A clever and cost effective way to open up shop in our current unstable business climate is to stand on the shoulders of those that came before you.

So what do I mean by this?

Well, opening up shop is a big investment of capital and resources.
What if this outlay could be reduced significantly?

If it could it becomes a game-changer for those looking to open up shop.

Cost Effective Way To Open Up Shop

Well, it is possible to start up shop at a reduced cost. What it may mean is finding a closed tenancy where the major infrastructure is in place. Then simply rebranding and making minor changes to suit your new business.

Store Rebrand That Saves Money

This was what a couple of my existing clients did. Rob and Dolly whom I had rebranded their Toowoomba store a couple of years prior approached me to assist them with a second store they were looking to take over.

The existing store they wanted to take over was at The Pines Shopping Centre in Elanora. It was called Taboon Modern Middle Eastern Cafe. Unfortunately it had closed. But this provided a golden opportunity for the couple to begin their second bakery, called Totally Baked.

A store rebrand is a cost effective way to open up shop. Rather than start a shop from ‘the ground up’, so to speak, we were able to build upon ‘the bones’, or infrastructure of the existing store. Often a lot of the costs of fitting out a store goes into the foundations of the store. These costs may be hidden in areas that are crucial, but the customer may not see. Areas such as plumbing, electrical, and a commercial kitchen in the case of this store.

Opening Up Shop

As I had already created the branding in their first shop I was able to rebrand the new store effectively. We began by opening up the shopfront by removing the centre wall that had previously made the tenancy look small and narrow.

From there we designed a new counter and back wall as well as new wall finishes throughout and bench seating. The kitchen had almost no alterations. This meant that the fit out costs were significantly lower than if we were starting from scratch.

Finding a tenancy that has all the infrastructure set up and requires minimal alterations and rebranding can help keep you start up costs down significantly.

The Design Creative

Think Outside The Box and Work Within The Square

Rebranding the store and then getting it fitted out was done not only to a tight budget bit in record time. This ensured that Rob and Dolly could open before Christmas and take advantage of the trade at this time of the year.

Having a professional team including fit out contractors ensured that the project not only was completed quickly but to budget.

Talk To Us First If You Are Opening Up Shop

If you are looking to open up a new business this year, please feel free to contact me so that we can discuss how we can help you get the best outcomes.