I am opening a skate shop at 40

[djjimmyjames]

So I decided to open a skate shop in my local town. I have been selling boards here and there for about three years and decided it was time.

I designed three different decks




The one with the slime writing and head was picked as the design from inst, twitter and Facebook.

I just ordered 25 in that style Sunday. Very exited about it.

The shop is tiny only 7x14 feet so I figured I would put a counter across the shop and have most stuff behind it.

I also teamed up with a local guy who runs Rad skateboards and he does an epic amount of filming,

So at this point ill start of with 50-70 decks plus trucks,wheels,grip,bearings ect ect. Was thinking about carrying Thrasher shirts an some other poser gear for college kids as I know they love that shiz.

Any help or suggestions are always helpful. Even though I assume a lot of toxic ones are going to come about.

 

[Rot]

I'm old and set in my ways....

The most fashionable and hip thing about me is sometimes I wear different colour socks...

SSSSOOO... good luck on the new business pal... but don't expect me to order from you

xROTx

 

[evil wasabi]

So I decided to open a skate shop in my local town. I have been selling boards here and there for about three years and decided it was time.

I designed three different decks
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View attachment 54083

The one with the slime writing and head was picked as the design from inst, twitter and Facebook.

I just ordered 25 in that style Sunday. Very exited about it.

The shop is tiny only 7x14 feet so I figured I would put a counter across the shop and have most stuff behind it.

I also teamed up with a local guy who runs Rad skateboards and he does an epic amount of filming,

So at this point ill start of with 50-70 decks plus trucks,wheels,grip,bearings ect ect. Was thinking about carrying Thrasher shirts an some other poser gear for college kids as I know they love that shiz.

Any help or suggestions are always helpful. Even though I assume a lot of toxic ones are going to come about.

Gotta find a way to make the profits without the board sales. Kids can go online and get the cheapest deals, but probably can’t assemble boards much less wipe their own ass. Provide one of those services for a reasonable fee, and charge a super premium on the other, you choose which.

When I was a kid I had a Tony Hawk that I found in a gutter. Seriously. It was in a drain abandoned (I was only in the gutter because I was training to be a ninja). No clue who it belonged to. But it became mine. After that I really wanted the Caballero and Mountain decks. Loved the designs. We had a half pipe behind our house in the woods that didn’t seem to belong to anyone and no one was trying to remove it.

Could be useful if you mysteriously had one pop up nearby your shop.

 

[djjimmyjames]

Gotta find a way to make the profits without the board sales. Kinds can go online and get the cheapest deals, but probably can’t assemble boards much less wipe their own ass. Provide one of those services for a reasonable fee, and charge a super premium on the other, you choose which.

When I was a kid I had a Tony Hawk that I found in a gutter. Seriously. It was in a drain abandoned. No clue who it belonged to. But it became mine. After that I really wanted the Caballero and Mountain decks. Loved the designs. We had a half pipe behind our house in the woods that didn’t seem to belong to anyone and no one was trying to remove it.

Could be useful if you mysteriously had one pop up nearby your shop.

The town has a skate park and with it being in the Olympics next year im expecting a big resurgence.

 

[HDRchampion]

You should put some arcade cabs in your shop.

 

[fake]

Just my two cents, but having skated quite a bit as a kid, here's my impression...

Ideally you'd have a larger space. My local shop was just as much a place to hang out as it was a place to buy parts, clothes, and tapes. And I'm sure a lot of those kids hanging around sitting on a rotted out couch watching videos all day turned into sales / loyalty.

You'll need a really eye-catching sign and wall decal to get foot traffic in such a small place, too.

Are you getting in decks from other brands? If you're only selling your own decks, you'll need better designs.

Any way you could set up at the skate park as well maybe on the weekends? Sell wax, stickers, snacks, and water.

 

[JoeAwesome]

Kids can go online and get the cheapest deals, but probably can’t assemble boards much less wipe their own ass. Provide one of those services for a reasonable fee, and charge a super premium on the other, you choose which.

I'd charge a super premium on wiping their ass, but that's not the market I'd want to begin with.

 

[NeoCverA]

If you can secure og swag like Santa Cruz, Dogtown, Powell or even a bit later stuff like H-Street, SMA, Blind, that would be cool.

Don’t forget safety gear although it’s lame, parents will get dragged in to get shit but will insist on the safety gear.

