what do people want to see in a new reptile store?

[amanda509]

im seriously considering starting a reptile store in my area. ive already began the business plan..once thats finished and reviewed i will then start looking for lenders, loans, and other funding, BUT i do not want to start this business and have it be a failure. i want to know what people want to see in a reptile store that will have them bragging to their friends about it and always returning.

here are my ideas so far:
-wide range of animals, maybe categorized somehow
-free caresheets and support for any animals purchased
-all animals from local or reputable breeders, more than the average inbreeding petco warehouse animals.
-contact/partnership with the local exotic vet
-all animals housed and cared for PROPERLY. (i am seriously spending every free minute educating myself on every animal i plan to have in my store)
-interactive activities! pet/feed certain animals, kid friendly.
-possibly filling up empty space with rescues from local humane societies or aspca's.
-any and all supplies needed to care for every animal i have in the store, and maybe some partnerships with people willing to do customized cage building for some of the larger animals.
-MERCHANDISE! it is soo friggin hard to find reptile themed gifts and t-shirts, and car decals, and everything! i want to make that stuff available to the public so even the nonreptile owning reptile fan can have reptile themed stuff!
-i will also have one or two other people helping out when i cant be in the shop, these people will consist of the local breeders and therefore will know their species, and ill educate them on others.
-feeder colonies bred in shop, not only for the animals in the shop, but also available for public purchase.
-animals that are bred in shop so people can meet the parents and know where their naimal is coming from. some may include veileds, jackson's, ball pythons, corn/king snakes, leopard geckos, bearded dragons, and any other easy to breed animal that will help along with what the local breeders supply me with. my goal is to stay away from wild caught or mass bred animals.

did i miss anything? lol so, if a store like this would open in your area, what would you expect to see in it or how it was run, etc?

 

[DanSB]

It sounds like you are looking for features people want rather than how the industry works. If you don't know how the industry works start travelling and interviewing and touring people around the country who run successful reptile shops. If you do know how it works still do that.

Most pet store small business owners are friendly people who are happy to build relationships with others interested in the industry.

If you have done all the research, looked at the lifestyle, understand the industry and know what you're in for god help you and now look at those features.

To me an in my experience for most the top 3 important things are as follows:
1: Clean
2: Smells good
3: Clean

Good luck!

 

[Ulrich]

I saw once a neat shop concept. I think it is called the reptile zoo. They should be in L.A. Area. They have a great setup, do inhouse breeding of expensive snakes and have event rooms for parties as well as education. And they are doing a lot of merchandise including you tube channel. That would be a shop I would like to see, even if I am not planning to buy something.

 

[twatts704]

im seriously considering starting a reptile store in my area. ive already began the business plan..once thats finished and reviewed i will then start looking for lenders, loans, and other funding, BUT i do not want to start this business and have it be a failure. i want to know what people want to see in a reptile store that will have them bragging to their friends about it and always returning.

here are my ideas so far:
-wide range of animals, maybe categorized somehow
-free caresheets and support for any animals purchased
-all animals from local or reputable breeders, more than the average inbreeding petco warehouse animals.
-contact/partnership with the local exotic vet
-all animals housed and cared for PROPERLY. (i am seriously spending every free minute educating myself on every animal i plan to have in my store)
-interactive activities! pet/feed certain animals, kid friendly.
-possibly filling up empty space with rescues from local humane societies or aspca's.
-any and all supplies needed to care for every animal i have in the store, and maybe some partnerships with people willing to do customized cage building for some of the larger animals.
-MERCHANDISE! it is soo friggin hard to find reptile themed gifts and t-shirts, and car decals, and everything! i want to make that stuff available to the public so even the nonreptile owning reptile fan can have reptile themed stuff!
-i will also have one or two other people helping out when i cant be in the shop, these people will consist of the local breeders and therefore will know their species, and ill educate them on others.
-feeder colonies bred in shop, not only for the animals in the shop, but also available for public purchase.
-animals that are bred in shop so people can meet the parents and know where their naimal is coming from. some may include veileds, jackson's, ball pythons, corn/king snakes, leopard geckos, bearded dragons, and any other easy to breed animal that will help along with what the local breeders supply me with. my goal is to stay away from wild caught or mass bred animals.

did i miss anything? lol so, if a store like this would open in your area, what would you expect to see in it or how it was run, etc?

