Island in a shopping center - business plan and ideas on how to open and what to sell

Probably everyone has thought about opening their own business at least once (and most likely, even more often). To begin with, a small point of sale will be enough, and then, as they say, time will tell. As a rule, not many people go further than these thoughts. But for those who want more, we decided to talk about the most affordable option - an island in a shopping or business center. The area of an island is usually 5-10 square meters, and a larger island will not necessarily be more expensive, much depends on the location and rental period. The island itself, as a sales point on the territory of a shopping center (shopping center) or business center (BC), is one of the best options for starting your own business, which is why it is so popular. Walking through the shopping center, you may not see some branded store, but it is impossible not to notice the island, because it stands in your way.

And also, in order not to lose sales data, track the most popular items, protect yourself from theft and quickly carry out inventory, we recommend installing an automation system at the very beginning. For example, you can try Poster for free for 15 days to understand how such accounting systems work and what they are needed for. And now more about the islands themselves.

What do they sell on the islands?

Islands can be divided into two types: those located in BC and TC. The types of services and products that you will offer depend on the type of center. Below we will describe in more detail what business centers and shopping centers are, their classes and types.

Which business is better suited if you are considering the option of a BC:

Coffee shop, bakery and pastry shop
Printing services, fast photo printing and press sales
Sale of batteries, small household goods
Tobacco kiosk, hookah accessories and e-liquids

Accounting system for a coffee to go point on a tablet

Your baristas will start selling in 15 minutes

For shopping centers the list is much longer. Try to focus on selling goods that are not in the hypermarket inside the shopping center or the range of which is very narrow there:

Fresh juices (freshly squeezed juices)
Decorative or craft sweets: chocolate, cakes, candies, etc.
Coffee to go
Wallets, belts, bags and hats
Accessories for smartphones and tablets
Perfumery
Fan paraphernalia (football, hockey, etc.)
Watches, knives, flashlights
Jewelry and bijouterie
Postcards, gifts, gift wrapping
Printing on T-shirts, mugs and instant photo printing
Souvenirs (if the shopping center is near the station or in a tourist area)
Pet supplies (not every shopping center has a full-fledged pet store, but even if there is one, a person can remember that they need to buy loose food or treats for their pet on the way out when they see your island)
Tobacco, cigarettes and everything for hookah
Electronic cigarettes and accessories

Cosmetology services can be highlighted as a separate item :

Express manicure
Massage chairs
Express haircut
Eyebrow and eyelash extensions

But for such islands, basic showcases will not be enough; you will need separate mirrors, lighting, and chairs, which means you will need more initial investments. But a big plus will be the accompanying sale of cosmetics, which will significantly increase revenue.

ISLANDS: small format with great possibilities.

Spontaneity or calculation

Pavilions, kiosks, open sections, free-standing counters - these are all options for filling small spaces in a shopping center, the owners of which are scrupulous about the profitability of each square meter of usable space. Ideally, the location of the “island” retail outlets is thought out at the development stage of the shopping center project. However, in many cases, during the process of implementation and occupancy of a shopping center by tenants, plans for the number and area of islands change.

“As a rule, the concept of island modules is developed as it is being implemented, since this affects the economics of the project,” explains Olga Zbrueva, head of the department for customer relations at ASTERA and the alliance with BNP Paribas Real Estate. — Thus, the fact of the presence of an island part is laid down at the stage of developing a marketing strategy, and the qualitative characteristics are the placement and dimensions in the architectural concept.

However, here the opinions of experts differ somewhat. “On the contrary, initially no one usually plans to locate island trade,” says I’M Company commercial director Andrey Chamkin. — Therefore, the concept of its placement is developed in advance by management companies of landlords with extensive experience. The spontaneity of filling free spaces with small pavilions is more typical for economy-class shopping complexes with a small flow of customers and not the most successful concept. In such objects, the appearance of trade “islands” is forced solely to maintain profits.

However, a much more interesting option is the thoughtful placement of “islands”. Most large shopping centers with a clear concept have very strict criteria for such tenants. And retailers have to take into account not only their own interests, but also the requirements of the landlord.

Advantages and disadvantages

As a rule, a retail “island” is 5-10 sq.m in a corridor or corner area, in the area adjacent to columns, stairs and escalators. However, there are also options for very tiny shopping areas, such as sweet shops, which occupy only 2 square meters. m. Or, conversely, large areas of more than 15 square meters. m. Most often, these are “islands” of express manicure salons that require space for several manicurists, clients and product displays.

