If your town doesn't have a coin club, perhaps you could sponsor one as your local collector base grows. The monthly meetings could be held in your shop after hours! In the meantime, send some flyers (or better yet, call the club president) to some nearby town's coin clubs. Got to let people know you exist! Best of luck to you.
I am a member of the local coin clubs and I know the presidents quite well... they have already expressed interest in me starting this club so that they can have access to supplies without having to go to KC. Whiteman AFB is still active, that is where I am stationed, and yes I am a security expert that is my current job right now.
I guess it's every collector's dream... to own their own shop and be able to make enough money to survive. I love hanging out at the local coin store (only 10 minutes away) for a half hour or so every Saturday. I might spend $50 to $100 on some well-worn walkers or mercs, but just being there and talking coins is reason enough to visit. I've discovered that I'll spend more dollars when the owner is friendly and personable... nothing is worse than asking a question or trying to start a conversation and only getting a one word answer or a grunt in reply. You definitely will be more successful if you make every customer feel important, whether they spend $10 or $1000. Get to know them on a first name basis after just one visit... believe me, that will pay off!
jloring, I will do that you can bet, I love hearing old stories of coins, collections and just plain cointalk....I will treat everyone the same that comes into the store because that is the only way to survive.
Congrats and Good Luck Tdec!!! I always think about the old banks and how great it would be to have a place with a vault already built in. Really hope it works out for you! Darryl
Get a tie in to some quality suppliers and keep an inventory of holders etc. I can't tell you how many times I travel and have coins that I purchased and cannot find a coin shop with supplies that I need. In todays economy it'll be a gutsy move, but like I always say, "#1 . . . find out what you enjoy doing in life, then #2 figure out how to get somebody to pay you to do it!"
It is a very small town with a ton of small towns just like knob within a 25 mile radius. Luckily there are a lot of coin people out here. Many many auctions every week just for coins. Sometimes two auctions on the same day, but no where for anyone to get supplies without taking a long long drive.
Service Service is the most expensive thing you give away, you must get orders for good service. You shall sell nothing. Provide the customer with enough information so they can make an informed decision. It is also impossible to tell a customer everything about all things dealing with any product. Do your best based on what they need to know. Make them want to come back. Books for sale are a good way to get to know a customer. They will answer many questions a prospective customer needs.
Supplies would be a good start to building the business. Hopefully the rest will follow from there. Bringing some of that auction business "in house" somehow might be a potential business builder also. Best of luck!
Just stopping by to say CONGRATS and goodluck, I'll read the whole thread when I get a chance. Right on Tom, best of luck !!
Congratulations tdec1000! That's awesome! I have been to Knob Noster several times. Back when I was in Boy Scouts, we camped around that area many times and even stayed on the base a couple of times. Of course, I've been out to the air shows as well. I'll try to get down there sometime. If you don't mind, PM me the name and address of your store.
Good luck with the store and be sure to let us know if you go online. Like the others have said, customer service is king as well as a good, varied inventory. by the way how far south is Knob Noster from the IA-MO border?
Congrats and good luck with your business. You are doing what i would like to do but have not figured out how to make it happen! as you progress through this, it would be neat if you could keep us informed of your lessons learned, etc!! Oh, the Bank is a great idea!! is the vault functional?? What is the name of your business? later and again best of luck!! G.E.