I strongly encourage you to do a lot more research before making such a huge commitment. It is not the ideas of the pet shop that will keep you in business but rather the economy. You have to think of this as a specialty store and realize that only about 15% of the people around you are going to want what you are offering. You have great and solid ideas. However, I know reptile businesses that were started up in the 90's that are very famous for what they carry that are struggling right now to stay above water. With that being said it is a money pit and unless you are willing to do exactly what you don't want to do (mass breed and bulk sale) then it is going to be extremely hard for your business to make it the first year. I'm not trying to give you any negativity but rather telling you the hard truth before you get yourself into a debt you don't want. Not to mention if it doesn't work out and you have a store full of exotic animals, who will take them if you go under? The city will and I guarentee you that most of the people who work for them wont know how to take care of an exotic of any kind. Most reptile businesses that are still up and running and succeeding are doing so because they are either mass producing/bulk selling and shipping across the country, have another business on the side that keeps them more afloat than the business itself like a custom cage building business, or they just have more money then they can handle and its just a fun project. If this is something along those lines then I apologize and I wish you luck. The only one I would say would 100% work for you though is if you just have a lot of money of your own backing you, not loans. The other options come with reputation and a customer base from previous years built.

I know you must be thinking, what does he know he is just telling me how the economy is. Well my fiance and I both manage and Co own an exotic reptile business and it is hard hard work and very stressful. The economy is just in the toilet. I am not saying it is impossible but I am saying it is a hard hard journey and I just urge you to do a lot more research before making this huge decision. We are up and running and have been for 4 years and we still even do our research and go to other shops around the state to pick up new ideas and new contacts. Once again I really do wish you luck and if you have any questions or concerns that you want me to address then just PM me.

 

[DanSB]

I strongly encourage you to do a lot more research before making such a huge commitment. It is not the ideas of the pet shop that will keep you in business but rather the economy. You have to think of this as a specialty store and realize that only about 15% of the people around you are going to want what you are offering. You have great and solid ideas. However, I know reptile businesses that were started up in the 90's that are very famous for what they carry that are struggling right now to stay above water. With that being said it is a money pit and unless you are willing to do exactly what you don't want to do (mass breed and bulk sale) then it is going to be extremely hard for your business to make it the first year. I'm not trying to give you any negativity but rather telling you the hard truth before you get yourself into a debt you don't want. Not to mention if it doesn't work out and you have a store full of exotic animals, who will take them if you go under? The city will and I guarentee you that most of the people who work for them wont know how to take care of an exotic of any kind. Most reptile businesses that are still up and running and succeeding are doing so because they are either mass producing/bulk selling and shipping across the country, have another business on the side that keeps them more afloat than the business itself like a custom cage building business, or they just have more money then they can handle and its just a fun project. If this is something along those lines then I apologize and I wish you luck. The only one I would say would 100% work for you though is if you just have a lot of money of your own backing you, not loans. The other options come with reputation and a customer base from previous years built.

I know you must be thinking, what does he know he is just telling me how the economy is. Well my fiance and I both manage and Co own an exotic reptile business and it is hard hard work and very stressful. The economy is just in the toilet. I am not saying it is impossible but I am saying it is a hard hard journey and I just urge you to do a lot more research before making this huge decision. We are up and running and have been for 4 years and we still even do our research and go to other shops around the state to pick up new ideas and new contacts. Once again I really do wish you luck and if you have any questions or concerns that you want me to address then just PM me.

This is great!

