Can I start a sneaker store with...?

[hugo]

Originally Posted by lakersreppa008

Originally Posted by Hugo

im opening mine next month..good location too. College park, MD. I started on Jan. and finally got almost all my permits. its not as easy as it looks like.. at all.
you gotta drop at least close to a mil for a nike account btw lol

I'm around that area, Silver Spring/Wheaton as a matter of fact. What is your place called? I'll def hit it up. 

Stunnin Style. should be open in mid April.

 

[cwk]

I worked in NIKE retail, sports marketing, and research and development.  Personally, it seems like a really difficult business to enter and thrive in.  As far as I know, NIKE still uses a Futures system of ordering, where shops are required to commit to a relatively large number of units per season (footwear, apparel, and somtimes accessories).  And I think most doors starting out with an account carry mostly inline product.  Don't you have to prove yourself to get QS, lifestyle, urban, SB or Brand Jordan footwear (which is the main thing that will differentiate you from chain stores)? 

Wouldn't your overhead costs be lower if you started a website?  Granted, you would have to pay for physical storage of your inventory.  My advice would be to do as much research as possible, create a business plan with short-term and long-term projections, and try to work at a local mom and pop store to gain some real world experience.