Considering a shop

Hey guys. As many of you know I have been mobile since the start of recorded history - it seems. Now I am considering going full blown retail and cut the dealership cord. I have the knowledge, skill, and business sense. Now I need a location. I have been able to operate very lean without a shop location, so IF I go this route it will mean a HUGH change in strategy.

So, what suggestions do any of you established shop owners have for me? Rent is a primary concern. I have seen a lot of pics on Llumartech.com of shops from the Far East and am drooling over the possibilities.

Any positive input is welcome.

find a place close to the dealerships. location is key, and dealerships usually have that done already...plus it would be easy to go pick up a car or 2 from there on your slow days...and it would be easy for them to come to you. some ppl make enough money off dealership business without the retail side...if you are close enough to the dealers, they will still keep you busy no matter what kind of retail you have coming through the door. i wouldnt cut the dealerships off completly, its nice to have some kind of work coming in on the rainy days, and festival weekends.

Do you track where your customers are located using zip codes or area zones?

Do you want to stay close to home base or go to the other side of town?

Do you want to stay close to the dealers you currently work with?

Depending on your budget, are you looking into a high trafic area or close to that area?

What type of volume are you planning to do would depend on the size of the location.

Are you going to offer any other services like detailing, auto glass replacements, 12 volt shop?

Its rare but sometimes you can find another automotive related business to piggyback off when you start out. Look around, don't be afraid to ask. You could land a bay in a high traffic area for a deal. Build up from there, take it where it goes.

Be frugal with your money and don't spens any money unless u have to

for 18 or so years our company has shared buildings with a glass shop. works out great. good place to get peelers too

It would seem to me that you need retail work to pay for your rent, and if thats the case, you will need quite a bit of retail work to turn a profit. Like Snappy said, location is key...but you will pay for it. Tinitman has some great q's to ponder. I would say save a contract worths of rent money/overhead before making the change. You would have to stay just a few miles from your dealers to be able to drive them to your shop, and if you have muliple accts, this will be hard to do, and you will have to continue to be mobile.

This question is a little off track but how long has dealer accounts been happening. So what year did your company start doing them?

I went from mobile to stationary a couple years back in a 3500 sq/ft garage with a lift on a main road. I went in with a guy who did diesel performace, accesories, and repair. I did audio, video, detailing, tinting, and alarms/starters.

Get ready to work like youve never worked before and manage the walk in distractions. We would work 14hrs a day and had plenty of business but I went back to mobile and definately make more money and work less hours.

It turned out to be a very expensive and challenging time for me. Im really happy to be back to mobile, but that was a significant hit.

I opened the phone book I just got yesterday and seen about ten new shops that seem to have just came out of no where. All saying 20+ years of business. I'm glad sometimes I have a 9-5 job to keep me busy during the week. Indianapolis is cut throat everyone wants the best price around here, not many care about what film you are offering. I looked at a couple of buildings in Avon, but the rent was stupid money. Good luck if you can find a decent place for a low price.

You're right. Didn't use to be that way though.

Excellent questions to ponder...thanks Tinit



Clearbra, and vinyl signwork



This is a great idea and one I have thought of repeatedly



Believe me I am cheap when I have to be.



I do want to avoid this kind of thing happening to me too, but I gotta put food on the table.

If I could go back to before I had the shop and change my mind I could have saved myself several thousands of dollars and time. I did mobile during that anyway and realized that I needed to pick one or the other.

If mobile is still working but not enough, try a couple things. Try to piggyback shops that have customers that will buy tint, wholesale to those shops so they can retail to thier customers. Then you get to put yourself in the retail spot without the overhead and you get everyone elses customer base.

More money because you are moble or because less over head??

alot of mobile tinters cant make money with shops because they want to do all the work them selves . When you own a shop with over head your job should be marketing and selling the customer and hire people to do the tint.

Well said!



Good observation.