I was in the industry when things were awesome in the early mid 90s and it is just hard. I have watched many many stores open and close just as abruptly many with great ideas and fantastic features and gimmicks. Many of my favorite stores have closed up shop.

I sincerely hope to one day hear you have your store and it is doing great but you twatts isn't someone who just doesn't have the same great ideas you have or didn't do his research. That is what I would have thought when I was younger and someone told me how hard something was "Well you're just not as clever as me!"

Listen to the above advice it is good advice and know that it is true. If that doesn't scare you then you're ready to start!

 

[pssh]

I think you're going to want to sell more than just reptiles and reptile related stuff. You can focus on reptiles perhaps, but I don't think you would be able to stay afloat very long if you only do reptiles and reptile related stuff. A pet shop near me focuses on reptiles and breeds a few of them in shop but also sells birds and small animals (though I suggest you try not to do that as most come from backyard breeders anyways and there are too many unwanted small animals as it is.) They have a chameleon or two as well, but they tend to not sell too well (probably because they actually sell the correct supplies which cost a ton!)

 

[amanda509]

I strongly encourage you to do a lot more research before making such a huge commitment. It is not the ideas of the pet shop that will keep you in business but rather the economy. You have to think of this as a specialty store and realize that only about 15% of the people around you are going to want what you are offering. You have great and solid ideas. However, I know reptile businesses that were started up in the 90's that are very famous for what they carry that are struggling right now to stay above water. With that being said it is a money pit and unless you are willing to do exactly what you don't want to do (mass breed and bulk sale) then it is going to be extremely hard for your business to make it the first year. I'm not trying to give you any negativity but rather telling you the hard truth before you get yourself into a debt you don't want. Not to mention if it doesn't work out and you have a store full of exotic animals, who will take them if you go under? The city will and I guarentee you that most of the people who work for them wont know how to take care of an exotic of any kind. Most reptile businesses that are still up and running and succeeding are doing so because they are either mass producing/bulk selling and shipping across the country, have another business on the side that keeps them more afloat than the business itself like a custom cage building business, or they just have more money then they can handle and its just a fun project. If this is something along those lines then I apologize and I wish you luck. The only one I would say would 100% work for you though is if you just have a lot of money of your own backing you, not loans. The other options come with reputation and a customer base from previous years built.

I know you must be thinking, what does he know he is just telling me how the economy is. Well my fiance and I both manage and Co own an exotic reptile business and it is hard hard work and very stressful. The economy is just in the toilet. I am not saying it is impossible but I am saying it is a hard hard journey and I just urge you to do a lot more research before making this huge decision. We are up and running and have been for 4 years and we still even do our research and go to other shops around the state to pick up new ideas and new contacts. Once again I really do wish you luck and if you have any questions or concerns that you want me to address then just PM me.

okay, i most certainly will not do this unless i am 100% sure of myself and know exactly what im getting into. it is kind of hard around here because there are no other pet stores that i could study and ask questions besides petco! and they hate me so my goal would be to be better than petco..in the reptile department, which sucks! they have two stores, one store has no animals and little to no reptile supplies, the other store takes horrid care of their animals and has just a little bit more supplies..but not a selection i would be pleased to show off.

also, im already building my customer data base, ive befriended quite a few local breeders and reptile keepers and have brought this idea up to them, and they all said they would support me 100% because they all hate petco as well. the only place i have left to befriend is cold blooded and company. a massive reptile breeding operation here in altoona...if i can get them on my side, they alone can keep me in business. the good thing is, they dont do sales that i know of. they just do local and large shows. they were supposed to convert to a store in spring, but obviously that's not happening.

