I have some questions and hope someone can help. I have a Brother PR600 that I use from home right now. I am considering opening a retail personalized gift shop, but don't know if it would make it. We have nothing like it in my area right now (other than some children's shops that do some monogrammed items). I want to open something that specializes in embroidered/personalized gifts for all ages. Rent is high around my area and I would like to keep monogramming from home, but I just don't think I'm reaching enough people without having a storefront. No one in my area that does anything similar is very open to talking about their business with me because of fear of competition. Anyone running their machine in a retail location like this? I would love to hear about your business. You can email me at kmdonegan@cableone.net. I really appreciate any info! Thanks again.
Kelli

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Hi Kelli we are doing the same thing as you are planning. We started out in booths / kiosks inside malls and worked the flea markets before we got a storefront. Although we wanted a storefront right off in the beginning, we simply could not afford it. But, I think that operating in booths / kiosks / flea markets was actually a great thing to have had happened because we learned so much and risked a lot less financially speaking had we gone full-bore on a storefront. Flea markets were the worst for us - it seems people there wanted everything for free!

Location, location, location - I always wanted to say that Aside from being in a high traffic area, IMHO it's important to open a storefront in a good income neighbourhood for the personalized gifts market. A lot of what we do are baby stuff like bibs, receiving blankets, crib blankets, fleece blankets etc. For adults it's towels, robes, spa stuff. We're also looking into incorporating other means of personalization, including digital transfers with embroidery and engraving.

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