Thinking about starting my own pet store....

[2bacop]

Ok.....for the most part everyone here knows where I work, well myself and a few other employees in the pet care department have started to toss around the idea of taking what we have learned and starting our own pets store where we dont have to answer to corporate when we know that something they are telling us to do is wrong.

Now my question is..we wanted to get our reptiles from smaller breeders who we know have actually taken care of them, mostly we would like leos to be around 7-8 months old and for the other reptiles we would take it on a species by species bases. My question is if we were to start a store would any of the breeders on here be willing to be our supplier of leos and some other reptiles if possible. Now remember this is just an idea and we are trying to see how things would work out. Of course we would be willing to show you the enclousres so you can make sure they are getting proper care because I know that a lot of small pet stores dont do a good job which is exactly why we want to start one.

We want this store to be like a palace to the animals we house with every leo having at least a 20g long enclosure with the works inside. This also goes for the other reptiles of course!!!

If you have any questions let me know!!!

 

[SJP]

That's a big complex task. I have managed a retail store and have my business degree, so I'm talking from experience. My first advise would be to go to a website that explains how to start a small business and all the basic details involved. The IRS website or sba.gov are good places to start. I don't know your level of experience, but there are many things you need to take into account. Good luck.

 

[2bacop]

I know that it will be a big task to undertake that is why we are trying to get the main ideas of what we want in the store, what we want it to look like, and the cost of the animals and there proper care before we even start so we know what we are getting into. Like I said its just something that we are talking about.

 

[Leopard.Geckerz]

I suggest taking a small business management course at a college. I did that, and now have a bank approved business loan for a pet store. Not that I'm going to open it anymore, but, I could.

A bank will NOT give you money without a VERY solid 50++ (Mine was almost 150) page business plan with very solid and reasonable financials.

 

[LeapinLizards]

Well...a lot of banks right now will not even loan with a solid business plan and good financial history. We've been with our bank for over 20 years (my first account was opened when I was born) but they are not loaning a penny. It's a very hard time to open a business trust me...this is my husband and I's third business. They've all been VERY successful, we just get bored with them. The problem we're having now is that it has been delayed almost a full year by the city, a mess when you have no income.

Just be very careful, and PLAN PLAN PLAN. Even when we did, things happened we had NO control over.

 

[2bacop]

Thanks for all the advise, we aren't planning to open the store for a couple of years. We all want to graduate from college first, but we all believe that we need to put in years of research and planning so that is what we are doing.

 

[2bacop]

Here is what we were thinking for the floor plan, let me know what you think. The grey rectangles are the shelves and this plan doesn't show the backrooms.

 

[Zynx_Keekeio]

Don't forget rent, electricity, caring for hurt animals, cranky customers, bills, room for emergency, taxes, recession, location, reliable partnership, time, employees, hours, supplies and hundreds of other little things, dealing with sale men who want you to hold one of their products, advertisment, rep. Again time. It's a huge task, cleaning supplies, flooring, water chemicals, vet checks yadda yadda

 

[2bacop]

Well I actually do a lot of that all ready and we have already factored in the sick animals, vet visits, holding animals, cleaning, chemicals, stuff like that we already do at our current job, so we know what it costs. Like I said the backrooms are not factored into this. We will have several seperate rooms for sick animals, quarntined animals, and such. There will be only one animal per cage accept for SOME of the small animals so putting things on hold are no problem because they can stay in there original cage. Like I said the turtles, reptiles, and small animals will have the best, most extreme, homes that will let them be comfortable no matter how long they are there.

 

[animalhouse27]

My Concern is this. If you work for a petstore now.. Isn't there a Clause of some sort that you have to wait a certain amt of time between jobs like these ..specially starting your own? I know there is if you own a store.. to sell it, then go to another of the same type.. you have to wait like 6 mo or somthing.


I have always wanting to start a petstore or Animal Sanctuary Good luck!

 

[LeapinLizards]

There is no clause that I know of when simply WORKING for a business (unless of course it's more complex than a pet store).

We just sold a convenience store, there was a clause written into the contract that we cannot, now or ever, open or take over another convenience store within 5 miles of our old one. Clauses like this DO exist, but not when simply working for a business, if you have managerial interest or part ownership, than yes it would apply.

 

[2bacop]

yes there is a waiting period which is 6 months. Which is fine because like I said we all want to graduate college first and we dont plan to work where we do for that whole time. Currently as it stands now it will be myself and one other person from the pet care department who actually own the buisness. Then one of our dog trainers will come over and well train dogs at our store. Another of our pet care employees will come over to be manager. That is who we have so far. Obviously myself and the partner will work at the store taking care of the animals with our manager. The cashiers and stockers we will hire if no one else from our store wants to come over with us.

 

[2bacop]

There is no clause when simply WORKING for a business (unless of course it's more complex than a pet store).

We just sold a convenience store, there was a clause written into the contract that we cannot, now or ever, open or take over another convenience store within 5 miles of our old one. Clauses like this DO exist, but not when simply working for a business, if you have managerial interest or part ownership, than yes it would apply.

It does exist at the store I work for which is Pets_mart. Like I said we have to wait 6 months. Our trainer will have to wait 6 months and cannot teach within 50 miles of any currently established pets_mart which is fine because we dont want our store near one.

 

[LeapinLizards]

That's so odd to me! I wonder if that's a state to state thing, because as far as I know, there is nothing like that here at all. I worked at a convenience store/deli/gas station for years, left there, and bought a convenience store within a week.

I also know of a guy that worked at the local large pet chain, quit, and a month later bought the local mom and pop pet store.

I guess it's a good thing it's more than 6 months!!!

 

[2bacop]

That's so odd to me! I wonder if that's a state to state thing, because as far as I know, there is nothing like that here at all. I worked at a convenience store/deli/gas station for years, left there, and bought a convenience store within a week.

We signed a contract because they were certifing us just like the trainer. The cashiers and stockers can leave and not have to wait but we do, whether that be just to work for another pet store or own one. It is a company policy not a state by state one

 

[LeapinLizards]

Ahhh that makes a little more sense Katelyn, I thought you were a cashier!

Well...I'll tell you good luck. I've thought many times about running a pet store. We have a local mom and pop place that will probably be up for sale in a year or so (a huge chain store just opened down the road). I've thought about picking it up...

 

[2bacop]

thanks!