First, let’s figure out which retail segments “islands” are suitable for. First of all, stores with oversized goods that do not require fitting. This format is usually used for the sale of accessories, leather goods, perfumes, as well as nail bars, juice bars, “islands” for selling ice cream or cafes, lists the head of the brokerage department of DVI Real Estate Vyacheslav Gurov. But this is not a complete list. For example, in Okhotny Ryad there is an open pavilion with clothes and accessories, despite the absence of fitting rooms. And in the Oblaka shopping center there are open display cases with equipment and gadgets.

“All shopping islands in the Fan Fan shopping center can be divided into two types,” says Alexey Ivanov, commercial director of the Fan Fan shopping center (Ekaterinburg), “providing services (for example, express payments, ordering windows, atelier, dry cleaning, watch repair, pawn shop, photographic services, etc.) and shopping (flowers, ice cream, leather goods, etc.) Mostly, the space for the “islands” is rented by local entrepreneurs.

The retailer's choice in favor of the "island" can be explained by several reasons. Some chains, developing mainly in the format of a full-fledged store, make an exception in the case when a successful shopping center does not have free large areas.

— “Islands” have pros and cons. The advantages are that the “island point” is located at the main intersections of consumer flow in the shopping center and thereby ensures high traffic. Also, the advantage of this format is the excellent ratio of the cost of rent to the space provided, as explained in the Konfael chocolate gift chain. — Among the shortcomings is the lack of storage facilities; a rather small area of the shopping mall, where it is impossible to display an assortment, as well as strict requirements for the sizes and shapes of widths that the administration of the shopping center imposes.

Stylish and cheap

These requirements often relate not only to the dimensions and technical equipment of island structures, but also to design. In some cases, such as in the Yerevan Plaza shopping center, Mega shopping center, all shopping “islands” are decorated in the same shopping center style. And the retailer’s corporate identity is integrated into the exterior approved by the landlord.

Olga Choparova, head of the retail real estate department of the commercial real estate department of GVA Sawyer, describes one of the possible options for approving the “island” project as follows: “The center administration works with 1-2 contractors who already know the requirements of the shopping center; accordingly, when a new tenant contacts them, he only gives his own parameters and recommendations for the kiosk. But some companies have kiosks in a corporate style, for example “Expedition”, “Baskin Robbies”, “Secundochka”, etc. Such kiosks are also coordinated with the administration of the center for the design project.”

“The higher quality the shopping center project is, the more likely it is that the landlord will offer his own solution for the “island,” says Olga Zbrueva. This is due to the need to comply with the color scheme, height and width of the “island” module, which should not interfere with the visual accessibility of other operators of the shopping gallery.” In some cases, when developing a project for a shopping “island”, the retailer will have to limit himself not only to the area indicated in the contract rental, but also in the height of the structure.

“We at the Arena shopping mall (Voronezh) require that the height of the “island” not exceed 160 cm and not block the view of the gallery for visitors to the shopping center,” explains Andrey Chamkin. — It is also desirable that the pavilion design be as transparent as possible and have internal lighting.

A retail space will most likely require a so-called design project from the tenant. This is a detailed booklet where the design of the retail outlet is described in great detail, with a large number of illustrations and models of the interior of the shopping center. The project will also contain data on technical equipment and lighting organization. Some design bureaus will charge about 60-70 thousand rubles just for such a detailed booklet. (object area up to 100 sq.m.). But there are companies that offer more budget options or include the cost of the design project in the overall estimate of the facility.

When placing a point in a more affordable shopping center, all that is required is visualization of the project in the interiors of the shopping center and approval of the technical component. In this case, the cost of the design is calculated based on the footage of the object and is fixed. Making changes to the original version, however, may cost additional money. However, here we are talking about very small amounts within 1000 rubles. per picture.

“Local retail representatives often offer the most “original” solutions,” Vyacheslav Gurov shares his experience. — For example, in the Gothic or Empire style, which have nothing to do with the style of the shopping mall, but are more suitable for the scenery of historical films. But network operators maintain a more traditional style.

On average, it takes about 2 weeks to create and equip a simple “island”. But in the case of an exclusive design or complex structures, it takes at least a month. Part of the time is spent on approvals. The rest is for production. As the manager of the S-MAX company Andrey Goryushin said, the design of a particularly complex “island” alone takes up to 2 months, then about a week will be spent on drawings and design development, plus another 3 weeks for their production. Installation is carried out both by manufacturers and by third-party contractors if, for example, the design is created by a design bureau, and the retail outlet will be located in a regional shopping center.

Materials and technologies

The cost of a trading “island” is calculated individually and very much depends on the wishes of the customer. On average it is 300-600 thousand rubles. There are projects costing more than 1.5 million rubles. But, if a retailer has a small budget, he can save a lot, for example, by ordering a standard showcase-pavilion from the most affordable materials (chipboard). The price of the option in capital companies starts from 40-50 thousand rubles. However, not every shopping center will approve of the appearance of such a retail outlet.

