How much do you think . . .

[stephenie191]

Opening a pet shop would cost?

I'm JUST starting to look into it, but anyone whos got one or has looked into it properly?

I would sell the basics, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. . .

but also tropical fish and reptiles. Nothing like the HIGH end morphs that fetch thousands . . .

It would be adleast 18 months from now, when i have a business plan and have looked into it all.
i'm saving up and hoping Business link/princes trust would maybe give me a small grant.

Anyhow and help would be fab on a ruff idea, - while i'm searching through shops to let, for a ruff idea on rent etc

[exotic reptile housing]

cant help with the buisness side of things, but i will gladly fit your shop out with enclosures for your reptiles and fish tanks

[Meko]

Originally Posted by stephenie191

Opening a pet shop would cost?

I'm JUST starting to look into it, but anyone whos got one or has looked into it properly?

I would sell the basics, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. . .

but also tropical fish and reptiles. Nothing like the HIGH end morphs that fetch thousands . . .

It would be adleast 18 months from now, when i have a business plan and have looked into it all.
i'm saving up and hoping Business link/princes trust would maybe give me a small grant.

Anyhow and help would be fab on a ruff idea, - while i'm searching through shops to let, for a ruff idea on rent etc

a small fortune.

you'd need to rent the premesis, pay the business rates, do the signworks and paperwork, get your insurance and pet shop license, get an accountant and then kit the shop out with the vivs and cages and tanks etc etc. Once you've done that you need the money to start buying stock which won't be cheap.
When the shop is all setup you'll need to have enough money in the bank to pay the staff, pay the bills and keep the stock rotation coming in until you start making a profit - which won't be for a long time.

i've no actual idea on total cost but i'm reckoning that you'd need about 75k to 100k before you can start looking or you'll go under pretty fast.


oh yeah... and you're far too young.
For the amount of time and effort you'll have to put into making it a success for very little reward to start with, you'll get pissed off that you have no life and you're working your life away with nothing to show for it.

[loobylou211]

It wud cost a small fortune........if ur young enough, why not start breeding at home? Its a way to make more money, give u a better insight into the reptile world and any profits can be put to one side to pave the way to ur shop venture.......??

[lefty]

i havnt got a clue about the costs but imo the only reptile shops that seem to do any good are the ones that cater for the high end morphs. if your going to be a petshop id leave the reptiles alone imo

[Zak]

Originally Posted by lefty

i havnt got a clue about the costs but imo the only reptile shops that seem to do any good are the ones that cater for the high end morphs. if your going to be a petshop id leave the reptiles alone imo

I disagree, theres always going to be a market for shops that sell the basics. The bearded dragons, leopard geckos, corns etc. People new too the hobby arent going to know about classifieds and what to buy so will use such shops. However the profits on such items are not great and therefore the business has to be to pretty tight margins.

I think it all depends what you want. A small shop priding itself on quality over quantity? Larger shop shifting through more stock quickly and then balancing this idea with the shops overheads.

Whats competition like in the area? Is there a need for another pet shop?

[Meko]

Originally Posted by Zak

Whats competition like in the area? Is there a need for another pet shop?

yep, that's the main question.

too many people want to start a business doing something because it's their 'passion' but don't take into consideration that they might be battling for sales.
Doesn't matter too much either if all the others are crap and you'll be doing it perfect. there's a chance 80% of the customer base for the shops don't even know they're doing it wrong so you'll just be doing it different and looking bitter when you tell people the others are doing it wrong.

[oakelm]

Probably talking less than 100k for rental of really small shop, licensing, fitting everything, legal stuff. Thats not including other bills, stock, wages. But if you have a really good business plan and can put about 10-20k into it banks would normally (not right now due to credit crunch) give you a small business loan if they agreed with your projections. Only becomes super expensive when you want to buy the premises instead of rent but cheaper in the long run to buy. Its more of a case of if you can make enough profit after the inital year or two to keep you going.

I would personally start as a homebased breeder and then make a bit of a name for yourself either breeding or importing then once that is turning over nicely and has become a small part time business for you then move it into a proper shop so you have your customers waiting for you.

[-matty-b-]

youve gotta have the animal management degree aswell or atleast someone working in the shop that has so thats another wage on top

[Zak]

Originally Posted by -matty-b-

youve gotta have the animal management degree aswell or atleast someone working in the shop that has so thats another wage on top

Think rules are if you havent got one you need to agree to do one within 2 years of acquiring a pet shop license.