as for the financial issues, if i can get a good start, im sure i can make it, and if i can make it through the first year, it should be steady enough to continue. one saying ive heard is "whatever the economy is, people dont skimp on their pets" intentionally that is. id also like to put in place a website where i can sell everything online that is in store, so even if i dont get alot of business up front, i hope the website will take off, people who are truly passionate about their reptiles wont skimp, and they want to show their love outwardly therefore will buy lots of reptile themed goodies also, i was planning on offering custom cage building. i have quite a few carpenters in the family who are really good with that kind of stuff, and im sure if i opened a business, my retired grandfather would be more than happy to help me with this.

this is something id really really like to do. im not spending money on going to business school to get a desk job that i aboslutely hate. i got it so i can start my own business, dont have to dress up, can interact and get to know my customers, and best of all, do something with animals, specially reptiles. i feel bad enough i cant do anything with horses, but that aspect of the economy is going completely downhill. i had to sell my horse because within a year of new ownership, my stable, and all the other stables in the area, have jacked board up soo high, only wealthy people can keep their horses anymore. its sad that wonderful horses who were once a couple thousand dollars are being sold for under a grand.

so anyways, sorry for the long speal about this, but (this sounds soo catched) im tired of just going with the flow, i want to go out there and DO something with my life that i WANT to do! sooo...any more ideas that i can ponder that will give this business a better chance of surviving?

 

[amanda509]

It sounds like you are looking for features people want rather than how the industry works. If you don't know how the industry works start travelling and interviewing and touring people around the country who run successful reptile shops. If you do know how it works still do that.

Most pet store small business owners are friendly people who are happy to build relationships with others interested in the industry.

If you have done all the research, looked at the lifestyle, understand the industry and know what you're in for god help you and now look at those features.

To me an in my experience for most the top 3 important things are as follows:
1: Clean
2: Smells good
3: Clean

Good luck!

i wish i could travel and explore some of the good shops in the country, but im enrolled in business school and cannot do that. AND there are no pet stores here in altoona except petco, and they hate me. otherwise, im pretty familiar with how a basic business works, i just need to work out the tweaks of this business. ive got plenty of time to do research and make my business plan foolproof..im just trying to gain ideas on what makes people want to come back after one visit. and dont worry, cleanliness will definitely be a top priority

 

[twatts704]

okay, i most certainly will not do this unless i am 100% sure of myself and know exactly what im getting into. it is kind of hard around here because there are no other pet stores that i could study and ask questions besides petco! and they hate me so my goal would be to be better than petco..in the reptile department, which sucks! they have two stores, one store has no animals and little to no reptile supplies, the other store takes horrid care of their animals and has just a little bit more supplies..but not a selection i would be pleased to show off.

also, im already building my customer data base, ive befriended quite a few local breeders and reptile keepers and have brought this idea up to them, and they all said they would support me 100% because they all hate petco as well. the only place i have left to befriend is cold blooded and company. a massive reptile breeding operation here in altoona...if i can get them on my side, they alone can keep me in business. the good thing is, they dont do sales that i know of. they just do local and large shows. they were supposed to convert to a store in spring, but obviously that's not happening.

as for the financial issues, if i can get a good start, im sure i can make it, and if i can make it through the first year, it should be steady enough to continue. one saying ive heard is "whatever the economy is, people dont skimp on their pets" intentionally that is. id also like to put in place a website where i can sell everything online that is in store, so even if i dont get alot of business up front, i hope the website will take off, people who are truly passionate about their reptiles wont skimp, and they want to show their love outwardly therefore will buy lots of reptile themed goodies also, i was planning on offering custom cage building. i have quite a few carpenters in the family who are really good with that kind of stuff, and im sure if i opened a business, my retired grandfather would be more than happy to help me with this.

this is something id really really like to do. im not spending money on going to business school to get a desk job that i aboslutely hate. i got it so i can start my own business, dont have to dress up, can interact and get to know my customers, and best of all, do something with animals, specially reptiles. i feel bad enough i cant do anything with horses, but that aspect of the economy is going completely downhill. i had to sell my horse because within a year of new ownership, my stable, and all the other stables in the area, have jacked board up soo high, only wealthy people can keep their horses anymore. its sad that wonderful horses who were once a couple thousand dollars are being sold for under a grand.

so anyways, sorry for the long speal about this, but (this sounds soo catched) im tired of just going with the flow, i want to go out there and DO something with my life that i WANT to do! sooo...any more ideas that i can ponder that will give this business a better chance of surviving?

