My Future Store

[southern.scents]

Hi everyone. Over the past year and a half my business has grown trememdously and I have come to the point where my business has out grown our kitchen and the two bedrooms it takes up. Because of this we have been evaluating options as far as leasing a building/ building a workspace. We have come to the decision to build something and here is what we have so far. It is 15x30, not huge but is a large enough space that is specialized to the needs of my business. It will have a small retail space in the front, a huge display window, a 30 foot long floor to ceiling shelving unit (which will be great for FO, wax, backstock, etc), counters that are four inches higher than normal to accomodate for my height, a large wax melter, a small restroom, and other features that will work out great. Below are just a few snapshots from the design program. If you see anything that you think could be improved on, please let me know. I don't want to sink several thousand into this and it end up not working perfectly. We hope to start on it in around June this summer and it should be done by July. Please not that we are not very experienced with using this design software so it is very basic and there are a few issues. This is just what we will show the contractor.

[islandgirl]

WOW.. Your parents must be loaded!!

[LynnS]

Glad to hear you are on your way to your dream.I also picked up a companie's name today that builds buildings and they come in all sizes.My husband is a good contractor but no time.Works alot.We are taking the plunge only because I want to expand to have some retail and some wholesale. Tired of the basement and dining room full and really want my house back too.It will cost to heat and electric but already costs.We use a small heater at times in the basement but the real problem is the soy candles have to then be moved upstairs to the dining room. Alot of work coming up those stairs with candles.

I like your ideas and design.Esp the working area.Gave me some ideas too. Not sure what size I want but will see what they have. I did see a place I really like that was built by this company.The AMISH build these but I have to see the cost first or else a place out back of my house MIGHT be remolded to fit the needs if these building are to expensive.

I think it will be nice to be close to your business and close to your home Where I live many people are doing this.

LynnS

[HeavenScentU]

That looks great! I am excited for you.

[southern.scents]

WOW.. Your parents must be loaded!!

My mom is a teacher. Do ya still think we are loaded??? LOL. I am building this with profit :yay: :yay:

[SliverOfWax]

Zoning and covenants. The first 2 words to concern yourself with.

Once that's taken care of, no matter what you do, it will never be big enough.

[Karen M]

Great plans for a shop, you go for it!!

Karen M:yay:

[I love candles]

I think the design looks great! Congrats on the new building - hopefully I will get to that point as well someday

[Late Night]

As long as you are zoned for it, it looks great to me. Congrats!

[sunnii]

I can't give you any suggestions, but have to say I'm impressed as hell!

It's so great to hear stories about soapers doing well, it gives me hope

[islandgirl]

My mom is a teacher. Do ya still think we are loaded??? LOL. I am building this with profit :yay: :yay:

NICE!!! Glad to hear that...

You should be VERY proud!!!

(You could always add a loading and unloading dock - with wide doors...

It will help with big shipments.

Then a truck will be able to pull up and unload your wax..

So you won't have to lug it!!!!!!)

As SOW said... It will never be big enough, Go as big as you can!!

[madebymelanie]

We built a 17x34 workshop which takes up about 1/4 of our basement along with a 10x12 room just for pouring candles and it's nowhere near big enough. I also took over the 10x12 furnace room and a 12x14 bedroom along with storing all my jars in the garage. I don't have a display area like you planned and I'm still out of room. I would at least double what you designed with the option to add on in the future if necessary...just my $.02 - HTH!

[candlelady]

I think that is great!

3 years ago, I just had to move my operations out of the house. So we built a 40x80 shop and I took 20'x40'. 20'x30' for pouring, shipping, inventory (I have it set up kinda like a gift shop with shelves and counters for candle inventory), open office, full kitchen, bar. My pouring island is approx. 11'x6' and that's not large enough! At the end is a 10'x10' with shelving for supplies and an extra melter. The other 10'x10' is a full bath.

Then had to build a 15'x15' storage room with shelving at the other end of the shop just for jars, boxes, bubblewrap, etc....

Still not big enough! LOL

Good luck!

[RMSSHELTON]

I kind of agree.

Your floor plan would be about 450sf, that is probably less than your kitchen and 2 rooms. If they are already cramped then you will certainly need more space.

I like the lay out, but I am thinking you need something in the size range of 1200+sf.

I figure a bath with a sink will be atleast 40-50sf depending on how much room you want.

