# Setting up a new shop!



## Schroedc (Oct 5, 2013)

So my little turning business that started out as a hobby 4 or 5 years ago kept getting bigger and bigger and finally I hit that point where it was time to give it a go making a living at it. In the little town 4 miles down the road was this nice little building on the main street for sale and after looking at commercial space for rent I decided to buy it since the rent I'd pay in my town would have this building paid for in 5 years. I closed on it yesterday afternoon and we started the process of converting it into my new shop and a small retail store. the total building is about 1000 square feet split right down the middle. Day 1 saw the carpet pulled out of the side that's going to be my shop, a few cabinets moved in (12 feet of solid well built vanity cabinets form the local recycled building materials place for only 70.00) and a start on rearranging the retail side (The building had been a small credit union and they left the bank counter) The next steps will be stripping the carpet glue off the concrete in the shop, coating the floor over there and repainting the walls in both sides. I'm thinking bright white in the shop to boost the lighting. the retail side will be a sky blue to go with the colors on my business literature. I've also located a used awning for the outside front at a local sign company and that should go on the front in the next few weeks. My goal is to be moved in and open for business by the 15th of November. I'd like to move faster but I have several large orders I have to complete before I move due to the deadlines but I also have to keep an eye on the weather as it is fall in Minnesota and I need to beat the freezing temps as my current work space isn't insulated or heated.

As we go along feel free to make suggestions if you see something I can do better or have insight form setting up your own shops

[attachment=32127]

Here is the outside of my new building

[attachment=32128]

This side will be the shop, here it is when I moved in

[attachment=32129]

This will be the Retail side and behind a divider my office.

[attachment=32130]

Here is the shop with a start on the gutting.


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## Kevin (Oct 5, 2013)

This is awesome! I'm excited about this for you! I think you're the first Barterite to go from hobby to storefront, at least that I'm aware. And although WB has not been involved in it in any way I hope you'll take us along for the journey by keeping this thread updated regularly as you progress. 

This is a great time to be getting in too; you'll catch the tail end of Christmas orders. You know better than me what order deadline to set for each type of project to be able to ensure Christmas delivery - all I would offer is be conservative this year with your obligations because missing a Christmas delivery deadline in the retail business can be a KILLER on your reputation if the customer gets really tore up about it. 

I would like to send you an official _Chamber of Barter welcome package_ if you'll let me. All I need is for you to PM your address. Good luck! 

:luck:


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## woodtickgreg (Oct 5, 2013)

How awesome is this! I am so envious of your building, looks great. That has always been a dream of mine, not just for wood working for me but a little of all the things I do. How many square feet is the building? I would have a small office with retail space in the front, and as big a shop as I could in the rear, all raw materials would be brought in the rear door. And a dust free finish room if space permitted. Very happy for you  like Kevin said, keep us updated!


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## NYWoodturner (Oct 5, 2013)

Colin - Congratulations man  I am VERY happy for you. This is something I have long thought about doing, but after retirement. Sadly thats about 15 more years....

I will share with you two of my ideas that your set up is very well suited for. 
If I were you I would cut a big picture window in the wall dividing your shop and your retail space. Put some carpeted steps in front of it with a hand rail so that kids and parents alike can watch you turn. When that word gets out it will grow into a local attraction. Especially if you start doing custom orders. Line the wall behind you with blanks so that they can pick out the piece of wood they would like their custom bowl made from. The opportunity to have anything custom made these days at a reasonable price would be a novelty and again will drive foot traffic.

The second is to help cover monthly costs that never go away, even when your in slow seasons... Sell other turners pieces there for a commission. You have no time in it, no cost, your already paying the light bill, mortgage etc... this is just free money. They don't have another place to sell in a store front and they will do a whole bunch of free advertising for you, be it in the web, word of mouth etc... I don't know whats reasonable, but 20% sounds fair to me. Free money is always a good thing 

Best of luck with this and please do keep us informed.
Scott


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## rob3232 (Oct 5, 2013)

Congrats Colin,
I am not that far away and usually have time on fridays or on weekends if you need a little help from an old man?? I would like to see what you have going on. If you would like we could trade phone #'s and addresses in a pm. 

Let me know and a big hats off to you 

Rob


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## Kevin (Oct 5, 2013)

NYWoodturner said:


> ...
> I will share with you two of my ideas that your set up is very well suited for.
> If I were you I would cut a big picture window in the wall dividing your shop and your retail space. Put some carpeted steps in front of it with a hand rail so that kids and parents alike can watch you turn. When that word gets out it will grow into a local attraction. Especially if you start doing custom orders. Line the wall behind you with blanks so that they can pick out the piece of wood they would like their custom bowl made from. The opportunity to have anything custom made these days at a reasonable price would be a novelty and again will drive foot traffic.
> 
> The second is to help cover monthly costs that never go away, even when your in slow seasons... Sell other turners pieces there for a commission. You have no time in it, no cost, your already paying the light bill, mortgage etc... this is just free money. They don't have another place to sell in a store front and they will do a whole bunch of free advertising for you, be it in the web, word of mouth etc... I don't know whats reasonable, but 20% sounds fair to me. Free money is always a good thing



Scott those are all fantastic ideas. Great contribution.


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## NYWoodturner (Oct 5, 2013)

Been thinking about this for years. Colin's place is the perfect set up what I envisioned. Hell if I were closer I'd even help him set up.


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## RexB (Oct 6, 2013)

How about some type of artwork on the exterior? Plus you advertise pick your piece of wood, Watch a log become a vase/bowl, maybe woodturning classes as well as having woodturning meeting there?

