How to Start a Billiards Store
Many people are enticed by the vision of playing billiards in their own ornate study instead of paying per game in a smoky, crowded bar. Starting a billiard store can help many people achieve this reality. Though start-up costs are higher for this business than, say, a stationery store, the profit margin can be much wider too.
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Instructions
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Acquire the necessary capital. Overhead costs for this venture are high due to the size and price of pool tables. Pool tables aren't cheap, even at the wholesale price. Write a business model to submit to banks for a loan of at least $30,000. This amount of money will enable you to purchase pool tables, accessories, rent space and advertising. In the business model, outline costs, expected earnings in the first year and the size and scope of your operation.
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Select a location for your store. Karen Klein offers several considerations for store placement in a Businessweek.com article: determine the potential for growth within the community, check for competitors in the neighborhood, and ensure your targeted demographic lives within the general area.
Though a college town might seem like a great location, few college students have the space or money to purchase a table. Therefore, choose an upper-middle-class location that can cater to those who enjoy billiards and can afford a table. According to Frank Uhle, author of "Recreation: Leisure in American Society", this audience is growing increasingly younger with an emphasis on women.
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Design the store. Create an ambiance which induces people to buy. Paint an image of how their home could look with the addition of a pool table, by adding sleek leather couches, bar stools and even a bar area to the showroom floor. Hang glass-blown lights from the ceiling to shine on the table below. Showcase your most expensive pool table in this area.
Keep the space gender neutral. Even if more men might buy pool tables, they could be accompanied by women who have equal input in the purchasing decision, and vice versa. Therefore, do not hang posters which might offend anyone.
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Advertise your store. Insert coupons into city newspapers and proclaim your grand opening. Consider holding weekly pool tournaments in a wing of the store to attract customers. Use banners or sign twirlers if your store is situated in a strip mall or hard-to-find location.
Hire a web designer to create a website for your new store. Many customers will use a search engine to find a billiards store near them, or will want information beforehand regarding prices and specials.
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Offer additional products and services. For people to come to your store instead of shopping online, offer free delivery. Consider offering free shipping to entice customers who live in a different state.
Sell additional supplies in the store, like books, magazines and stylized billiard balls and cue cases. Pooltableusa.com offers complimentary products like poker chips and wine tables. Also pitch customized pool tables, for which the customer can choose the wood and felt color of their table. Offer repair and cleaning services for pool tables as a way to continually profit from customers.
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