want to start my own headshop

If you want to "support" yourself as you have said, it would probably be better to start a "village smoke shop" and sell not only marijuana paraphernalia, but perfectly legal tobacco products as well. The reason I say that is that seems to me to be more of a legitimate business, one that can be easily socially acceptable and able to be written off on income tax forms and such

 

Business. My forte.

HighDayz, a head-shop is a very good business to have.. They are few and far between, and offer products that are virtually unavailable anywhere else.

This is a blessing and a curse. To have a successful headshop, you need a market. A reliable customer base. *LOTS* of people who are in need these things, because the profit margins on every item you sell is going to be minimal, you need to sell alot of them.

This is why you see many headshops by Universities. Look:
Dinkytown: By University of Minneapolis.
State Street: The Jugular Artery of UW-Madison. (#1 Party school, anyone?) Has three! Very successful.
Gainsville: By University of Florida.

So, you must see if you have a market. Knowing the properties of Cannabis, there are always *SOME* but are there *ENOUGH* that you can compete with the Internet?

Once you've determined your market, and lets say, there *ARE* enough people willing to spend money.. you have an uphill battle to fight of small-business-ownership.

1. You'll need to rent a place. Rent for a commercial property is going to be fairly expensive.

2. You'll need to prepare your property. A humidor is a good option. A ventilation system, so that patrons can smoke (tobacco) inside. Shelving, Glass cases, burglar prevention, Neon-signs, Cash-registers, etc.

3. You'll need to fill out paperwork - LOTS of paperwork, for taxes, for revenue-reporting, for sales, for... just... trust me.. *TREES* worth of paper.

4. You'll need to the producers of your product. Rolling papers come from SOMEWHERE! You'd need to become an official distributor of many different products, including papers, tobacco, hookahs, blunt wraps, glass pipes, vaporizers, scales, the list goes on forever. You'll need to buy enough of these products that you have enough to sell (IE. You don't run out) but you'll quickly find out that some products are much more popular than others, so gauging your items will take some time (and of course, capital!)

5. Employees. Hiring employees will probably be a pain, because you're going to need to find people who are VERY knowledgeable about your products, yet, keep their nose clean. Its almost a contradiction. You're selling something for an illegal substance, that, once used, *IS* illegal itself (SEE "Paraphernalia).

6.

7.

Highdayz, I can go on for days.

This business is Unique. Your initial investment and labor is beyond measure, but once you get the stone rolling, there is no stopping you.

Peace!
-Healing Of Nations

 

In each message posted, In the top right corner, there are two very small "buttons." One looks like a Judicial Scale. This is how you add rep.

By the way, HighDayz.

I've left out a CRUCIAL part of the equation. Notoriety. Fame. Infamy. Call it whatever you will.

Even if you've set up America's FINEST head-shop.. stocking over 200+ ROOR pieces, with a 1200sq/ft Shop. Who's going to know about it?

You'll have to make yourself known to our community. The cannabis consumer community. Advertising? How do you advertise directly to the CCC? The first five years would be the worst. Advertising campaigns would vary so much in efficiency, it would boggle the owner as to "IS this really worth it?"

Until people are advertising your business FOR YOU. (SEE "Word Of Mouth") You really can't be successful. Not only that, but for the common man to tell his friend about your shop, you must LEAVE A MAJOR IMPRESSION ON HIM. Your service must be impeccable. You products? Flawless. Your prices? Unbeatable.

Ofcourse, trying to make money while doing these things is rather difficult. Maybe impossible.

You would probably take a loss for your first few years of business. This quickly leads to bankruptcy. (Something you want to avoid. ) However, Once you climb the mountain, you can see why you did so.

 

You might want to consider a place where you can say bong..

i no in mass there are places like sugar daddys where you can't say it.. and then headlines where you can say it

headlines is more of a novelty headshop.. like spencers with pipes

 

Bad idea if you don't want to be raided by police.

 

I disagree, Sciknen.

Headshops are a very risky business.. operating on the fringe of legality. So, if you are operating one, you want to hold the HIGHEST level of professionalism you can.

If you allow your customers and patrons to directly refer to your products, (IE. "May I see that Bong?") then how long will it take for them to directly refer to what they're using them for?

This lingo is a small price to pay for having a headshop available. I'd much rather have to speak in code at my favorite headshop, then not having a headshop at all!

This is a matter of business, and a simple nuance of our culture.

You have no choice but to sell tobacco. You need to justify why you are selling 100 different kinds of flavored papers. In all these different sizes and lengths, by different manufacturers.

Marijuana isn't spoken of.
Bongs are "Water Pipes"
Joints are "Rolling Tobacco"
Your pipes do not have "Carbs." Engines have carbs! If anyone asks you what a "carb" is, you must reply "Its a component that mixes fuel and air before combustion."

There is a reason why this is rule is universal in headshops. After all that work that I described in my FIRST POST, DO *YOU* want to be shut down by some ill-lipped teen?

Peace and Ganja,
-Healing Of Nations

 

Im currently employed at a headshop, that also sells adult toys and movies, near my schools campus. Its pretty fun job we get high and look at dildos. It will definitely be harder if you own the store though.

One thing you absolutely must do is gauge ur audience. Sell things that you know ppl want to buy. The only ppl that come into my store buy pipes, so the adult toys are kind of a waste of money, dont let this happen to ur store.

 

ROFL, they thought they were just gonna do it all in one shop, any hookers behind the ally i could bid on?

 

they have to have the adult toys so they can have the back room roped off for 18+ people only. i know this cause i asked the owner of my local headshop why the phuck he sells dildos. also makesure there are NO headshops near yours, or not idk, there are 4 headshops within 10 mins of my house in the suburbs, but i also live in a college town so thats probably why

 

Do you happen to work at a waterbeds n stuff or a puff n stuff?

 

Completely depends on where you are.

Some places, you WILL get harassed by the police, and regularly. You can be threatened with paraphernalia charges, and if you screw up, you could easily see the inside of a jail cell. I've heard of police sending someone in to ask for a bong, if you or an employee points them to one of your products, it's off to jail and all your stock gets seized. Other places, you have to go out of your way to run into problems.

Know for damn sure which one you are in. If there aren't any other shops anywhere near you, this is why.

 

no im in Urbana, Champaign

 

in canada paraphernalia is legal to posses over eighteen.. so we have no problems about lingo or anything

 

I wanna open up my own headshop too, but I'd make it a family business, I got a location scoped out and everything. 'cept for parking cuz the closest lot is really obscure and like a block away. As far as advertising I would throw a bunch of flyers around some colleges with like 'bring this flyer with ya for 50% off' or something.

You don't need a fancy degree or nothing, just need a good head on your shoulders. Some headshops in my city have been open for 20+ years.

 

My favorite head shop here in Fort Collins has been open for 40 years.

 

Sounds pretty legit, I hope you all open your own headshops someday! (for those that wish to)

 

you should open it near a big college haha