Opening Record Store


Looking for advice from my fellow audiogoners...I have the potential to move into a store front that is already being operated as a record store (lps only) and become the new shop proprieter/owner. The owner has offered me the space (rediculously cheap rent) in a good area of town. He has had his store for about 5 years now and has a steady customer base. He will be taking all of his inventory and record storage bins that were in the store.He has a web site set up already and signs out front indicating the name of the shop...I plan on rebranding the shop with name change and interior upgrades. It is not a large space maybe 800-1000 square feet. I have a rather large inventory of my own so my up front investment of vinyl would be minimal. The owner wants me to buy him out..basically give cash in return for his customer base and the potential to get my hands on pretty good collections. I am trying to come up with a fair valuation of something like this and I am looking for advice..What do you think something like this is worth? Thank you in advance.
fromunda
Also gotta know how many customers on his list before you can assess what you’re getting for $10k.  And how much marketing has he done to this list of customers previously?  if not much, they come to his store based on convenience of location, habit, comfort with his inventory, etc.  Wouldn’t pay for that.  You might also want to look into buying data - are there alternative lists out there one can purchase, and what does that cost?  (Why do I suddenly think of Glengarry Glen Ross?) Finally, idea for name?  Twist on one of the great bars of DC (“Off the Record”):  “On the Record”.
Err yes, more good points neither California or Hong Kong would inspire much confidence right now.

Political stability is important for business. Everyone knows - unless you’re in the instability business of course - yes you Mr Soros!

If you want to run it as a boutique venture then you’ll need to work out just how much you can afford to lose each year.

I knew a few people who had inherited comicbook shops from their parents. They’d grown up themselves in the business.

One of them, in Birmingham, had to downsize gradually moving away from the city centre until he no longer even had a shop. The other was based in East London. I expect he’s long gone too.


Quick, throw all your money in the fireplace and set it on fire. Yes, you'll be flat broke, but at least you'll get it done less gradually and frustratingly.

Tim
Too bad some here had to bring up politics......so sick of it and there is no reason self-control cannot be engaged to keep that topic disengaged.
To the OP...... Buying an empty record store and not getting the name makes no sense. Several years ago the owners of a very well known record store in Seattle sold it to another party, leaving the name and everything inside completely intact. Is like going to the same store but the new guys also speak Internet and have their act together.
Negotiate a sale like that and you’d be good to go.