How to Build a Toy Car Store

Building a toy car store is a satisfying way to provide a fun place for families to spend time together.

With the continued popularity of toy cars, especially the remote-control models, building a toy car store is the perfect way to offer a family-friendly business where kids and parents can have fun together. By keeping the assembly-line feature in mind, the business owner can build a toy car store that invites kids of all ages to be creative, have fun and go home with a toy that is far from commercial and that they can call their own.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Toy car suppliers and manufacturers
• Business plan
• Street or monster chassis
• Stock or custom car bodies
• Retro car model kits
• Paints
• Sound modules
• Wheel bases
• Accessories such as grilles, pipes and other pieces

1. Locate toy car and car part suppliers and manufacturers. Determine the size, type and amount of cars to have in your inventory once a business plan, minimum order details and initial cash outlay are determined. Decide on the initial parts needed, such as street or monster car chassis; stock or custom body styles; and the brands of vehicles.

2. Choose a location that is well-lit and family-friendly with good parking, preferably with enough space to divide into different sections.

3. Decide how to differentiate from existing toy car stores by choosing different product lines, incorporating other car kits such as retro car models, or adding other services not available elsewhere such as classes or educational opportunities about cars and car building. Add a unique aspect like car races, an on-site repair shop, trading clubs or other activities to keep customers involved.

4. Develop a floor plan for the store, dividing the store into separate areas for supplies, construction, parts and sales. Add a space or set aside an additional room for car videos, club meetings and educational classes.

5. Arrange the store in a free-flowing traffic pattern in which customers and kids have easy access to a parts display to choose components before moving to the actual construction assembly line where they'll decide on paint, colors and detailing.

   Include a display and section for adding different sound modules and electronic sounds. Stock an assortment of wheel bases, from regular wheels to radio-controlled bases. Add a supply of optional accessories to personalize the cars such as grilles, pipes and other items.

Tips & Warnings

• Have a range of prices from a simple stock car to more expensive models.

• Keeping displays simple will help customers in their decision making.

• Avoid having too many choices so that customers don't feel overwhelmed and to keep customers moving from one section to the next.

References

• Everything RC: RC car parts and suppliers:
• New York Times: Build a toy car store:
• Plastic Models.com: Retro plastic car models: