Best business for a A1 retail unit at the moment?
Discussion
My mate's got a vacant shop front underneath his offices near a high traffic shopping parade. It's in quite a moneyed area close to town. There's a school opposite his offices and on the main shopping parade there's a couple of newsagents, the library, a Tesco Express, post office, couple of designer ladieswear shops, baby clothes shop, flower shop, deli, two beauty parlours with tanning beds, a hairdresser's, barber's curtain & carpet shop, butchers, bakers and a few more random shops I can't remember.
Until recently the shop had been a computer repair shop but business is so slow that the guy has had to pack it in leaving most of a brand new refurbished shop downstairs behind and virtually all his stock. The offices have got great parking in front
So now my mate is stumped for what to do with his shop. Anyone have any decent ideas? Mate was thinking of a mobile phone shop but I've got a couple of friends already doing that and they say business is being killed by too much competition from the majors the moment.
So anything else that could be done in these economic times that's still making a wage?
Until recently the shop had been a computer repair shop but business is so slow that the guy has had to pack it in leaving most of a brand new refurbished shop downstairs behind and virtually all his stock. The offices have got great parking in front
So now my mate is stumped for what to do with his shop. Anyone have any decent ideas? Mate was thinking of a mobile phone shop but I've got a couple of friends already doing that and they say business is being killed by too much competition from the majors the moment.
So anything else that could be done in these economic times that's still making a wage?
It's A1 retail mate, I think he'd have a hard time getting the conversion to food (I think that's B1 isn't it?) because of the residential buildings nearby. There's a chippy up the road where all the kids go, does massive business, maybe he could take some of that?
Possibly a good idea but maybe he doesn't want his own office to smell like a kebab shop, I'll ask him.
Possibly a good idea but maybe he doesn't want his own office to smell like a kebab shop, I'll ask him.
Edited by ATV on Tuesday 30th June 20:16
ATV said:
It's A1 retail mate, I think he'd have a hard time getting the conversion to food (I think that's B1 isn't it?) because of the residential buildings nearby. There's a chippy up the road where all the kids go, does massive business, maybe he could take some of that?
Possibly a good idea but maybe he doesn't want his own office to smell like a kebab shop, I'll ask him.
Nah i believe A1 is food and drink on site so covers takeaway food too.Possibly a good idea but maybe he doesn't want his own office to smell like a kebab shop, I'll ask him.
Edited by ATV on Tuesday 30th June 20:16
A1 is general retail, A5 is hot food takeaway, need change of use to go from A1 to A5.
Hot food is a pain, poor tenants and it will have a negative effect on the upper floors. Best bet in this market is Starbucks/ Costa Coffee etc. Will still need change of use but far less contentious.
There are very few A1 retailers in the market for secondary parades at the moment.
Hot food is a pain, poor tenants and it will have a negative effect on the upper floors. Best bet in this market is Starbucks/ Costa Coffee etc. Will still need change of use but far less contentious.
There are very few A1 retailers in the market for secondary parades at the moment.
soxboy said:
A1 is general retail, A5 is hot food takeaway, need change of use to go from A1 to A5.
Hot food is a pain, poor tenants and it will have a negative effect on the upper floors. Best bet in this market is Starbucks/ Costa Coffee etc. Will still need change of use but far less contentious.
There are very few A1 retailers in the market for secondary parades at the moment.
Is subway A5 though? I think their heating method gets around the planning regs and only needs A1 - that was certainly the case when it was just A1 or A3.Hot food is a pain, poor tenants and it will have a negative effect on the upper floors. Best bet in this market is Starbucks/ Costa Coffee etc. Will still need change of use but far less contentious.
There are very few A1 retailers in the market for secondary parades at the moment.
To answer the OPs question - in this market I don't think he can really say he wants a 'widget shop' - he'll just have to put it onto the market and choose from the offers he does or doesnt get. He'll probably get a load of offers, but its weeding out the good from the bad and ugly which is the trick.
Also be wary of giving day 1 incentives as the chancers trade for free then wind up.
Also be wary of giving day 1 incentives as the chancers trade for free then wind up.
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