This is an awesome opportunity for you!! 

Rex


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## NCWoodArt (Oct 6, 2013)

Congrats, sounds like it has the potential to work out well for you, especially if you are able to buy the building vs rent. I have had a similar interest for down here in NC. I think a studio with wood turnings from other local artist would do really well & if I could get a work space that got everything out of my 2 car garage my wife would be ecstatic to be able to park her car in garage again.

I am not in any way making any money in the hobby yet as I have been trading, giving away & buying way more tools & wood than I have sold for sure. But that is what makes it so enjoyable as a hobby.

I will keep dreaming of the day I can join you in the wood working for profit business.

Bill


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## Kevin (Oct 6, 2013)

You might also want to sell cotton candy and boiled peanuts.


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## Schroedc (Oct 8, 2013)

NYWoodturner said:


> I will share with you two of my ideas that your set up is very well suited for.
> If I were you I would cut a big picture window in the wall dividing your shop and your retail space. Put some carpeted steps in front of it with a hand rail so that kids and parents alike can watch you turn. When that word gets out it will grow into a local attraction. Especially if you start doing custom orders. Line the wall behind you with blanks so that they can pick out the piece of wood they would like their custom bowl made from. The opportunity to have anything custom made these days at a reasonable price would be a novelty and again will drive foot traffic.
> 
> The second is to help cover monthly costs that never go away, even when your in slow seasons... Sell other turners pieces there for a commission. You have no time in it, no cost, your already paying the light bill, mortgage etc... this is just free money. They don't have another place to sell in a store front and they will do a whole bunch of free advertising for you, be it in the web, word of mouth etc... I don't know whats reasonable, but 20% sounds fair to me. Free money is always a good thing



I had thought about a window in the interior wall but the center wall of the building is center poured block about 18 inches thick so it would be a bit much to cut through, the window at the front of the shop is on the sidewalk and my small lathe will be on a bench there with a sign in the window inviting people to watch but to please not bang on the glass or feed the animal  I will be bringing in artwork from others in the area to fill up the showroom, not sure if other turners yet but several nice textile workers, a painter, a few others.

A couple of you asked how big the building is, total about 1000 square feet, I'll have 400 shop space, about 360 to 400 retail, my office and laser machine at the back of the retail and there is a utility closet that will be perfect to store raw material overflow plus my dust collector will be mounted back there to keep the noise down since it has a thick door I can close. New pictures on progress probably tomorrow or Thursday, had to pause from working on the building to get some special orders done by deadlines.


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## Schroedc (Oct 10, 2013)

So over the last few days I've gotten all the adhesive scraped off the shop floor from the old carpet, Painted the walls white to enhance the lighting and installed a commercial vinyl tile on the floor. I'll give it a few days for everything to set and then start moving in equipment.

[attachment=32477]


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## Schroedc (Oct 15, 2013)

rob3232 said:


> Congrats Colin,
> I am not that far away and usually have time on fridays or on weekends if you need a little help from an old man?? I would like to see what you have going on. If you would like we could trade phone #'s and addresses in a pm.
> 
> Let me know and a big hats off to you
> ...



It was great to see you today Rob, Thanks for stopping in! You'll be welcome to stop by and shoot the bull whenever once I'm fully open!


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## TimR (Oct 15, 2013)

Colin, congrats and I absolutely wish you the best in this! I'll be looking forward to seeing more pics once you've moved in. This looks like a nice manageable size that shouldn't be too hard to heat also! 
Go man go!!!


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## LoneStar (Oct 15, 2013)

VERY cool. Congratulations to you !


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## Schroedc (Oct 28, 2013)

I'm makin' sawdust, here is pretty much how the shop has settled out, Lathe in front of the window, finishing station on the left just past some old bread racks I use to hold blanks, parts, and finished items before they go over to the retail side, On the right is the drill press, belt/disc sander and space to set up other power tools and work on stuff. The utility closet behind where I stood to take the pictures houses the dust collector and other wood storage(The building came with a bunch of shelving in the back room) I should have the retail side hammered out within the next week or so and I'm getting some free press from a couple of local papers and planning a grand opening event for the weekend before thanksgiving! The bandsaw is on a mobile base, and my laser engraver is set up on a desk away form the sawdust.

Reactions: Like 3


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## ButchC (Oct 28, 2013)

Schroedc said:


> I'm makin' sawdust, here is pretty much how the shop has settled out, Lathe in front of the window, finishing station on the left just past some old bread racks I use to hold blanks, parts, and finished items before they go over to the retail side, On the right is the drill press, belt/disc sander and space to set up other power tools and work on stuff. The utility closet behind where I stood to take the pictures houses the dust collector and other wood storage(The building came with a bunch of shelving in the back room) I should have the retail side hammered out within the next week or so and I'm getting some free press from a couple of local papers and planning a grand opening event for the weekend before thanksgiving! The bandsaw is on a mobile base, and my laser engraver is set up on a desk away form the sawdust.
> 
> View attachment 33397 View attachment 33398


 
I love the idea of the bakers rack!! Wish I'd have thought of that a long time ago. Now I gotta go find one.

Butch


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## Schroedc (Oct 28, 2013)

ButchC said:


> I love the idea of the bakers rack!! Wish I'd have thought of that a long time ago. Now I gotta go find one.
> 
> Butch



Check with bakeries or grocery stores in your area eventually they get some that aren't usable for food anymore, I got mine fairly cheap with a pile of pans, they needed a little TLC but worked out.

Reactions: Like 1


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