Just wondering if any full time builders out there have a store front, and if so, has it helped boost your business?

Thanks,
Marc

I had one for about 15 years or so. It does help. It shows people that you're serious about rod building, which makes you "legitimate" in their eyes. Plus, it functions as advertising simply from the standpoint that you're in a business area and people make note of such a store front. You could work out of your house for years and many in your own community might never know you're there.

But... there are downsides too. A monthly lease payment, additional insurance, maintainence, upkeep, hours of operation, etc. Most that have a storefront suplement their rod sales with sales of tackle, flies, etc. in order to help offset the additional expenses.

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Thanks Tom! I have a rod shop on our residence, nice hand carved sign out front made by a local wood craftsman, and do some advertising, but still find just what you said - many in my own town don't even know I'm here, much less surrounding towns.

Now the only trick is going to be to find a place with high enough ceilings!

Thanks,
Marc

While I am a hobbyist, I take my rod building very seriously, no need to sell rods or have a store front to take it serious or be legitimate. Marc, some of the best rods I have ever bought before I started building my own were from a shop that was IMPOSSIBLE to find, and he has a store front. His biggest advertisement was word of mouth. He moved his shop, but is still very hidden, and is one of the only people in that area staying above water thanks to the economy, but he gets enough business due to people seeing his work in other peoples hands. He is also a very nice guy which I think helps, cuz many of the other builders in that area are pretty arrogant, and to be honest their rods are not all that.

If you are going to have a storefront, it has to be in a good location. I know a few people who have storefronts near big marinas, and tehy do a ton of business. HAving the storefront also allows them to caryy other items, reels, lures, etc - so a custom rod order often turns into a complete set up, spooling, etc. YOu could do the same thing out of your house, but as Giorgio stated, it's a word of mouth thing and getting the word out takes a long time.

Most people rather buy a custom rod off a rack from a storefront and pay more for it, than somoene who builds a superior product out of their basement, for less (unless they've managed to build up their name to where they have a cult following).

Billy makes a really good point. I've seen many tackle shops fail because in an effort to leases their rental costs, they choose locations that were so far off the beaten path that their "front door" really didn't do them much good.

There is a reason why some locations cost more than others, and usually the more traffic a street or area receives, the higher the lease and better the business will be. It really all depends on what you need the location to do for you.

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At one point I had considered opening a "co-op" offering different builders a rack of thier own charging them 25% for each sale with the builder being responsible for keeping their own rack supplied. I would also have a small shop set up for my own building. I would also sell building components and limited amount of fishing tackle. Never did set it up though so their is one idea.

I had a store in the heart of downtown with a year round draw of fishermen and fishing guides. I closed it last year and built a building on my property and relocated everything here. I sold rods in the store, but I sell just as many here in the new location. I pay less for the new building and utilities than I did for rent and utilities downtown and the equity and building are mine. I use the savings to do more advertising which seems to generate more local business than the store front did. I do not find that people mind driving to my home location to buy a rod or have a rod repaired...and it is a 16 mile drive out of town. I assume this is due to high quality customer service and the quality of my work...I certainly hope so as I try hard on both counts.

Realistically, I do most of my business via the internet and the physical location does not seem to make a lot of difference for me. I build rods for clients all over the world and sell components to rod builders all over the world and the store front did not impact that part of the business at all.

As mentioned by others above, the key to success is quality servcie and quality products and getting your name out in front of people. Word of mouth, print, radio, rod building classes, demonstrations, county fairs, conclaves, rod builder meetings or anything else that lets people know who you are and what you do will spread your name and reputation. All you have to do is live up to the image you present.

Joe Douglas

Before I would get a store front, I'd get a web site. It's cheaper, and less hassle. Yes, you have to deal with shipping, but that can be solved and built into the sale. I know of no one who has asked me where my shop is that has not also asked for my website. But lots of people have asked for our website without ever asking where our shop is - and we live right on the NC coast.

Uncle Russ
Calico Creek Rods

Russ,
That's a great point. I'm a hobby builder and build only for friends and friends of friends. I occasionally get calls from people that have heard of my work and never once have they asked for my store's address. However, they always ask for my website. I've never bothered because I am busy enough without one, but it would be the first thing I did before even considering a store front.

Robert

A website can be set up farly cheap. Just like us, there are thousands of amatuer web developers working out of their basements and spare bedrooms. Many collage students build websites to help pay for their technology degrees. Do some searching on the net and I'd bet you will find someone close, they are easy to find because they all have their own websites.

Lots of good pictures are a must, and you will need some sort of a concept of what you like.

I had a website set up for $100 from scratch, and hosting and registration cost about $30 a year.