Living the dream

[bruinsman]

As i'm sitting in my (beautiful) hotel room in National Harbor, Maryland, for work, i started thinking...what if i were to start a business in something i truly love.
I currently work in I.T and do enjoy it, but do i LOVE it? i dunno.

What i'm getting at is...have any of you guys opened up a hobby shop or any sports related business?

if so, how has it been? is it profitable? Worth the trouble?

 

[DredJAw]

I have already dreamed of opening my own comic book and sportscard store.

Just make it massive too- like what Kevin Smith did in jersey for comics. Just have that store that people around North America talk about.

Then I wake up

 

[delacroixandora]

yes.. here invictoria cards specifically are slim...

i would love to open a shop - cards along with some specific memorabilia like jerseys

also, have a system set up to help locals find cards. in talking with collectors at a few shows, they obviously aren't into the internet market for the players they need so this could be a great way to work with the customer

also offer a through the mail system to help people out coupled with a custom card design setup if someone were to so choose

yeah, ideas

 

[Yipper]

If you are opening a shop for passion, there isn't that much stopping you.

To be profitable is another story. Especially in Canada where the passion derives from mainly hockey, the other sports (not always) gets a bit neglected and from the business sense you can't really survive based on a single sport hobby shop. Also most places already have a big player in the industry that sell things such as jerseys and apparel.

Cards and memorabilia are only a fraction of what makes money and if you would like to be successful, you need a full rounded store, which can be quite pricey carrying a variety of inventory that may or may not sit for a while especially with memorabilia. People always go like thats a nice game worn jersey or a cool autograph, but when they see the price, only a selected few will buy it.

Try something online, it might work better with costs.

Interesting topic though. I always wanted to some sort of online thing.

 

[cathaytrader]

I think just about everyone here has a romantic view about starting a hobby or card shop dreaming about how much fun it is and making some serious dough. Ask a few shop owners and I'm sure that they will tell you that you need to really love it because it's damn hard work.

 

[delacroixandora]

there is something you can file as well to get a residential business permit, something that keeps your home as residential property but permits a commercial business to operate out of it - fairly cheap i believe and i "think" it's how it works

could start from your home and see where you succeed and fail / your own strengths / interests etc...