Retail

Start up cost for a retail store are typically in the $30,000 - $20,000 range. Retailing options are limited in smaller communities due to sizes of local markets and existing shopping patterns. Lower cost alternatives - direct sales, kiosks, trade show exhibits - sometimes offer an answer. Retailing is highly competitive and store inventory is hard to finance. Other retail ideas are listed in the other sections. Franchises are often available. Direct sales to household is provincially regulated.

• Antiques store.
  
• Art, craft and hobby supply stop.
  
• Auction house.
  
• Beer and wine.
  
• Bicycle shop - often combined with sales of winter sporting goods.
  
• Bargain or discount store - new or used.
  
• Canned gifts and balloon vending.
  
• China, crystal and utensil shop.
  
• Christmas ornament shop.
  
• Collectibles and nostalgia items shop.
  
• Comic book and sports card shop.
  
• Computer store-often combined with consulting and computer training.
  
• Used Computer and related accessories store.
  
• Consignment and used goods store - hard to compete with garage sales, flea markets and thrift shops.
  
• Cook ware shops.
  
• Cosmetic, beauty supplies and scented soaps - body care boutique, home parties or door to door sales.
  
• Costume jewellery vending.
  
• Delivery service for local retailers.
  
• Electric gadget shop.
  
• Flower shop and floral arrangements - shop, booth, vending or direct sales.
  
• Franchise your business concept - selling the rights and support systems for your business concept to people in other communities.
  
• Gift store - how is it different from all the others? High failure rate.
  
• Greeting card, games and party supplies shop.
  
• Hardware store.
  
• Home brewery, on site wine making and supplies.
  
• Imported goods store.
  
• Inexpensive goods store (ie. $1 store).
  
• Inventory service - retailers must count their stock at regular intervals, a boring and tiresome task. Why not do it for them?
  
• Jewellery goldsmith service and custom jewellery shop.
  
• Left hand shop.
  
• Liquidation store - selling discounted products, inventories from bankrupt retailers, etc.
  
• Lottery and magazine kiosk.
  
• Men's products and toys store.
  
• Musical instruments sales and repair shop.
  
• Music tape, CD and videotape shop.
  
• Natural and biodegradable alternatives for chemical based products shop (ie. Soaps, household chemicals, repellents, etc.).
  
• Nearly new shop - a consignment shop specializing in quality used goods.
  
• Novelty, unusual items and tacky gift store.
  
• Outdoor equipment sales, RV's, ATVs, motorcycles, snow mobiles, etc.
  
• Outdoor sports store, Bicycles, skiing equipment, pack packing equipment, outdoor apparel, etc.
  
• Pawn shop.
  
• Public market - renting booth space in an empty building to crafts people, specialty food vendors, food fair tenants, etc.
  
• Pushcarts - communities not large enough to support a retail store may support a pushcart vendor.
  
• Printer and photocopier cartridge re-inking.
  
• Rental equipment store for do it yourselfer's and for commercial applications.
  
• Sport memorabilia shop.
  
• Sporting Goods - new.
  
• Sporting goods - used, consignment, exchange.
  
• Sub-leasing space to another retailer or acting as the drop off point, satellite operation or catalogue outlet for a retailer in another community.
  
• Stationary shop.
  
• Stuffed toy vending.
  
• Vacuum cleaner repair and sales.
  
• Water sports sales - boats, skidoos, sailing boats, canoes, safety and navigational supplies, etc.