Storefront location

[Hog Wild graphics]

In everyone's opinion how important is location?

I am currently in a 1700sqft building. And we have ran out of room. I do embroidery, screen print, signs, and wraps (wraps I do in a different garage down the road).


I have an opportunity to buy a 3900sqft buildinging. All pretty much ready to go with ability to do wraps in a AC or heated building. Currently I do them in a clean insulated building without AC. So summer months in texas can not do any during the day. This building would also allow for a small retail and sample area for apparel and other products. Also I am very close to purchasing a automatic screen print machine for garments and that would make space really tight if not impossible.

My biggest concern is the fact that I will be moving off of one of the busiest corners in town to another main road that might get 20% of the vehicles. I just don't want to make move and business drop off.

 

[Locals Find!]

As someone who spends a lot of time in the real estate industry when, not making signs.

I would suggest if the price is right on the building purchase it. However, don't give up your existing location. Split your operation. Use your high traffic location for the easily produced items & retail. Use the larger building for production. I am suggesting this mainly because, it sounds like you have multiple product lines going in your shop.

It will require a bit of planning and some growing pains but, with today's technology not nearly as hard to do as say 20 years ago.

Just my 2 cents for what its worth.

 

[CP Signs]

We moved at the end of a dead end street and we are busier then ever. The people we want to deal with find us. We don't have to deal with 50 walk-ins a day for a **** on decal. If you have a good reputation, word of mouth goes far. If you have good SEO on your website they will find you. Throw a business mixer at your new location and the ball will start rolling. Good luck

 

[Hog Wild graphics]

I would only be moving about 1 mile. Leaving a main road and going to the old main road through town. Another positive for moving other than size is I would be on the main road from the local high school and all the athletic fields so I can advertise and sale spirit items.

 

[HulkSmash]

Walk. Ins. SUCK.

 

[HulkSmash]

Let me give you the best advice i can. If you want to do like 1-200k a year of business cards, graduation banners, and door magnets get a store front.
If you want to do more B2B work, which in turn typically results in a much higher profit margin, and overall sales, move to a more industrial location.

 

[Hog Wild graphics]

Colorado, I always like your replies.

 

[Bly]

Colo is right but I don't think it hurts to be visible. You just need to show time wasters the door as quickly as possible.

Middle aged guy came in the other day wanting to buy a metre and a half of red vinyl, cos "I'm selling my old car and want to put some stripes along the side". Uhuh.
I told him $30.
"Wow that's expensive".
"Yeah it's 7 year signage film. Good stuff".
I then just went back to what I was doing before he came in.
He eventually left.

 

[HulkSmash]

Colo is right but I don't think it hurts to be visible. You just need to show time wasters the door as quickly as possible.

Middle aged guy came in the other day wanting to buy a metre and a half of red vinyl, cos "I'm selling my old car and want to put some stripes along the side". Uhuh.
I told him $30.
"Wow that's expensive".
"Yeah it's 7 year signage film. Good stuff".
I then just went back to what I was doing before he came in.
He eventually left.

100% right. At the same time we've gotten some crazy good jobs out of it. I think at this point in time the bad out weighs the good for us.
I'd say starting off the store front can't hurt....once you start gaining reputation, and get some seo and adwords, you won't need it.

good luck

 

[Locals Find!]

any update?

 

[Hog Wild graphics]

I will update for sure early next week. I am meeting with owner and contractor this afternoon again to look at how much it will cost to make few of the changes I need to make. But it looks like its going to happen.

 

[Hog Wild graphics]

Well its almost official. I signed papers last night on purchasing the building. After looking at every possible angle the only thing holding me back was visibility The new building will allow us to grow and expand our service. Will post before and after pictures as we move into the new location.

 

[WeekendDirectionals]

Best wishes!

 

[FireSprint.com]

Walk ins rarely seem to be worth the effort. We never regretted losing our visibility when we were retail, and especially like being back in the corner as a wholesale shop. Production space is a funny thing though, you always think that the next step up will be plenty of space, until you fill it up and realize you need more. :Big Laugh

 

[Riverbend]

We are not located right on a main road, but we have a sign on the main road. People are able to see the sign and know where we are when they drive by and see the sign. I don’t think it will make much of a difference when if you move off that main road. Also, it sounds like you are well established in the area.