According to Laden sales manager Nikolai Evdokimov, it is short-lived and less resistant to mechanical damage than the more expensive material - plastic. In addition, plastic has a richer color palette, and it is possible to stylize the facades as “wood”. Another option for painted MDF. The most expensive “island” will be when finished with wood. In addition, it is possible to use natural veneer, steel and aluminum structures, glass, artificial stone, and polystyrene.

There are cases when a contractor cannot independently fulfill all the retailer’s wishes and resorts to the help of a third party. For example, if the design involves non-standard geometric shapes and bends. Then the cost of the project may increase. This point must be clarified at the stage of discussing the design, finding out the production capabilities of the performer.

There are a lot of equipment options for the “island”. Thus, the pavilion can be with a protective ceiling or without it at all, equipped with roller shutters, and parts of the structure can be made retractable for the convenience of the seller. An alternative to frame glass showcases is open and closed counters (racks, display shelves, hangers. Technical equipment may include lightboxes (light boxes with graphic or text information), backlit volumetric letters, displays, sound equipment, etc. In most cases trade equipment is complemented by opportunities for placing advertising information and POS materials.

To illuminate the “islands,” the same technologies are used as when working with other retail formats. The principles for choosing lighting colors remain the same. For example, for jewelry display cases - cold LED lamps.

Speaking of jewelry “islands”. There will be no technological features in terms of safety in the designs of such a pavilion. Retailers typically rely on mall security and do not install their own security systems. At the end of the working day, jewelry, just like any other, can be put away in a storage unit under the display cases and locked with a key. In general, the security level of an island format retail outlet is somewhat lower than in a full-fledged store, where, at a minimum, antenna frames are installed. In a free-standing pavilion there is no such opportunity, and with low display cases it will not be difficult for a thief to lean over them and take away valuables . Therefore, an island security system must be part of the design. The seller needs a good overview of the windows and an approach to them from all sides. And access to internal storage by buyers should be limited by the height and width of the pavilion.

When developing the design of the “island,” it would be useful to consult a specialist in window display and merchandising. The original design of the structure should not only attract the buyer, but also provide the opportunity for convenient inspection of the goods. Display in small areas turns into a real dilemma - the desire to place more product units or to show them from their advantageous side. In the case of successful display, small dimensions become an advantage of such a retail outlet. With minimal time spent, the buyer gets the opportunity to get acquainted with all the goods and make the most successful choice. Taking advantage of all the advantages of island trade is the main task when planning and placing a retail outlet of this format.

Daria BALAYAN, “Retail News&Technologies” magazine No. 10/2011.

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Tags: Store lighting, Beauty salon lighting, Lighting and marketing, Lighting and merchandising, Public space lighting

Buying a ready-made island

This can be either a full business or a lease assignment. A good option for a start, but in any case, you will either overpay for a working outlet (compared to opening from scratch), or buy cheaper, but this outlet may go bankrupt in your presence. Also, unpleasant situations may arise when the lease of an outlet is transferred to you. For example, you want to open a takeaway coffee outlet in the lobby of a business center, where there is already a coffee shop that gives you its established audience. It looks tempting, but in reality it may turn out that they give you their place, and literally a week later they open a new island next to you, and this audience returns to them. To avoid this, write everything down in the purchase agreement and in the terms of the lease, if possible.

Flower Island

A flower shop is a great idea for an entrepreneur who wants to have a creative and profitable business. Despite the season and economic crises, flowers will always find their buyer, and a markup of 100-300% promises prospects for decent earnings. To open a flower boutique you do not need a large area - 8 - 12 square meters will be enough. m, which will house an “island” equipped with everything necessary. Although the workspace is quite small, you can attract customers by placing additional products and services: cards, wrapping paper (and gift wrapping service), ribbons and balloons will be a great addition to your business.

Island by franchise

A good option for retail or catering outlets. Requires a little more initial investment, but you will get:

famous brand, recognition;
reliable supplier;
ready business plan;
assistance in starting a business.

You can read more about opening a franchise business using the example of a cafe in our separate article.

What types of business centers are there?

This information will come in handy when you look at rental listings or when working with real estate agents. All business centers are divided into three classes: A, B and C. Not long ago, types B+ and C+ began to appear in the descriptions, when landlords want to emphasize the improved characteristics of their center. There is also category D, which is common only in small cities (population around 100,000 people). Such business centers offer potential tenants only “walls”: no infrastructure, major renovations are needed, the famous corridor-office layout, which is extremely inconvenient for many tenants.

Most often, there is simply no place to place an island as a point of sale, although the audience of such centers is quite suitable for a certain type of business. For example, you can sell newspapers, small household goods, batteries and similar goods there.

