ASK MR. EDGE
TIPS OFFERED FOR OPENING YOUR OWN PRO SHOP (Second in a two-part series)
Last month I talked about how important it
is that you become familiar with the equipment you are selling as a professional skate technician and named six areas of importance: boot–fit- ting, boot construction, blades, blade–mount- ing, sharpening and skate repairs. Even though information on these topics is widely available, effectively applying it every day use can be com- plicated.
Aside from the six service areas of a pro shop,
there are other areas you’ll need to address before opening your own pro shop. Tese include: • Financial commitment • Shop location and size • Customer service • Promotion — advertising/marketing
Financial commitment At a minimum, you’ll need to purchase a skate sharpening machine, boot last for mounting skates, drills, boot stretcher, ankle punch tool and some incidentals, including mounting screws, small hand tools, etc. Expect to spend $5,000.
Shop location and size Your next step is to find a good location for
starting out. Te least expensive space is ideal for starters. A room the size of a small office, heated garage or basement is adequate. Once your busi- ness expands and outgrows your location, it then becomes necessary to consider a larger office space and the possibility of the job becoming your full- time employment.
Te best location for any pro shop is as close to the skaters as possible. Inside an ice arena is perfect. If there is no rental space available at the rink, then a nearby shopping mall is good as well. Rent varies according to the square footage available, and unfortunately there are no guide-
lines in determining the rent inside a rink as there is with retail space inside a mall. It is therefore up to you and the rink owner to agree on a fair rent. Remember, it is in the rink owner’s best interest to have someone on hand to service his customers. If you ultimately have to rent space at a mall, con- sider hiring an attorney who partners with mall operators to make sure that you are getting the best deal on rental space in the location where you want to be. If renting inside a rink, a small room — about 150-square-feet — is fine to start with, providing you only want to mount, sharpen and repair skates. If you’re looking to carry a small inventory of boots, blades, soakers, blade guards and other accessories, then you’ll need at least 250–square–feet. As you expand your business, you’ll need to make an additional investment of at least $7,000 for inventory, display cases, etc. Depending on the location within the ice rink, you may find that air conditioning, electric and heat will be included in the rent. Tis is a huge savings as opposed to renting mall space. When renting retail space inside a mall, it’s
best to find a previously used space that may still contain some display cases and wall coverings rather than having the added expense of building out your own space. A good size space that will leave you with plenty of room for expansion is between 750– and 1,200–square-feet.
Customer service Rarely does a small business survive without
great customer service. One needs to be ready to solve any number of problems immediately or within a day or two when servicing competitive figure skaters. If there is something you’re not able to repair on a skate, such as replacing broken hooks, then it’s best to have already established a
relationship with a shoe repair shop in your area for any stitching or other specialty boot repairs. Always pre–schedule your sharpening and fitting appointments and leave room in between each of them for the unexpected walk-in.
Promotion – advertising/marketing Te best way to promote or market your business when starting out is to establish relation- ships with the skating coaches in your area. Tis is sometimes easily done by simply calling them on the phone or visiting them at the ice rink. You should be prepared to give them a business card along with a listing of all the services you offer. Include your name, phone number, e-mail ad- dress and most importantly your business hours. Placing notes on rink bulletin boards can also be a plus.
After establishing a loyal following, you may want to see about writing some articles about skating for local newspapers. Tere is also the pos- sibility of getting on a local sports radio talk show come wintertime.
Mr. Edge
Mr. Edge is a qualified skate technician with years of experience. He answers questions on boots, blades and foot problems related to your equipment. Te opinions of Mr. Edge are his own and do not nec- essarily reflect the opinions of U.S. Figure Skating or SKATING magazine. Remember, if you have problems with your feet, check with a doctor — the problem may well be with your boot, but it could be more serious. Check with your local pro shop for more information about boots and blades.
Pro shop with a commerical residence
Pro shop located inside an ice rink SKATING 47
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