How to Start a Home Brewing Supplies Store

Home brewing supply stores cater to a niche.

A key advantage of opening a home brewing supply store is that it caters to niche clientèle who are passionate about home brewing and work years to perfect the craft. This can translate into a steady and loyal customer base.

Instructions

1. Consult your state and local laws for selling alcohol and alcohol-making supplies. Most states require a business owner selling alcohol or alcohol brewing supplies to be licensed. Some states require the business owner to buy a resale license, business license, and alcohol sales license and more requirements may be required by the municipality or county in which the business is located.

2. Contact supply vendors. Look through trade publications and websites that specialize in home brewing supplies such as Homebrewing.com Ask for the nearest wholesale vendor. Request a new-account packet and contact the nearest vendors. Ask each vendor about its minimum opening order requirements.

3. Get financing. Have an accountant or professional business plan writer draft a business plan and pro-forma statement. This will demonstrate how much start-up and initial operating capital you will need and is generally a requirement to apply for a small business loan. Go to the Small Business Association's website and select an SBA-approved lender to apply for a small business loan

4. Register your home brewing supplies business. Visit an online legal documentation service such as US Legal Forms or Legal Zoom and have your Articles of Incorporation written. File your articles with the state and then register your home brewing supply business' name with the appropriate government agency. In some states, like Texas, name registration is done with the county; in other states, like Florida, business name registration is filed with the state.

   Apply for an Employer Identification Number with the IRS. Once you have your EIN, and your fictitious business name or Doing Business As (DBA) recorded, you can open a business checking account.

5. Find a suitable location. For a home brewing supplies store, you would ideally need about 1,000 to 1,200 square feet of retail space to accommodate your inventory. To save money, look away from high-end retail space and focus on finding a more subtle space to lease such as a strip mall.

References

• So You Wanna: Make your own Beer
• The Home Brew Store: FAQs

Resources

• Homebrewers
• SBA: Financing Assistance
• IRS Form SS-4, Application for EIN