subject: Do Not Waste an Inch of Space During your Dollar Store Start up [print this page] Do Not Waste an Inch of Space During your Dollar Store Start up
Let's face it; in today's world the costs associated with a dollar store start up are mounting at unbelievable rates. What's worse is even with all the empty store fronts, retail space is still not cheap. In fact no-one can afford to spend even an extra dollar for retail space during or after their dollar store start up. But there is more to minimizing this expense than just negotiating hard with your prospective landlord. It is also important to make sure the space you lease is as small as possible, yet as efficiently laid-out as possible as well.
Receiving - Having a designated space for the receiving of incoming dollar store merchandise is critical. It might be helpful to even allow some space for extra incoming dollar store merchandise during peak sales times. However do not allow yourself to create a gigantic receiving area that is seldom used.
Back stock storage - Even thought you will work to minimize the amount of dollar store merchandise placed into back stock, there is still a need for an excess inventory storage area in your store. The key is to minimize this area by minimizing back stock and by storing as much excess dollar store merchandise as possible right on the sales floor.
Cash registers - Don't install extra cash registers in anticipation of future sales growth. Install those you will need to function now. Then allow the business to grow and create a need to add. Sure it might take some creativity to find the space, but in the meantime you haven't lost even a square inch of sales area.
Offices - Don't create individual offices for everyone. Create a shared office for your store manager and assistant manager if you have them. Don't create meeting rooms and other general use areas either. Keep these areas to a minimum. Allow the extra space to go for either sales floor or reduction in total square footage. Remember; long term, as profits arrive, you can add these spaces into your plans.
We have just discussed some effective strategies to minimize the size of the storefront you open. Yet it's also important to make sure to also acknowledge there is no need to cut down so much that you actually hurt your business. After all, it is important to have all the space required for success. So plan carefully. Make sure every square inch of space is needed. Then be as efficient as possible about putting every square inch to work for your business.