Shoes were always important back in the day but now it looks like these new skater fucks wear anything.

Also make sure you have giveaways like stickers and shit especially for customers that spend some coin in your shop.

Almost forgot, you gotta show some neo love in your shop. A poster or banner or something and we require pics or gtfo.

And no biker shit.

Skaters rule, bikers suck.

 

[DevilRedeemed]

Good luck with this venture! Good on you for taking up this challenge

 

[cdamm]

this is great man. go get 'em.

offering the suggested tech services will help your bottom line greatly.

also add online sales. ideally have a site that also works as a pos system- that way if someone orders from your site, your inventory is updated. i like personally shopify for that. easy to build and maintain sites, social integration. pos system that integrates with your stock. monster level analytics. your whole store can be run from a tablet. may be worth looking in to.

good luck.

 

[Takumaji]

Good luck, dj!

I can't give you any advice since I never was into skating so I just want to underline what cdamm said - make sure you have decent IT with online shop or at least stock updates, it's very important in this day and age for any kind of shop. Optional newsletter, special sales with online coupons, etc., etc.

 

[GregN]

I wasn't really much of a skater as a youth, so I can't offer much feedback, but it's cool you're putting yourself out there and taking a risk. You've got balls. Good luck man.

 

[Lastblade]

Good for you, I wish you good luck.

My wife's cousin opened up a skate shop years ago in Brooklyn (Park Delicatessen). At first he had a lot of skateboard parts/etc but his bread and butter is selling flowers. Now it looks like they sell everything from vintage clothing to their own prints (and still delivering flower arrangements). Not sure how successful they are but they had lasted this long so they must be doing something right.

 

[evil wasabi]

Good for you, I wish you good luck.

My wife's cousin opened up a skate shop years ago in Brooklyn (Park Delicatessen). At first he had a lot of skateboard parts/etc but his bread and butter is selling flowers. Now it looks like they sell everything from vintage clothing to their own prints (and still delivering flower arrangements). Not sure how successful they are but they had lasted this long so they must be doing something right.

djjj might as well have a display with video games and action figures to resell too. It's a small space and vintage games don't require wholesale inventory purchasing.

 

[cdamm]

Good luck, dj!

I can't give you any advice since I never was into skating so I just want to underline what cdamm said - make sure you have decent IT with online shop or at least stock updates, it's very important in this day and age for any kind of shop. Optional newsletter, special sales with online coupons, etc., etc.

The key to the suggestion was online store with Integrated in store POS system. You will be amazed how much easier doing inventory is.

 

[roker]

You should put some arcade cabs in your shop.

not a horrible idea at all, but adjust it to a raspberry pi and add some skateboard games

Try to get people to come in and hang out, eventually they'll start buying stuffs

 

[GohanX]

A new pic of DJ surfaces

 

[roker]

A new pic of DJ surfaces

haha, awesome!

 

[Cylotron]

The skateboarding culture here is still pretty big. There's people of all ages into it. Even ol' Tony Hawk is still going. I've met him a couple of times. I even fixed his iPhone at my old job(and yes, his credit card does actually say "Tony Hawk" on it). One of my ex-co workers informed me that he was friends with one of Tony's sons growing up and used to spend lots of time at his house.

P.S. do a Neo Geo board

 

[djjimmyjames]

The key to the suggestion was online store with Integrated in store POS system. You will be amazed how much easier doing inventory is.

I think thats the one that was pointed out to me. It’s like $80 a month I think. Not bad at all if you can put your whole inventory on it.

 

[Tripredacus]

I hope you will have lots of stickers for sale.

 

[xb74]

Good stuff opening a brick and mortar store. All the very best to your endeavor and long may it prosper!

 

[roker]

https://seeklogo.com/images/N/neo-geo-logo-140FB238CA-seeklogo.com.png

I would do a play on the round Neo Geo symbol but use the words JADED if I had a modicum of artistic talent.

 

[cdamm]

I think thats the one that was pointed out to me. It’s like $80 a month I think. Not bad at all if you can put your whole inventory on it.

Mp me if you need help with picking the right plan/ setup. Windy has been there for 6 years now and I just launched my new shop there a couple months back. I'm pretty experienced with them.

 

[terry.330]

If you have access to old skate tapes and can copy VHS there is a pretty large retro market for that stuff that wouldn't cost you jack.