Business in a small town

Find out what is profitable for a beginning businessman to trade in a small town!
Top most popular products! Article navigation

What to consider before opening a business in a small town
What store is better to open in a small town?
Opening a clothing store
Household goods store
Health food store
Opening a jewelry and accessories store
Flower business
Fruit stall
Opening of a cosmetics and perfumery store
Opening a butcher shop
Opening a baby food store
Opening a lingerie store
Opening of a store selling draft beer
Ceramic tile store
Opening an optical store
Opening of a beer bar
Commission shop
Sale of building materials to order
Trade in kvass or ice cream
How to start a trading business: step-by-step instructions
Choosing a direction and analyzing competitors
Finding a place to trade
Launching a project and searching for clients
How to develop and advertise your business
What is the basis of a successful business in a small town?
Product Availability
Attention to competitors
Good reputation
Where to get money to start
Planned level of profitability
Advantages and disadvantages of starting a business in a small town

Starting a business in a small town is often more difficult than in a metropolis. This has its own specifics of work. All promising niches have long been occupied, and purchasing power is low. But there are still areas in which you can achieve success.

What's popular in 2020? What business ideas from scratch in a small town will be most in demand and will give the maximum profit? Be sure to read about this and much more in our article.

How do the classes of business centers differ?

1. Class A business centers:

usually located in the central part of the city;
have convenient access, secure parking (one parking space per 100 square meters of office space) and separate underground parking;
There must be a public transport stop nearby;
repairs according to international standards;
centralized air conditioning and ventilation system;
reliable 24-hour security;
designed for top companies in the city or country.

2. Class B business centers:

most often located around the city center near metro stations;
availability of open guarded parking;
high-quality interior finishing;
good repair;
communications in full;
individual air conditioning;
designed for medium and small businesses.

3. Class C business centers:

located in residential areas or far from the main highways of the city;
finishing is cosmetic repairs carried out by the owner of the building or the tenants themselves;
disjointed communications;
unguarded parking;
low rental costs are, as a rule, only of interest to small companies.

We advise you to consider business centers of class B or higher.

Milkshakes

The principle of the milkshake business is not worth explaining, because the basis lies in the name itself. The only thing that can be mentioned to expand the target audience is adding other types of drinks to the range:

tea;
coffee;
hot chocolate;
fresh juices;
fruit in a glass;
Hawaiian ice cream;
fruit drinks.

The target audience for a milkshake business is children and teenagers, so the optimal location for a retail outlet would be an entertainment or mixed-type business center, where families often come. It will be a plus if there is an amusement area, play area, or cinema nearby. It would be a good idea to put up a sign outside, if possible. In the summer, at least 20% of buyers will even come from the street.

A mid-class business center is an excellent choice for hosting an outlet for preparing and selling milkshakes. The equipment takes up minimal space, which has a positive effect on rent, and its location on the ground floor will allow it to reach the maximum target audience of visitors and employees of the business center.

Cafeteria or coffee shop

A simple and understandable business aimed at all segments of the population. 8 out of 10 people want to have a cup of coffee on a working day or while waiting in line, so placing a coffee shop or cafeteria in a business center is an excellent and promising idea.

What to pay attention to:

the possibility of organizing this type of business - not all office buildings allow the opening of a cafe;
high traffic volume - the business center must be located in the city center or at least be in demand in terms of services;
cafeteria format - depends on the class of the business center in which the outlet is located.

The best option is a middle-class business center or a shopping center of a wide range.

Pizzeria

Catering is very popular in public places. This is especially true for entertainment complexes and classic business centers. Office workers don’t mind having a snack at lunch, and visitors don’t mind having a snack while waiting for a service to be performed or in line.

A pizzeria in a business center can be located inside a building without its own entrance or be a dedicated retail space with an entrance door at the end. In the latter case, the establishment’s target audience expands to include employees of neighboring organizations and random passers-by.

A classic pizzeria in a business center or shopping center is relevant for middle-class buildings, since the target audience, high traffic and the format of a quick snack are typical for people who save their time.

Japanese restaurant

Seafood and various Japanese dishes are very popular in Russia. First of all, it's tasty and nutritious. Secondly, catering establishments of this format provide for the purchase of takeaway food. This is very important when placing a retail outlet among office workers who often have lunch at their desks.

A Japanese restaurant can be organized in a business center of any class, including the highest, because the format of the activity is more businesslike than a simple cafe or pie shop. The only thing that is required of the entrepreneur is to obtain permission to open a business in the selected building.

A restaurant will be no less popular in a shopping center, because in addition to entertainment and shopping areas, the building always includes catering establishments. Japanese cuisine will stand out from the rest in a positive way, bringing considerable income to the owner.

