do your bookkeeping and taxes.
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Continue marketing your business through special promotions and advertising. Sponsoring local rodeo or equine events is a good, targeted way to spread the word about your country western store. Many of these sponsorships will include a booth at the event where you can sell merchandise to attendees.
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Take good care of your customers. Your store's customers are your best marketing tool. Word-of-mouth advertising is very important for Western stores since people of similar tastes and interests tend to tell others where they're shopping. When one of your customers buys a new pair of boots and her friends ask where she bought them, you'll have a built-in referral. If your customer service is excellent, your customers will gladly send their friends and family your way.
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