Store Owners....How are you doing ?

Several folks on here have recently started stores and there are probably a few others who have never posted, so the question stands.  In the current economy are your thrift stores doing well or ok considering more people might be buying lightly used goods to save money?

I opened the doors officially on Monday. Between then and today I've made about $300, $200 of that came from a bedroom set. $250/wk is what I need to break even. It's a great starting point, especially considering I have 1.5 months free and 2 months of half rent after that.

It's helping that kids are going back to school now and I'm so close to 3 major universities!

I think the ones that struggle depend solely on sales from the traffic that comes to the store organically. I post heavily on craigslist, anything that I get from a unit that I would throw out, I put up for free to get people to come to the store. Everybody who walks in is a potential sales person for your store. So, even if they just take the free away, I could end up with some word of mouth.

My website has been up for a couple of weeks and is gaining ground on google, I've gotten maybe 4-5 calls this week from my website.

As long as I continue to push craigslist, amazon and ebay, I'll be able to make rent and a bit of money no sweat.

Just opened, but its a mixed store.  At the moment....in the last 2 months:
income $1000 ish
outgo: $1700 ish.

We officially opened 2 days ago...so that not bad I suppose

We have had a COUNTRY STORE (convenience store) For about 8 years.
Deli/Restaurant, Gifts, Bait/Tackle, Grocery, etc.

I have always bought a thing here or there or cleaned out a closet and put items for sale.
In past 6-12 months gotten a little more serious.
11 year old son and I would go to local auctions and auction barn.  Pick what we could - keep some, sell some
Lately, doing a few a week.
Have gotten First BIG Lot - 20' Trailer STUFFED of stuff.
Probably grossed $1,100 side income in first month of trying at it.
Have barely touched the "Pile"
Working around 3-6 baseball games/week and basketball practice and running other store operations.

My friend opened a store after buying lockers and I drove by the other day and sign was off the building and vacant after one year. Then driving down the street maybe 300 feet there was her sign and an 20 times bigger store. This place is huge! I went in and the place is just packed with stuff as well as people buying.

My auction friend who opened a store in November, 2012 just folded his hand a few weeks ago.  Rent, lack of business and disputes with a partner on what to stock, etc did him in.

My auction friend who opened a store in November, 2012 just folded his hand a few weeks ago.  Rent, lack of business and disputes with a partner on what to stock, etc did him in.

Partnerships never work in this business.

In my town, I'm not allowed to put a sign by the road, permanent or temporary. Old ordinance. So I've really got things working against me. But craigslist and Facebook have been my saving grace. Also, my website is 1st page, 1st or 2nd listing, on Google for "thrift store" and "thrift shop" in my area. Also, my Google maps ranking is either A, B, or C when people search that way. That has been a HUGE help in the last 2 weeks. It helps with the smalls, then I just have to work on the bigger items on CL or FB.

Also helps that I just need to make $35 a day to break even. I'm open 6 days. Sundays we go to the flea market, and that's how I make my auction money back.

A lot of coming and going. I hear old timers who are closing their stores cause they aren't making money like they use to, but then there are newbies opening up stores all over the place.

I opened the doors officially on Monday. Between then and today I've made about $300, $200 of that came from a bedroom set. $250/wk is what I need to break even. It's a great starting point, especially considering I have 1.5 months free and 2 months of half rent after that.

It's helping that kids are going back to school now and I'm so close to 3 major universities!

I think the ones that struggle depend solely on sales from the traffic that comes to the store organically. I post heavily on craigslist, anything that I get from a unit that I would throw out, I put up for free to get people to come to the store. Everybody who walks in is a potential sales person for your store. So, even if they just take the free away, I could end up with some word of mouth.

My website has been up for a couple of weeks and is gaining ground on google, I've gotten maybe 4-5 calls this week from my website.

As long as I continue to push craigslist, amazon and ebay, I'll be able to make rent and a bit of money no sweat.

just wanted to say props to you, it takes balls to go out and invest in yourself and try to do something like a store. awesome idea with the free stuff as well. hope you continue to succeed

just wanted to say props to you, it takes balls to go out and invest in yourself and try to do something like a store. awesome idea with the free stuff as well. hope you continue to succeed

Thanks!