Clothing boutique

Boutiques are in demand among people with average and high incomes, so a retail outlet selling branded and exclusive clothing can be safely located in a class A business center. The only clarification is the possibility of opening a business in the selected business center, as well as the presence of similar shoe stores and children's goods , technology.

Some large business centers allocate the first floors for retail outlets of luxury goods, so a clothing boutique in this case will be very popular and relevant. In addition, a business can be opened in a shopping center or other entertainment complex with a large flow of people.

Beauty saloon

A beauty salon for a mid-level business center or shopping center is as common as a cafeteria. People visit shopping malls for the reason that in one place they can solve several issues at once. And a beauty salon in this regard is a good choice for most public places, be it a business center or an entertainment complex.

If you plan to open a business in a top-class business center, then you should take care of:

professional equipment;
employees with work experience and recommendations;
a full range of services for people with above average income;
comfortable service.

Opening a hairdresser or an economy class salon in a large and elite business center would be a bad idea.

To summarize, we can safely say that class B business centers are suitable for any type of activity, which is why they are most popular among entrepreneurs. Class A is suitable only for elite retail outlets, and even then not every type of business can be carried out in large business centers. Class C is not very suitable for entrepreneurs planning to open their own business, unless these are services for which the location of the office, the traffic of people and the target audience of surrounding establishments do not matter.

What types of shopping centers are there?

Shopping centers vary in concept and specialization.

Universal shopping centers. They offer the widest possible range of goods and services. Ideal for different types of islands, the main thing is to study competitors and traffic in order to correctly calculate the payback and feasibility of opening a new point.

Specialized shopping centers. Attract the audience due to a wide range of products in a certain category. This narrow focus may pose some risks. Choosing the type of business, what to sell or what services to provide, should only be based on the specialization of the shopping center. Most often, such centers are formed on the basis of chain stores of electronics or building materials - this is a popular phenomenon for cities in regions with a population of 300,000 to 1,000,000 people.

Such shopping centers can be designed for both ordinary buyers (retail) and professionals, which means that in any case there will be traffic here, which gives additional stability to the business.

Fashion centers where clothing, shoes and accessories are sold. Their advantage is that they are located in the central part of the city and, even with small areas, provide targeted traffic. In large fashion centers, the assortment is important: the more different boutiques, the more diverse the audience.

Shopping and entertainment complexes (shopping and entertainment complexes) are almost the same as universal shopping centers, only a larger rental area is devoted to places for leisure, entertainment, sports and recreation, including active ones.

Shopping center with medical clinics instead of boutiques

Another unusual idea comes from China. In the Chinese city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, the Quancheng shopping center has opened, which instead of boutiques houses medical clinics. The project was created to ease the burden on the city's public hospitals, whose services in China are used by 87% of the population despite long queues. Unlike the United States, where medical malls appeared back in the 80s of the last century, this format is still new to the Middle Kingdom.

How to search for a place?

Here's our quick plan of action for renting a mall island:

Make a list of the most popular shopping centers (as an option, as traffic decreases, so that you can start searching in less popular centers at the end). The priority is to find a good place in a popular center.
Go around the selected shopping centers, looking for not only vacant, but also occupied places that are suitable for your type of business, with good visibility of signs, storefronts and stable traffic. The best places are near the entrances, but they are usually more expensive.
As you go around, you need to find out the contacts of the administration.
You need to find out the rental price. Perhaps some owners or managers will want to organize a personal meeting and call them to the office for a conversation. Often such issues are resolved individually, depending on the area of the future island and the rental period.

Decide which point you need: “wet” or “dry” (with or without running water). For example, if you are planning to open a coffee shop, this is a very important point. Imported water is expensive and is constantly in short supply. It is needed not only for drinks, but also for washing dishes, cutlery and equipment. It is possible to “outbid” any occupied places by offering a higher rent, the main thing is to understand how profitable this is. Perhaps the lease on the occupied place is already coming to an end, and with a minimal increase in rent you can take it over.

On average, the minimum rental period on the market is 6 months. Few landlords will agree to a shorter period, so it will not be possible to “try” the business and understand whether it works in this place. Be sure to take this into account when drawing up your business plan.

Knitted spider web trampolines

One of the surest ways to ensure the flow of customers into shopping centers is to open a children's attraction with giant knitted spider web trampolines, which are now popular all over the world. Japanese artist Toshiko Horiuchi Macadam created her first multi-colored knitted trampoline back in 1971, and in 1990 a rainbow hammock appeared in a national park in Tokyo. Since then, many shopping center owners began to buy such trampolines for themselves. It is difficult to lure children out of the net even after spending several hours on the attraction. They can jump inside alone, or they can team up and swing the trampoline together.

