I am a ceramic artist and I have some questions about opening a combination studio and retail shop. I have been working out of my home’s spare bedroom for the past four years while selling at shows and through my website. I have been making enough of a profit that I am ready to take the next leap and open up a studio/retail shop. What should I look for in a space? I will be renting, so I pretty much have to find a place that doesn’t need renovating and will work as-is. Is it better to have my studio in back and keep the front more like a gallery, or look for an open space and kind of rope-off a section as a studio so people can see me work? The area in which I live has a great downtown area–very hip and modern with a young crowd. Is it better to start in a lesser-known area and work my way into that atmosphere? Or should I just go for it and try to get one of the few open spots downtown? What kinds of terms should I look for/stay away from in terms of the lease? Thanks for any help you can give!
Location, location, location the 3 most important considerations when setting up a business. It sounds like it is time to get out of the quest room and onto the street. You surely want to be in a high traffic area. At the outset your place won’t be a destination so you’ll want as much foot traffic as you can get. It may cost a bit more but believe me it’s worth it. As a result of the current economic situation more and more retail spaces are becoming available, some at reduced rental costs. I am a great fan of selling what you make where you make it and allowing the customers to watch items being made.
So I would look for an open space with perhaps a small enclosed area for the messiest work. Where you work is a tricky decision and may be determined by the space you choose. If you work toward the front you may need to have your back to the entrance in order to watch the shop and you want to be able to make eye contact and to greet people as they enter. You would be setting yourself up so people walking by would see you working and be drawn in. If you are in the back you can oversee the shop better, but people passing by won’t see you working and customers won’t see you until they get into the shop. Choosing to work in the front sets the tone for a studio with a shop, work in the back and you have a shop with a studio, what’s you intention?
Leases vary greatly from town to town and building to building. You have to enter lease negotiations with a clear understanding of what you can pay, how long you think you can do this and a list of things you will want in the space. The best time to get concessions from a landlord is before you sign a lease. Give careful consideration to any escalator clauses that will increase the rent, can you imagine growing your business so you will be able to pay the new amount?? . And for sure have your attorney read the lease as you go along and don’t sign anything without the approval of an attorney.
this is a great article. i reposted it on my own blog!