Opening an antique shop
Acquisition of antiques – it was and remains one of the most reliable ways to invest money, which allows you to ensure a stable income in the amount of 20-50% per annum. That is why not only very wealthy people, as is commonly thought, are engaged in collecting antiquities, but also representatives of the middle class.
The global antiques market is divided into several segments. The largest and most promising of them is painting and sculpture (over 40%). Numismatics and used books are in second place in terms of sales (20%). Furniture and various interior items make up 17% of total sales. Jewelry – 15%, and vintage cars – 8%. The business associated with the purchase and sale of antique goods, the yield ranks third after the trade in diamonds and oil.
It is almost impossible to accurately determine the volume of this market in terms of value, since confidentiality is most valued in such a business. Some experts cite numbers ranging from $ 1 billion to $ 1.5 billion.
Business associated with the purchase and sale of antiquities, requires a lot of knowledge and experience. The percentage of fakes in our country is very high. The share of fakes reaches 40-50%. Therefore, if you are fond of antiques, but are not an expert in its assessment, then you will have to either look for real experts in this field, or abandon the idea of opening your own antique shop.
The assortment of your store is the main thing that keeps the whole business. Best of all, if you yourself can assess the authenticity and determine the approximate cost of antiques. Any mistake can lead to big financial losses. Of course, you can ask for help from an antiquary who constantly monitors the demand for certain antiquities, can conduct a professional assessment of the goods and provide a guarantee of authenticity. However, specialist services are quite expensive. The cost of one consultation may be about 15% of the total value of the assessed goods.
Truly valuable items fall on the shelves of antique shops or directly from their former owners, or through art dealers. The retail margin is usually 300% of the purchase price. In some cases, the store may even sell the goods without extra charge, if, for example, there is an opportunity to get a regular customer. Antique shop can also take antiques on commission, charging for it up to 25% of the cost
goods.Another source of income will be the services of professional advice and examination. Wait for quick profit is not worth it. Investments can come back even after several years. According to experts, seven out of ten antiques purchased by an antiques shop are sold only after one or two years. However, business owners console themselves with the fact that the cost of this type of product only increases every year.
Sale of painting brings the most profit to antique shops. In second place – old books. The price of the second-hand edition increases every year by 25-30%. Antique coins rise in price by 20% annually. And retro cars bring up to 15-17% per annum. The category of “low-income” antiques include jewelry and brands. Their cost increases every year only by 5-7%.
The room under the antique shop should be spacious enough. To take a few meters in the shopping center, of course, does not make sense. This should be a store with a separate entrance, for example, on the first floor of a residential building. Immediately lay down the cost of repairs. Antique shop – it’s not just beautiful things in the windows, it is a special atmosphere of the past time.
When designing an interior design, it is advisable to contact a specialist who will take into account all your wishes. The cost of renting a small area (20-30 sq. M.) On the first floor of a residential building will be from 20 thousand rubles and above, depending on the region and the location of your store (the most optimal is the city center). In addition, you will need special trading equipment – closed shelving and display cabinets.
The next largest expense items are insurance for your product and licensing activities, as well as employee wages. You will need the services of an accountant (there is no need to hire him full-time), one or two sales assistants who know about antiques. But, first of all, you need: an appraiser, a restorer and a procurement manager (you most likely will have to do the duties of the latter yourself at first).
The appraiser determines the true value of the goods, rejects fakes. The restorer conducts pre-sale preparation of the goods, since most of the antiques that will be brought to you for sale will not be in the best condition. A purchasing manager is looking for goods for sale, placing ads in newspapers, circling villages and villages in search of antiquities. This is perhaps the most difficult and important part of the entire store.