Is the equipment new or used?

To be honest, it is very difficult to find a fully working and modern option on the used island equipment market. Plus, you'll have to reassemble it, and it won't look as good as you thought it would look in the ad. In addition, you need to select display cases for your product group, volume of purchases and assortment. For retail islands, one of the most popular designs is rectangular display cases with high corner elements (cabinets, shelves). If you are still considering buying used items, then choose counters with a large number of height-adjustable shelves. This will make it much easier for you to adapt display cases to the desired product.

Not every ready-made island pavilion will fit the rental conditions in the chosen location. Be sure to select designs that meet the requirements and general standards of the business center or fuel dispenser.

What store is better to open in a small town?

How to understand what is more profitable to trade in a small town? To do this, you need to determine what product is currently in demand in the region. If there are chain stores operating in a locality, it will not be easy to compete with them. Solution: come up with an interesting “trick”.

For example, open a bookstore and organize a literary club there, where a public of similar interests will gather. If these are eco-products, organize a home delivery service.

Remember that it makes no sense to sell some exclusive, branded products in a small town. They are not in wide consumer demand. On the other hand, you shouldn’t copy other people’s ideas either. If your competitor has organized a car wash, open a cafe or auto shop nearby. In such a symbiosis, it will be easier for entrepreneurs to stay afloat.

Another useful tip: determine what products local residents are forced to travel to neighboring settlements for. These are the goods that can be sold in a small town. But there are some nuances here. For example, a furniture store is unlikely to be successful because most people buy their home furnishings from chain stores, and you won't be able to compete with them on price.

We present to our readers the best ideas of what you can trade in a small town. Choose!

Opening a clothing store

There are different options for clothing stores:

monobrand;
multi-brand;
commission;
second-hand or stock;
cheap clothes;
tent at the market.

Probably, exclusive and expensive brands will not be in demand in a small locality, so it is best to choose a tent or mini-boutique with inexpensive clothes.

Although, if the population allows and there is demand, you can open a point from large network suppliers (franchise). By collaborating with experienced companies, you will receive assistance: in displaying goods, advertising, hall decoration, etc. Supplement your product range with accessories to attract more customers and smooth out seasonal fluctuations in demand.

Minimum costs start from 1 million rubles (of course, if this is not a tent on the market, which will cost several times less). Please note that the payback period for poor sales is quite long, from 1.5 to 2 years.

Household goods store

Hardware stores have several advantages. First, they need a wide range of products. Secondly, there is practically no seasonality here. The assortment can be formed according to the seasons of the year.

For example, in spring and summer, focus on goods for the garden and garden, and in winter on New Year's decorations, insulation for doors and windows. But the main assortment must be all-season - household chemicals and other very necessary household items.

The amount of investment in a hardware store depends on various factors, but you can keep the amount up to 500,000 rubles.

Health food store

Healthy eating is in trend today more than ever, and a store with farm products is a promising business. Moreover, near small towns there are rural settlements where you can purchase farm produce in bulk. And if an entrepreneur has his own farm, the idea becomes simply relevant.

According to experts, the net income of a health food store is over 700,000 rubles per year. Required starting capital: 400-600 thousand rubles.

Success in trade is related to what products can be sold in a small town (eco food, exotic spices, or something else). Initially, purchase small quantities of goods in order to determine over time which ones are in high demand. It is better to open such a store away from food markets, otherwise customers will go there.

Opening a jewelry and accessories store

Costume jewelry is popular, especially among teenagers and young girls. But income from the sale of jewelry will be small and unstable. Solution: it is better to sell jewelry and accessories in a small town in order to increase the influx of customers.

Pros of this business:

The ability to organize a business with relatively small investments (literally, from 250,000 rubles).
High profitability. For costume jewelry, the norm is 200-300% markup. This means that investments will begin to generate income quite quickly.
To retain customers, update your assortment regularly.

Flower business

Another good idea is to start your own business making and selling bouquets; flowers are always and everywhere in demand. You don’t need exorbitant sums for start-up capital; you can open a kiosk for 600,000 rubles. The investment pays off in six months, and monthly revenue can amount to 400 thousand rubles.

You don't have to open your own store right away. At first, you can sell flowers at the market in a small town, and then, when you have regular customers, open a stationary outlet. We advise you to come up with an additional service, for example, home delivery or delivery of rare varieties to order, this will bring “an extra penny”.

Disadvantages of the flower business:

perishable goods;
pronounced seasonality;
high competition.

With the right strategy, an entrepreneur will be able to mitigate risks.

Fruit stall

Fruits are always in demand. Therefore, such a business will be relevant. But there is also a disadvantage: the products quickly deteriorate and require expensive storage equipment, which increases overhead costs.

