Today was a good day, up until now at least.
We've spent this afternoon driving around looking at a few locations - a couple of storefronts for rent that I may be able to afford, and, even better, two locations that we may actually be able to afford to buy that have both retail and living space together!
One of them is really amazing, and I'm very excited to get to see it on the inside. Don't know if we'll be able to actually move into somewhere, and I know I've posted about looking at locations before, but it's always something new, something happy.
So, my one bit of advice if you're looking to open a business: Keep your eyes open, and don't get too caught up in emotion from one spot to another - there is always bound to be something new in a few months, and you never know from one year to the next what is out there.
The important thing is is to never give up, never stop looking, and eventually things'll work out for you. Just don't quit!
5 comments:
Good luck! I know we've been looking for a place to rent for a photography studio. And as you said from month to month what is available changes. Hope this all works out for you.
@CharmedIreland That would be amazing to find a photography studio - you're one of the great photographers I know, and I hope you are able to find one to rent :D
Is rent more reasonable by you? Because Milwaukee seems to want to utterly over-price everything for space, even in not-so-good areas of town... I consider $750 a month for 800 sq feet (or, less, in some cases) to be quite murderous :O
We've been looking at a place that is approx 1200 sq ft for $800 a month. All recently remodeled. And that's a bit high for the area but not out of reason. It's right on the main street of town, so lots of traffic. Plus it's street level so even better. We'll see what happens. We need to draft up our business plan etc so we can apply for loans. But with me just having surgery two weeks ago and just now going back to work full time for the first time since January well it's on the back burner a bit. Keep me updated on how the hunt goes. I'll be one of the first ones down once you get your store front!
@Sam $750 for 800sq ft, and I'm assuming none of the utilities would be included in that, right? That's a little insane.
I'm really happy for you! I hope you can get what you want! (And I totally call dibs on helping to decorate!)
@CharmedIreland That is a huge amount of space for that price - around here, it's been very expensive for something that size, if you're even lucky enough to find it (and not have it be in a part of town where you'll feel like you're going to be mugged just getting to your car)
I'm going through the fun of business-plan writing now, too - I pushed off finishing it after being sick this past winter, but now I need to kick it back into high gear - if you need anyone to read yours over and give some input, I'm always happy to!
We are actually considering putting down an offer on a spot to buy shortly, if my mother is successful with getting the mortgage from her bank. It's not as large as I had hoped, but there is already a renter upstairs in the living space, and with that, it would bring the storefront to under $450 a month to rent from her, which is manageable! So, we'll see how it goes - there is another offer on the place, but it looks like they'd take ours over the other :D
@Jen Yeah... all of those places have been in BayView or the Menominee Valley, too, not in the 3rd Ward or any place like that... go figure!
I'm going to need to call in all of the guns if we get the location, though, because it hasn't been used for a few years (the previous business owner died - there are glasses in there that could be either antiques or perhaps "retro" ;P) and smells a little musty, but is otherwise in fabulous condition! :D
*glomps Jen*
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