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Affordable Building MaterialsC&D Waste Reduction
Creation of Affordable Housing
ReNew’s Mission:
Your Mission
Poverty Relief
Skills Training
Historic Preservation
Housing Rehabilitation
Who? The Entrepreneur
Driven, committed, idealist
80 hours/week not uncommon in new business
Organized, with people skills, including supervision
Store organization (or lack of) will reflect time/energy of founder
Salvage stores attract all walks of life
Trades experience
Trades experience will lend credibility
The VisionShare your idea with select stakeholders and advisors
Family, builders, other second hand stores, HFH
Find business advisor
SCORE, university business class
Visit other salvage stores
For-Profit and non-Profit
Compare and refine you vision based on site visits and
conversations
The PlanBusiness plan
Sales numbers from other non-profit annual reportsSlog through it, work hard, resist urge to copy another UBM planHFH has resources for new ReStoresIf seeking advise from other stores be specific and courteousNot “I’m starting a store, do you have advice….”
Market ResearchIntroduce your businessInclude trades people in your survey
Scope of businessPick Hours – Perhaps only weekends to start
Don’t contract hours once you are openRetail sales and Deconstruction/Soft strip?Product line – Appliances? Soft goods? Lumber? Lead paint?
The Plan
For-Profit v Non-ProfitFor-profitCapital for buying inventory
Clear sense of product value and margins prior to openingArchitectural salvage may have smaller customer base
Non-ProfitPossible to begin as a program of another non-profitAdmin., fund raising, volunteers already in place?Easier to get inventory with tax write-off
Insurance and Lump Sum FeesLiability
Insure loss-of-business vs. inventoryCovers volunteers too- specify on application
Workers Comp.Premiums are high; renew/rewrite during good sales months
FundingSources of funding
Friends, Family, Angel Donors and lendersCooperative funds, socially responsible lendersSBDC loan guarantees
Start with what you can afford
Revise business plan for each new funding needPostpone large capital expenses at startupCredit will be based on personal guarantee at first
Grants
Solid waste districts, Redevelopment, Skills training, C&D waste reduction, EPA
Have a financial cushionEstablish a line of credit
Publicity
Start as soon as you are sure you can proceed
Establish website/phone listings 6 months before opening
Search engine presence-Google your business’ keywords and
submit free listings to top matches
Word of mouth is always the best advertising
Create a generous budget for ads
You need customers and product
Many classified sections (weeklies) have low cost “for sale” ads-run
once a week
Publicity
Radio-30 second spots cheap, PSA’s cheaper, public access radio and
TV
Town Clerks (demo), bulletin boards, green building fairs, home shows
Statewide Business Exchange listings
Get T-Shirts etc. with logo for staff in-store and demo
Logo your truck and keep it clean
Select Store LocationLarger the better-10,000 sq. ft. inside is ideal
Publicize location in relation to known landmark
Donation/Receiving/Pick-up are removed from main entrance
Accessible to forklift/loading dock/overhead door at grade
Parking, yard storage, fenceable, handicap access?
Bathroom, office, poolroom, trash/recycling, hold area
All sales are on one grade/level
Lighting, heated, covered materials in yard
Policies
Materials Accepted
Never too much of one item
Standards will rise as store fills up
Consider lead policy (we HEPA vac. The whole store weekly & distributeinfo)
Give donors alternatives when you say “No”
Trade/Swap/Store Credit/Bulk Discount
I suggest ‘no’ to all to keep staffers happy!
Sold
Paid in full, Pickup w/in one week, then restocked or storage fee
EquipmentOld store fixtures (shelves)
Carts, Pallet Jack, rolling ladder, appliance dolly, mover’s dolly.
Pick-up truck
Trailer
Forklift (after pallet jack!)
Pallet Racking, divided for door/window storage
Lumber trees
Toolbox and decon tools
Carpet/Vinyl tree
Policies
Hold
25% deposit (refundable as store credit) good for 49hours.
Some charge fee regardless of whether they buy.
Returns
Appliances, Power tools, Electrical 7 day w/receipt for store credit.
Measure first! Keep tape measures handy
Deliveries/Donation Pickups
Decide cost if any, range of travel
Contractors always receive free pickup w/in 48 hours
Store Layout
Wide aisles with generous end caps
Store Layout
Big things closer to overhead door
Store Layout
Double high items shelving
STORE LAYOUT
At least one aisle from front to back
SIGNAGE
Quality road- and store- front signage¼ page flier
“What’s New”
Price
Start book with prices so all staff can price/quote a range
Memberships
Rotary
Chamber
BMRA
AIA
Contractor/Renovator
Recycling/Waste district
Green Builder
Socially Responsibility
Non-Profit Association
Evaluations
Sales numbers
Sales type
Customer surveys
Database
Email listserve groups
See business planner again and again
BE PREPARED FOR SUCCESSBE PREPARED FOR SUCCESS