Opening a tack shop can be a wise move.
If you love horses and horse people, opening an equestrian store is an excellent way to profit from your passion. While many parts of the country have plenty of tack shops available, others suffer from a dearth of stores that understand the needs of horse owners. If you live in one of those under-served communities, you might find that a new tack shop will be a very profitable endeavor.
Instructions
1. Decide where your new equestrian business will be located. Building the tack shop at your home will eliminate the need to pay rent for a storefront. The problem is that many horse owners live in rural areas where traffic is sparse. In addition, it is important to make sure the property can be zoned for commercial use, or a variance can be granted to allow the opening of a tack shop on agricultural land.
2. Consider opening a mobile tack shop business and traveling to local horse shows. This cuts down on your overhead since there is no physical store to rent, heat and stock. It also takes the inventory to the people who need it. Even experienced horse owners often arrive at a sfind that they are missing a critical piece of equipment. Having the mobile tack shop on-site allows those competitors to buy what they need and continue with their classes.
3. Contact the state where you live to obtain the necessary permits and business licenses. Consult with an attorney who has experience with equine businesses to make sure you have the proper insurance in place.
4. Start with a minimum of stock to keep your costs low as you build your business. Auctions are a good place to build a basic inventory--it is often possible to strike a deal with tack sellers if you agree to buy products in bulk. Another possibility is to open a consignment tack shop. Many horse owners have saddles, bridles and other equipment they no longer need, and would jump at the chance to get some money for those items.
5. Print fliers and business cards and bring them to local horse shows, horse expos and other places where horse owners congregate. Ask the owners of local horse businesses like feed stores for permission to post a flier for your new business.
Tags: tack shop, horse owners, local horse, horse owners live, horse shows, local horse shows