Well you have overcome the first step of running a business that involves pets in the right direction which is not being scared or backing down but following your heart and doing what you want to do which is great. I really do commend you on that. In this business you have to have passion for what you do otherwise you do end up like PETCO. Now your biggest competitor is not going to be PETCO though I'm afraid, it will be yourself. I know a lot of great ideas are floating around and trust me you would like to do them all but some come short changed I'm afraid. Just get a feel for what the people want first and foremost. For instance we not only have a website but we also have a Facebook page and twitter account and are very hands on with our customers. We ask them what they would like to see and also surprise them each month with something new, whether it be a new rescue we have, educational oppurtunities we are offering, or even volunteer chances too. We also give people fun little trivias each day to gain interest. Things like this will attract a lot of people and fast too. Online business is great and I think you should go with it but make sure you do it right otherwise it gets very EXPENSIVE. Another thing to worry about is staying up to date on all of your permits for keeping each reptile/animal and selling the correct things and not illegal things. For instance we can only sell certain box turtles here in Texas. Another thing is to have a variety of things. I know you want it to be a reptile shop but not everyone is a reptile person, you have to think broader then that. An "exotic" pet shop is the same thing. Has a lot of reptiles but you can offer small mammals as well that may not be so common. For instance we sell coatimundis, 2 toed sloths, ring tail lemurs, pot bellied pigs, etc.

I would give it more thought still and come up with a strategy to tackle this thing head on but so far I think you are on the right track. Just need to fine out the details.

The owner and a coatimundi

Cici the two toed sloth climbing the American flag lol

 

[amanda509]

Well you have overcome the first step of running a business that involves pets in the right direction which is not being scared or backing down but following your heart and doing what you want to do which is great. I really do commend you on that. In this business you have to have passion for what you do otherwise you do end up like PETCO. Now your biggest competitor is not going to be PETCO though I'm afraid, it will be yourself. I know a lot of great ideas are floating around and trust me you would like to do them all but some come short changed I'm afraid. Just get a feel for what the people want first and foremost. For instance we not only have a website but we also have a Facebook page and twitter account and are very hands on with our customers. We ask them what they would like to see and also surprise them each month with something new, whether it be a new rescue we have, educational oppurtunities we are offering, or even volunteer chances too. We also give people fun little trivias each day to gain interest. Things like this will attract a lot of people and fast too. Online business is great and I think you should go with it but make sure you do it right otherwise it gets very EXPENSIVE. Another thing to worry about is staying up to date on all of your permits for keeping each reptile/animal and selling the correct things and not illegal things. For instance we can only sell certain box turtles here in Texas. Another thing is to have a variety of things. I know you want it to be a reptile shop but not everyone is a reptile person, you have to think broader then that. An "exotic" pet shop is the same thing. Has a lot of reptiles but you can offer small mammals as well that may not be so common. For instance we sell coatimundis, 2 toed sloths, ring tail lemurs, pot bellied pigs, etc.

I would give it more thought still and come up with a strategy to tackle this thing head on but so far I think you are on the right track. Just need to fine out the details.

here in pa, we have very very lenient reptile laws, for example, american alligators, rattlesnakes, and monitors can be kept with no permits. but things like hedgehogs and sugar gliders are illegal lol. i will deff be working on feeder colonies to help save money and make a profit, which also include rats and mice. but i do like the idea of expanding more into the exotic portion and have things like axolotls? they are legal here and i have never seen them anywhere except a very crowded, dirty, smelly exotic shop about 2 hours from here. im not too clear on the turtle laws though, ill read up on those

internet advertising/customer communication/interactive activities and such are going to be a big thing with me. im already familiar with marketing strategies because i do most of the marketing for my moms mortgage office.