 

[Hicalibersigns]

Well its almost official. I signed papers last night on purchasing the building. After looking at every possible angle the only thing holding me back was visibility The new building will allow us to grow and expand our service. Will post before and after pictures as we move into the new location.

One thing that hasn't been talked about yet is how much this will help if you at some point in the future decide to sell the business. Selling the property and the business makes for a much more attractive package. I think it is a good move. I totally agree with the store front. When we opened up we looked at store front property, but decided to go for a spot in an industrial park. We are pretty much 100% B2B. We haven't regretted the decision.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

When we opened up we looked at store front property, but decided to go for a spot in an industrial park. We are pretty much 100% B2B.

Driven by the sign to your place when I go the back way into downtown Plano going by the community theatre. I imagine that you wouldn't get that many walks ins. I have to wonder how the sign place is doing next to Fishmongers though. That used to be a highly visible spot.

 

[Gino]

Honestly, I don't know of many people walking down the street or driving by and suddenly think..... Holy Crap, there's a sign shop and I need signs !!

I've never had a shop where walk-ins were a big part. I've always gone with the idea, if they want me, they gotta find me. That reduces the people wanting mailboxes lettered or nameplates for their light post out front.

Had a guy a long time ago walk in and wanted to know how much to put his name on both sides of an old piece of metal which literally the old lettering was completely gone. I told him $25 bucks and he looked at me and said, it only cost $8 the first time. When was that ?? 1964. Well, things have changes a little since then. It's 1984. I'll do it for $20, but that's my last offer. Let me think about it. Yeah, Okay.


If you're any good, you'll do fine no matter where you move to, unless you totally rely on walk-ins. I know a guy in a mall, nearby us, whose overhead is phenomenal and he barely squeaks by every month, but he's been there for like 12 years and all he does in nickel and dime crap. That must be mind-blowing to hafta sell that many T-shirts and licesne plates a month.....

We've done some work for him over the years and he once told me he had this big job come through and wondered if I could help him. The total job was like $600. I told him I would help, but to never again ask me to help, unless he gets a quote from me first. The job should've been around $1,400, but I helped to get him out of a jam.

 

[FrankenSigns.biz]

Location, Location, Location.

The old adage, there are 3 things that are important for business: location, location, location.

I know some of my best customers, did in FACT drive by everyday for 6-8 months before they finally stopped and came in.

Our walk-in traffic is HIGHLY QUALIFIED and worth the trouble 90% of the time.

We moved into our current location a little more than a year ago and our business has MORE THAN DOUBLED.

I would not trade my location and walk-in traffic for anything in this world much less a larger location. In fact, we are so busy we have leased 2 other production facilities, one for print and one for vehicle wrap installs.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

The old adage, there are 3 things that are important for business: location, location, location.

I know some of my best customers, did in FACT drive by everyday for 6-8 months before they finally stopped and came in.

Our walk-in traffic is HIGHLY QUALIFIED and worth the trouble 90% of the time.

We moved into our current location a little more than a year ago and our business has MORE THAN DOUBLED.

I would not trade my location and walk-in traffic for anything in this world much less a larger location. In fact, we are so busy we have leased 2 other production facilities, one for print and one for vehicle wrap installs.

To go with that location, location, location is that also helps determine what demographic your walk in traffic is. Not all walk in traffic is created equal.

 

[Wraps ink]

people seeing your business is never a bad thing. I mean isn't that what we sell? we sell image and visibility and put get noticed!! on our websites business cards, etc. and then you want to hide lol that's kind of ironic. If you have a lot of walk ins then create a profitable product to sell have pre-made stripes, decals, camo whatever most walk ins ask for. I had a walk in come in for a golf cart wrap and the next month she called me and had a fleet of 45 trucks we wrapped for her family business. I cant stand when a shop thinks they are too big or important to deal with a walk in. If you don't want them then hide but if you have a great location and get walk ins, just make the best of it and be glad people are showing intrest in your products. If you cant help them then simply take 2 min and say I'm sorry we don't offer that here and move on. I get plenty of walk ins and some buy and some don't but I treat every customer the same no matter who they are because that person is gonna either refer you or not and that's how you build a successful business. I know the ones who waste your time get annoying but no customer is perfect whether they walk in, call or email. Treat them all good and watch your business grow.