It is profitable to sell fruits in a small town from a tray or in a tent, but not in a store. Buyers are more willing to visit such retail outlets, since the products in the pavilions are always fresh and of high quality, compared to similar goods in super-hypermarkets.

We advise you to establish direct deliveries with farms, bypassing intermediaries. Cooperation with agricultural producers will provide the retail outlet with the freshest food.

For renting a kiosk, purchasing scales, online cash registers, sales racks and products, you need to spend about 150,000 rubles. In the future, if you want to expand your business, purchase: a light-duty truck, refrigeration equipment, and juicers for making fresh juice. The initial investment pays off in 3-5 months, and the monthly income is about 350,000 rubles.

Opening of a cosmetics and perfumery store

Cosmetics and perfumes belong to the most favorable product groups:

no seasonality;
high demand;
the product never goes out of style.

On the other hand, there is high competition. You need to think carefully about how to stand out from other stores. You can organize various make-up master classes, sell exclusive cosmetics, complete original gift sets and more. Secrets of success: adhere to an adequate pricing policy; select an assortment according to the tastes of visitors; choose a good location for a retail outlet.

To open a store profitably in a small town, you will need up to 1 million rubles in start-up investment. The payback period is up to two years.

Opening a butcher shop

This is a promising type of business. Even in times of crisis, people do not give up meat, albeit in smaller quantities, but they buy it. In addition, consumers are “intimidated” by numerous television programs that expose the dangers of sausages and processed foods, and therefore the demand for quality products is increasing every year.

The shop is advantageous because it requires less investment compared to a store (small assortment, you can work without hired salespeople).

This is an ideal solution for a new entrepreneur to understand the specifics of the business and avoid big mistakes. The minimum expenses are from 300,000 rubles, and you can achieve payback already from the second month.

Specifics of the meat business:

seasonality (in summer less goods are purchased);
a large number of documents are required (be prepared for inspections by Rospotrebnadzor);
Proper cutting of the carcass plays an important role;
perishable goods.

This direction has good prospects. In the future, as experts predict, buyers will give preference to small shops with fresh products, and large chains with frozen, low-quality meat will lose popularity.

Opening a baby food store

A real gold mine. Consumers can save on anything, but not on children. This means they will spend money on the best and highest quality. There are no chain baby food stores in small towns, so you won't have serious competition and success is almost guaranteed.

Please note that the business requires substantial investment in:

renovation of the sales area (the interior is associated with the quality of goods);
refrigeration equipment and display cases;
products (cooperate with reliable suppliers).

You also need to spend money on renting premises, registration, documents, the total amount will be over 600,000 rubles. The costs will pay off in 1-2 years.

Opening a lingerie store

Underwear is always in demand - that's a plus. But there are also a lot of competitors - this is a minus. Therefore, before opening a trade, assess the potential and think over a marketing strategy.

It is best to open a store as an individual entrepreneur. Approximate costs are up to 600 thousand rubles. If you take into account the average check (2,000 rubles) and assume that you will have 7-8 buyers per day, then the “return” will begin in 4-5 months, and expect a daily net profit of around 3,000 rubles.

Opening of a store selling draft beer

Another worthy business idea for a small town with minimal investment.

Such stores stay afloat due to regular customers (especially in the provinces). Therefore, it is necessary to provide consumers with the best drinks. Do not allow the sale of expired beer, develop a system of discounts for regular customers.

If you do not have a license to sell strong alcohol, you can sell drinks with a low percentage of alcohol content and only at certain times of the day. Therefore, decide this issue in advance.

Pros of the beer business:

stable demand;
high level of profitability and quick payback;
relatively small investment;
opportunity to work as an individual entrepreneur.

Disadvantages: high competition, seasonality.

The minimum costs for opening a beer store start at 450,000 rubles. They can be reduced if you do not buy equipment, but rent it from suppliers. The payback period occurs in 6-8 months, and the average revenue is 1.2 million rubles per year.

Ceramic tile store

This is a profitable but competitive niche. Therefore, it is worth opening such a point only if there are no reputable stores.

In small towns, cheap tiles are in demand; there is no need to spend money on branded products (they can be delivered to order). By the way, selling cheap products is more profitable in terms of profitability; there is a higher markup (about 40%).

To open an average store you will need about 700,000 rubles, including the initial purchase of goods, rent of premises, advertising, and the like. It should be noted that the investment will pay off in at least 1.5-2 years, since the business is seasonal and the markup level is relatively low. To speed up your return to profitability, establish contacts with builders or expand your product range. For example, you can additionally sell adhesive mixtures, plaster, tools, etc.

