Jeepguy this question is maybe geared more towards you....



How did you start your brew shop?



-J

Tags: homebrew shop business plan, home shop forums

I decided to just go for it with absolutely no idea what i was going to do or any business plan.
I had been researching for about a year on starting a microbrewery but decided it was way too expensive. After dealing with only getting brew supplies online & when i happened to be out of town I decided to start with a brewshop & go from there. (microbrewery in a few years though)
I started with online sells only, then ebay, then i struck a deal with a guy that runs a local store about 2000' from my shop. I do all of my local sales through there or i deliver. Our area is not big enough to support a homebrew only shop. So, that is where i am at now.
It is expensive & has been slow going but things are picking up slowly.
You also need a retail seller permit,business liscene, & getting wholesellers to deal with you at first is a challenge on its own.
It took me 3 months before i finally got my first wholesaler. I now have about 10 different wholesalers i deal with now for brewing & draft equipment.

Once you get established with a couple it gets way easier to set up accounts after that.
& i had to order $2000 on my first order.
Anybody need some grain??
Thats the basic rundown, hope its not a bunch of babbling.
I am an "all in" kinda guy & i just bailed into it headfirst & decided to not take no for an answer.
Hopefully I will break even in 2008 & with some luck get all my business stuff paid off & maybe make some money.
You have to be willing to shell out some dough even if it will take some time for it to pay off.
& the old saying "it takes money to make money" is dead on.

But it will be worth it when i am sitting in my control tower in my brewery someday testing some products!!