Forums > Technical Discussion > UK Shop

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!

HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?

I work in retail and the over heads of having a physical shop are huge. That is why so many companies run as mail order/net shops only. You can run it from your home or from a small secure warehouse. As Charles pointed out, theft from shops really eats at your profit margins. Juggling equipment is small-ish and eminently shopliftable. Shop rents are enormous for good locations. Business rates, heating, electricity, shelving and display mounts, wear and tear on the shop.......all of these things add up.

I don't want to put you off because I'd encourage anyone trying to set up a business for themselves. Just make sure you do the sums and are realistic about what you can and can't do.

Do you have a market in Plymouth? If there is one maybe run mail order and a once weekly stall to see how it goes. Start small and build yourself up. that way you are less likely to over stretch your funds and end up without a pot to piss in

Good Luck!

Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!

I guess your main issue is competition - obviously not just from HoP, I could reel off 6 major retailers of juggling/poi etc shops in the UK, all of which do mail-order, and 2 in particular are very well established in the community...

By all means go for it - but I would think you'd need more of a guarantee of local custom than mail order as the mail order range is already well served and the bigger companies can offer their goods at lower prices (economies of scale and what-not)

Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude

Written by: Charles

And don't forget, for everyone who says they will use it, plan on about 1% actually coming in to purchase, unless you are in a main shopping mall or other high-rent, high-traffic location.



I'm pretty sure if a firespinner says they're gonna do something they'd do it. Otherwise people might think they're flakes. Most firespinners I know are punctual, factual, and have a large disposable income with which to purchase huge inventories of firespinning props.

I'd poll one or two people on the internet and then sink your life savings into the idea.

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]

Written by:




I'm pretty sure if a firespinner says they're gonna do something they'd do it. Otherwise people might think they're flakes. Most firespinners I know are punctual, factual, and have a large disposable income with which to purchase huge inventories of firespinning props.



I'd poll one or two people on the internet and then sink your life savings into the idea.









That just amused me so much at work I had to pretend I was having a coughing fit. Then I dropped my cup of coffee into my handbag. Then a juggling ball fell off the top of my monitor into my glass of water. At least I provide free entertainment for my workmates...

to live at all is miracle enough

There's loads of poi stores in the UK...
And moving to London would be a stupid idea as there are already plenty of poi/juggling shops there...

Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude

Say 'London' and 'Juggling' together and the first thing that springs to mind is Oddballs in Camden town. Never been there but my friends have bought from there before and said it's pretty good.



You'd do pretty well in Birmingham city centre though i think...no real major juggling shops i've been able to find

It's better to burn out than to fade away

just a crazee daisy living in a crazy world

Could somebody stop the room please... I'd like to get off

Selly Oak sucked for me cos I had to go to new street, get the train to selly oak, go to the shop where i bought some PC speakers and the box was huge (i didn't know this at the time) and it weighed like 10-12kgs.

I had to walk ALL the way back to the train station which was about half a mile to a mile with this awkward box and then carry it home

But it just had to be said, because it was so inconvenient for me because I'm in the city centre most of the time. Rent would be high, but considering someone suggested London at some point...

It's better to burn out than to fade away

pallasades would be cool, lots of people, free units, etc, but i guess the guy/gal lives in plymouth right

and that shrugging smilie is just genius

just a crazee daisy living in a crazy world

Pallasades would be cool now cos the link between Bull Ring and Pallasades opened up a while ago... but yeah...Plymouth

It's better to burn out than to fade away

to live at all is miracle enough

Could somebody stop the room please... I'd like to get off

Written by: Miranda (mewcat)

Oasis is going to be flattened



Oh my god, NOOOOOOooOOOoOOoOOOooooooo.... that place is cool though, it's got everything from bondage gear to bongs...

I think the situation with ebay is a bit risky, since a lot of people are actually selling crap on there so to be honest, I don't know how you would get people to trust you. At that kinda point, you might as well only have an online store and sell your stuff from home and save yourself some rent money

*Really wants a juggling store in Birmingham*

It's better to burn out than to fade away

I don't remember the place in the Pallisades... was it more than 5 years ago? I'm sure I'd have been there!

I hope this whole knocking down the Oasis business is just a rumour, but I've heard it from a few people now... Poor Oasis. Oh well, it'll make my life cheaper as I won't have so much opportunity to buy stuff I don't need.

to live at all is miracle enough

Could somebody stop the room please... I'd like to get off