2Moose

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We are considering opening a home brew beer & wine supply. I am just starting the business plan now. Does anyone have any advice? Does anyone know how to find out the annual sales revenue per square foot of a brew supply store or, for that matter, estimating the rest of the financials required for a business plan (projected expenses) as I'm not having any luck asking current stores?

ShepFL

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Check with your local SCORE chapter. I found they were very helpful when wife expanded her party store efforts.

2Moose

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Thank you for that suggestion. I actually just emailed them for a mentor yesterday.

TyTanium

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Know your market. Be intimately knowledgeable of other shops in the area and what you can provide that they don't. The better you understand the factors outside your control, the better you can manage what you can control.

Oh, and cash flow cash flow cash flow.

As for estimates, talk with banks/lenders. I can almost guarantee you that most homebrew shops have some form of bank financing.

2Moose

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Thank you!

opusx11

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.. provide cheap/free shipping to Canada because we routinely get screwed by shipping prices!

sweetcell

Recipes 

everything that Ty said.

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What hops should I grow? Hop grower's comparison table

Drinking: Not So Random (Belgian) Blond, Cranial Cap DIPA, Dubbel Down
Fermenting: Homegrown-hop APA for NHC
Aging: Belgian Imperial Stout + its brett'ed 2nd runnings, Vertical Epic 09.09.09 clone + its brett'ed 2nd runnings, Farewell to Eurocrats (Chocolate BDSA), Lucky Number Tripel, Saison & On & On w/brett, Midnight in Brussels BDSA w/brett, Breakfast of Champions Stout v2 (~KBS clone)