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| mhornquist |
 Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:26 pm |
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Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 34
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Just wondering what smaller skate shop owners think it takes to stay alive and/or thrive in the current economic climate.
It seems like selling low end stuff- blank decks, cheap trucks, wheels + clothes and shoes would be the way to go, at least in the beginning.
How can one compete with the internet and Zumiez in the local mall?
I have a pipe dream of owning a shop/park, but need a lot more confidence before I dive in.
Thanks,
MH |
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| GrandMasterB |
| Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:28 pm |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 3194
Location: Connecticut
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| MMS |
| Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:33 pm |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 03 Jul 2003
Posts: 15099
Location: Heaven or Hell...kinda hard to tell.
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| It's my understanding that the SUCCESSFUL brick & mortar/mom & pop shops are HEAVILY involved in the local scene. You can't compete dollar for dollar with mall shops/net dealers...you gotta give the people something they can't get at those places. |
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I'm kinda over it... |
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| Cappy |
| Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 3:44 pm |
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Joined: 13 Sep 2005
Posts: 11580
Location: Cloud cuckoo land
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What economic climate, crisis, what crisis?? FUCK BLANKS CHEAP Trucks Whee Whatever!
Fuck the Race to the Bottom! Think outside the box! |
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...O...................O..... |
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| slavadov |
| Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:00 pm |
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Joined: 02 Nov 2008
Posts: 3192
Location: Michigan
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Clothes...lots and lots of clothes. Mainstream skateboarding is about fashion, not skateboarding. So, it's your job to keep the "bros" dressed in their favorite clothing. As much as I despise the word "lifestyle," that's what most skateshops I've been in are all about.
Now, as far as hardgoods go, pick up a Transworld and carry the brands in there. Kickflippers LOVE that shit.
Don't forget to carry a handful of Sector9 complete longboards and one or two Powell-Peralta reissues.
Finally, study the local skate scene and find out how to fit into it. If local kids REALLY love one particular brand, carry it. If kids love tiny boards, carry 'em...Conversely, if kids love larger boards, carry those. Think of yourself as a guest in the local scene. Unless there is no local scene, then you gotta create one. |
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Put yourself on trial, all the time, get out of your comfort zone. Feel depression, feel anger, feel happiness.
-Duane Peters |
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| MMS |
| Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:23 pm |
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ORDER OF THE SKULL
Joined: 03 Jul 2003
Posts: 15099
Location: Heaven or Hell...kinda hard to tell.
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| Don't know if it's still the same way, but I've talked to shop owners that have said Sector 9's sales reps won't sell to you if you carry any other LB brands. That was pre-Quicksilver days though. |
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I'm kinda over it... |
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| mhornquist |
| Posted: Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:42 pm |
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Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 34
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Thanks for the tips. I've been out of the scene for so long...I'm still trying to understand what's going on.
I visited the two local shops in town: one was a bike shop with some boards in the back. The other was a boutique type shop with the elite tre chic skate clothes and shoes (HUF, Elwood, Fourstar etc) and a limited supply of boards and access.
Zumiez is all about clothes + Shoes too. The boards are basically an afterthought in back of the store.
I guess I'd like to open a place for kids to come & skate and buy stuff if they need it. I imagine I could make more money selling energy drinks and powerbars than anything else.
Clothes would be cool, but I don't want to be a skate fashionista. I guess I'm leaning more toward a small indoor park/shop. Real skaters and kids who wanna learn. No f'ing posers! |
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| slavadov |
| Posted: Thu Jun 24, 2010 5:34 pm |
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Joined: 02 Nov 2008
Posts: 3192
Location: Michigan
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Grumpy Ol' Bastard wrote: Don't know if it's still the same way, but I've talked to shop owners that have said Sector 9's sales reps won't sell to you if you carry any other LB brands. That was pre-Quicksilver days though.
Mr.Cokesandsmokes did a write-up about that and couldn't find any concrete evidence...IIRC, the conclusion was that it wasn't anything that s9 was doing, but the independent distributors that would do shit like that. Plus, all the shops that I can think of that sell s9 also sell other brands, and have been since before Quicksilver. Actually, one shop buys the decks from s9, puts their own trucks and wheels on them, and sells them at s9's MSRP. |
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Put yourself on trial, all the time, get out of your comfort zone. Feel depression, feel anger, feel happiness.
-Duane Peters |
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