also, you have some pretty crazy animals that i dont think are legal here in pa lol. is there any exotic small aquarium animals you can think of? the laws here on small mammals/rodents are very odd...but ill see what kind of information i can get my hands on.

i will deffinetely be taking my time making sure my business plan is foolproof before i even start anything else. the business owner at my moms office has agreed to help me get started on it, along with my instructors at school, and theres a business group here in town that gets together to help people like me perfect their plans before starting a business

 

[amanda509]

some other animals i would consider are amphibians like salamanders and frogs, specially dart or arrow frogs. and possibly tarantulas, scorpions, mantis, and millipedes.

i found out that hedgehogs are completely banned, no ands ifs or butts about it, and degus, sugargliders, and many other small exotic mammals are illegal except with a permit, but are banned from being bred and sold. in fact, ferrets and chinchillas are "technically" illegal, but not enforced in the very least, but are available at most pet shops lol. eastern painted turtles are also regulated. the limit is one per person and they cannot be bred or sold. turtles in general cannot be possessed or sold unless their shell is a certain length, but thats confusing when it comes to breeders -.- otherwise, there are no regulations whatsoever on non turtle reptiles...so i could seriously have a 10 foot Burmese in my store if i wanted to i may consider getting one alligator just for show "nonhuman" primates are legal, but id prefer not to get into them...primates scare me. im reading up now about exotic birds...

 

[twatts704]

some other animals i would consider are amphibians like salamanders and frogs, specially dart or arrow frogs. and possibly tarantulas, scorpions, mantis, and millipedes.

i found out that hedgehogs are completely banned, no ands ifs or butts about it, and degus, sugargliders, and many other small exotic mammals are illegal except with a permit, but are banned from being bred and sold. in fact, ferrets and chinchillas are "technically" illegal, but not enforced in the very least, but are available at most pet shops lol. eastern painted turtles are also regulated. the limit is one per person and they cannot be bred or sold. turtles in general cannot be possessed or sold unless their shell is a certain length, but thats confusing when it comes to breeders -.- otherwise, there are no regulations whatsoever on non turtle reptiles...so i could seriously have a 10 foot Burmese in my store if i wanted to i may consider getting one alligator just for show "nonhuman" primates are legal, but id prefer not to get into them...primates scare me. im reading up now about exotic birds...

Be careful with the big snakes. Although you may not need a permit for them if you get them young, you will need one after they reach 6 feet. Also Burmese are illegal to sell across state line anymore so if you got one make sure you only sell locally and buy locally. I will write up another long detailed sheet for you soon. About to head into work myself

 

[amanda509]

Be careful with the big snakes. Although you may not need a permit for them if you get them young, you will need one after they reach 6 feet. Also Burmese are illegal to sell across state line anymore so if you got one make sure you only sell locally and buy locally. I will write up another long detailed sheet for you soon. About to head into work myself

although having large snakes would be cool, i dont think id have the space or customers to buy such a reptile, it was just an idea i cant thank you enough for all the information and ideas you are giving me! i greatly appreciate it!

 

[CHScrusader]

I live in Wilkes barre pa, my aunt is the owner of a place called petzone by me And her and her husband started off at scratch and had the business open for 9 years now. They mainly focus on reptiles. But they have a wide variety of salt water fish, freshwater, birds, small animals. Everything. And lots of supplies also. The care of the animals comes first.. In my opinion if you focus and put your mind to your goal and try your best I think you'll succeed with flying colors.. Good luck!