Opening an optical store

It makes sense to open a point in cities with a population of over 100,000 inhabitants. Selling optics is profitable for the following reasons:

the number of patients with vision problems increases every year;
markup over 100%;
potential buyers will be people from nearby villages.

Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting the high costs and the need to have a license if there is an ophthalmologist at the store. The opening will require over 400,000 rubles, the expected monthly profit is 80 thousand rubles.

Opening of a beer bar

Unlike a beer store, a bar has no limited opening hours, and this plays into the hands of the entrepreneur. It can be organized in a small retail area, just a bar counter and a cozy hall where visitors can relax and chat with friends. To increase your competitiveness, install a TV and stream sports matches.

Individual entrepreneurs and legal entities (LLC) have the right to open a bar. The optimal form of taxation is UTII. The amount of costs ranges from 600 thousand rubles to 1.2 million. But if you rent a ready-made bar, it will cost much less.

Let's move on to calculating profitability. On average, 1 liter of beer costs 150 rubles. In a bar, two people, as a rule, order 2 liters each, therefore they pay 600 rubles. If you subtract expenses, you get 264 rubles of net income. Accordingly, if there are 1,000 such visitors per month, then the income will be 264,000 rubles from beer alone, not counting snacks. So, in any case, a pub is a profitable business.

Commission shop

For it to become successful, you need to choose the right products. It's best to choose:

children's clothing and goods;
wedding and evening dresses;
household appliances;
furniture.

The markup size can be set within 30 – 50%. If the product is not purchased within the specified period, it is returned to the owner, but the store receives up to 8% of the price for storage. According to experts, a small “thrift shop” can generate 40,000 rubles in income in the first months of operation.

Sale of building materials to order

This idea is more profitable than opening a store; there is no need to purchase wholesale quantities of goods, and the risk of “burning out” is minimized. A minimum of capital will be required (although you should not count on excess profits). You need to find good suppliers, think about logistics and build a marketing strategy.

Trade in kvass or ice cream

An interesting idea is to sell kvass or ice cream in the summer. The main thing is to find a place with good traffic and get permission to trade.

Advantages:

small area trade;
high markup (up to 300%);
small investments (from 50,000 rubles);
You can work without hired employees.

The big disadvantage here is seasonality.

How much does it cost to open an island in a shopping center?

What do you need and what costs await you when opening an island in a shopping center:

Rent an island in a shopping center. The average area of a point is 10 square meters, then the calculation is based on the price per 1 square meter: if for Moscow it is from 6,000 to 10,000 rubles. (Kyiv - from 2000 to 4000 UAH), then in large regional cities these figures will be at least 2-3 times lower.
Staff. The point must operate while the shopping center is open, which means 30 work shifts of 12 hours per month (working hours are from 10:00 to 22:00). You need at least 2 people who will receive from 500 to 1000 rubles. (200-400 UAH) per shift. Then everything is calculated individually.
Taxes . For Ukraine, this will be 5% of turnover with a single tax plus a monthly unified social tax; for Russia - taxes from payroll, UTII or a percentage of turnover under a simplified system.
Office or warehouse. The goods need to be stored somewhere, because all the products will not be sold at once and together. At first you will realize that what sells faster and more, the rest of the product will “freeze” and overall sales will fall.

This does not mean that you need to keep only the most popular items, you just need to purchase more of them and deliver them as needed, and store the reserves in a warehouse. The requirements for such premises depend on the type of product: the same room will not be suitable for chocolate and jewelry. In addition, when suppliers deliver goods, they need to be capitalized, priced, price tags attached, delivery processed, etc.

A small warehouse or just an office (which is much more common) within walking distance from the point of sale is an ideal option. You can, of course, do everything at home, but this is rather a temporary solution.

Accounting system. It is needed to process deliveries, add new items, prepare reports for the tax office, maintain cash register shifts, carry out inventory, print fiscal receipts, etc. It is best to consider inexpensive coffee shop automation systems so that you can see how sales are going at any time at your point, and control the entire work process.
Accounting . Perhaps the best option is to outsource it: find a suitable person through colleagues, acquaintances, or trust an agency. For small turnover of a small business, this will be enough, and you won’t have to delve into it and waste your time. When starting a project, count on about 5,000 rubles. or 2500 UAH per month.

Autodevice

Autodevice is the most successful solution, as the island offers to buy versatile accessories and devices for the car. So the range consists of radars, recorders, navigators, etc. Car enthusiasts often forget to purchase such small car components. When the eye falls on such a kiosk, a person automatically remembers that he has wanted this for a long time.

It is convenient to use Autodevice as a franchise because of the symbolic lump-sum payment of 39 thousand rubles, and there are no royalties. To start, you need 900 thousand rubles, the expected profit is 2.1 million rubles.