Pen Supply Store In western Suburbs Of Chicago

[rpotthoff]

I would you support or Buy from a store that is for turning only?
Carrying everything you need to turn a pen.

 

[ed4copies]

Well, the Woodcraft franchise in Palatine moved to Libertyville.
The IAP has had several threads hoping to start a "meeting spot" in Chicagoland--hasn't happened.

What market surveying have you done? Been to turning meetings locally? Pen interest?

Whose products will you handle? Or do you plan to manufacture?

All of these factors will contribute to your success or failure.

"Good luck" is a phrase. "Good planning" increases your odds of success.

 

[rpotthoff]

Pen Store

Well, the Woodcraft franchise in Palatine moved to Libertyville. (Libertyville store is closed, the only one left is Downers Grove)
The IAP has had several threads hoping to start a "meeting spot" in Chicagoland--hasn't happened. (this is would be that spot)

What market surveying have you done? (had a demo done for the area, looks very promising)
Been to turning meetings locally? (No now where to go)
Pen interest? (big time in to Pens!)

Whose products will you handle? (PSI mostly (already in talks with them)and others (hoping to find fellow IAP members that would like to sell their products in the store))
do you plan to manufacture? (No)

All of these factors will contribute to your success or failure.

"Good luck" is a phrase. "Good planning" increases your odds of success.

See above

 

[ed4copies]

I guess you have to start somewhere.

 

[wyone]

My thought is you have to have a lot of variety.. some AWESOME deals.. some GREAT quality... and in my opinion.. something that is yours and yours alone. That could be classes, it could be a specific blank that is only available through you.... something that makes you different. Maybe a source to some wonderful wood for bowls ans for pen blanks. It could be any number of things. Of course this is IMHO


I have thought if I had the funds I would love to have such a shop in the Denver Metro area, but the reality is I don't think just local sales would be enough to keep me in business. I could do so so hopefully, but to be truly profitable, I would need to be mail order as well, which is an entirely other learning curve.

I wish you success if you go for it, and hope you make it work

 

[rpotthoff]

My thought is you have to have a lot of variety.. some AWESOME deals.. some GREAT quality... and in my opinion.. something that is yours and yours alone. That could be classes, it could be a specific blank that is only available through you.... something that makes you different. Maybe a source to some wonderful wood for bowls ans for pen blanks. It could be any number of things. Of course this is IMHO


I have thought if I had the funds I would love to have such a shop in the Denver Metro area, but the reality is I don't think just local sales would be enough to keep me in business. I could do so so hopefully, but to be truly profitable, I would need to be mail order as well, which is an entirely other learning curve.

I wish you success if you go for it, and hope you make it work

Classes are going to be a BIG part of the store. One of the big things we will be doing is working with our local Boy and Girl Scout Councils to provide a place to where they can come and learn about woodworking.
I will be reaching out to the IAP members for help in these areas.

 

[wyone]

I love the working with the kids.. My only concern about that is making it profitable and still affordable. Has to be a pretty fine line there.

 

[rpotthoff]

I agree, it's not going to be easy, but I am looking at placing the store at a very high traffic area, we have a mall that is doubling in size right now and the parking lot is always over crowded, the owners showed us the number of visitors from last Christmas shopping season of over 100k people visiting the mall, that include both local and and tour bus traffic.

 

[JimB]

Rob - I wish you success but I will also caution you to move slowly and carefully. I worked in retail for 30 years for major retailers. Most of my career was at the district/regional manager level. I also did a lot of work with our real estate department picking sites for new stores. Running a profitable retail business is very complex. Also, picking a location is not as simple as finding a busy mall. For some retail businesses a mall is the wrong choice, regardless of how busy the mall is.

 

[rpotthoff]

Jim thanks
I also spent a few years in retail, one of the main reason I'm look at this place is that it is off one of our main toll roads, and one of main roads severing four cities, I know how hard it will be, I have what I think is a solid plan.
We have nothing or anyone in our area that is doing this kind of thing.
Except for Woodcraft and Rockler but they only stock a very limited supply.
In time I hope to expand into CNC woodworking as well( I have my own CNC shop now).
I am not sure if you all have shops like this in your areas?
But if you needed a part fast wouldn't you like to be able to run to it and get it, in stead of having to order it online and wait 2 - 3 days to get it?

Please do not think that I am upset, I'm just try to make a better life for myself and family, if I can also help other people find out what it means to love woodworking and working with there hands again, then I have succeeded.