 

[amanda509]

I live in Wilkes barre pa, my aunt is the owner of a place called petzone by me And her and her husband started off at scratch and had the business open for 9 years now. They mainly focus on reptiles. But they have a wide variety of salt water fish, freshwater, birds, small animals. Everything. And lots of supplies also. The care of the animals comes first.. In my opinion if you focus and put your mind to your goal and try your best I think you'll succeed with flying colors.. Good luck!

i might have to stop in sometime when im around that area and maybe ask for some advice and thanks for the support! i will give this my absolute best and ill either come out a happy shop owner, or have a ton of debt, either way, i cant say i didnt try..

 

[absolutbill]

I know you have your heart set on a shop, but why not consider opening an internet business first? This way you can save on the physical costs, rent, electricity, etc, and focus that money on building up stockpiles of reptile supplies that could be easily shipped out. Then, when the economy turns upwards again you have a solid basis of clientele to help support your shop.

A pretty cool small aquarium animal is the orange-eyed crocodile skink - they are really neat and something I'm looking into as a future pet. You might also think about the axilotes (no idea how to spell that, but you probably know what I mean).

BTW, I'm sorry that you are in PA and not down here in Naples - I'd patronize your shop and even volunteer my time! Best of luck whatever you do, and please remember I'm just a former chef and front desk agent - I have no business background at all

 

[lizardlover16602]

i live in Altoona

Hi i seen this topic and had to say we need a good Reptile pet store in altoona BAD if you were to start one i would be a daily customer. All we really have in are area are two Petcos and thats it and they drive me crazy i go in there for crickets all the time but now that my Nile Monitor is starting to grow i need to get him started on pinkys and im pretty sure all they sell is frozen witch i got for him and he will not eat kind of a picky eater if its not moving he wont eat it. But i think what we need in Altoona is a pet store thats not some big company but a small store that can help people i would even pay more for a store like that.

ooo and i heared on the news WTAJ say they made gators illegal some guy had 2 of his taken away???

 

[amanda509]

Hi i seen this topic and had to say we need a good Reptile pet store in altoona BAD if you were to start one i would be a daily customer. All we really have in are area are two Petcos and thats it and they drive me crazy i go in there for crickets all the time but now that my Nile Monitor is starting to grow i need to get him started on pinkys and im pretty sure all they sell is frozen witch i got for him and he will not eat kind of a picky eater if its not moving he wont eat it. But i think what we need in Altoona is a pet store thats not some big company but a small store that can help people i would even pay more for a store like that.

ooo and i heared on the news WTAJ say they made gators illegal some guy had 2 of his taken away???

who are you? lol i know alot of the reptile people here in altoona, but im always looking for new people and you have a nile monitor? if your close by, i deff have to meet him im also looking for people to possibly volunteer their time when i first open in exchange for discounts and merchandise because im in business school and am unavailable for certain hours during the day, and once i get the store financials stabalized, would be willing to offer a paid position

 

[Psi]

Some points you want to do simply aren't going to make business sense.
You're never going to breed enough feeders in house to avoid purchasing them, if you do, you should simply be a feeder supplier not a pet store.

You'll learn very quickly what's popular in your area and what's not, that's going to be one of your hurdles. You'll bring in x animal, and it'll sit in the store for 2+ years and no one wants to buy it.

Cleanliness is going to be key, no one wants to see shed/poop/etc lying in cages (even though, explaining to people what white urates means would seem good, it's not in their minds lol).

Breed your own stock of something you're interested in, saves on costs on your stock.

once i get the store financials stabalized, would be willing to offer a paid position

Trust me, this is not going to happen fast.
I'm at 2 years and can't afford to pay anyone yet, it takes a long time before you get to this point.
Expect to spend every waking hour you're able to be at the store.
Because that you can't be open the normal 10-7 for most reptile stores, you probably should finish up everything else before considering opening the store.

Hope that helps

 

[lizardlover16602]

my names chris

My names chris i work at kfc on 6 ave but any time im not working there i would love to help you out with that store. My Nile is still a baby only 4 mons old im building him a perm home that will be 12 by 12 by 6 feet when im done you can add me on face book would love to show you him any time i have pics there