Kitchen area will be around 12x12 that is 144sf

store front should be atleast 30x30 900sf

Walk of 30 feet, it is not all that big.

Keep in mind that a small cashier counter is about 5x4 20sf

You will also need storage, for finished products that can be in your display area. For bulk supplies, it will have to be in the back.

figure atleast 12x4 48

Plus a place to pour, which you might be able to fit into the kitchen just fine.

You may be able to get away with a smaller showroom, but you will begin to get overcrowded, plus you will not have much space to expand.

50 + 144 + 900 + 48 = 1142sf

This is just my opinion, but I think if you walk of the space you will see what I am talking about.

In the show room you may be able to do 25 x 25 = 525

That will reduce your overall square footage to less that 1000.

However as you grow I think you will truly need the additional space.

I am think 30w X 49deep building = 1470square feet building size.

That would change it to

29w x 25d showroom =725

12 x 12 kithchen =144

8 x 4 storage across from kitchen = 32

and small bath of

5x4bathroom= 20

That is 946 usable square feet, plus walking space.

the rest will be walls ( interior and exterior ) and walking space.

Just my opinion.

I know I always run out of space in all my ventures.

Ofcourse you could design the building to be expandable later. The only problem with that is that you will have to close you business while you remodel.

Or you could build a new building and convert this one to storage and creation only. Then use the new building when you get to big to do it all out of this one building.

Just my thoughts sorry for all the rambling.

[mizbizzyb]

I agree....with the above.

It is still going to be small Adam.

My other house I had an addition built on 10x20 or 12x20 for my room...only thing that did was take me outta the kitchen.

We have a nice size sun porch in the house we are in now - that we don't use and I am having the guy that built the other addition to come out and give me a quote on transforming that into what I need! So again, I can get out of the kitchen. I probably should measure it so I can tell him what I want.

My suggestion is if you can still use those 2 rooms for storage, etc go for it and make it a pouring plant....

Good luck with it!

[Vio]

Make sure you budget in and ask about the best structure for climate control too. If the zoning is cool for another floor and basement, I'd do that too if I had the money to drop. Cool area in basement for storage and pour area upstairs. Figure in air conditioning method and sun protection for products if they're going to be on shelves and sun hitting them, because if you didn't use uv additive before, you're going to have to now with those windows and candles anywhere close to them, I'd think.

Best of luck with making your dream happen!!!

[Chele]

We just broke ground last week on our new candle barn here on our property. I stood out there today and already know it is too small and I will out grow it this fall/winter busy season... but I paid cash for the construction and incurred no debt. I went back and forth on the size for weeks but decided with the economy so unsettled it was best to stay safe and stay out of debt. I can always add on later... not to mention I didn't want to have to heat and cool any more space than I absolutely needed. I have seen many businesses grow too fast, get strapped for cash and grow right out of business...

All that being said.... build what you can really afford... you can ALWAYS add on later. Keep your overhead low and your profits will be high and your business will grow and be healthy. We have turned a profit every year since our first year of business and our business continues to grow to this day... Dream Big ... but be sure to be cautious in your growth. I think your plans look good - Good Luck!

HTH,

Chele

[TraciS]

Chele,

Do you still have your store and the barn is for production?

I would go as large as you can afford without debt. I have about 600sq ft and it is well laid out and is TINY. All I do is pour and package as that's all that space allows. I store some glass and wax there but have a storage unit for the rest.

[Chele]

Chele,

Do you still have your store and the barn is for production?

I would go as large as you can afford without debt. I have about 600sq ft and it is well laid out and is TINY. All I do is pour and package as that's all that space allows. I store some glass and wax there but have a storage unit for the rest.

We sold the retail the store - final day is May 17th. With the sale of the store I paid cash for construction. Paid off all our store and personal debt, vehicle included. I have the barn to pour in and a separate storage area for glass and wax... and a small area for inventory. I have two people wanting to open franchises up in the fall... we are seeing how smoothly this goes before we bale off into the new ones.. but I see them as very "doable"

The store had become a beast and a full time job and we got an offer we couldn't refuse. Parts of retail I will miss but I miss my life and my Saturdays with my family. I look forward to going back to wholesale, fundraisers, and internet... and now that we sell on Amazon.. we really need to make candles full time. It was a choice I felt I needed to make for myself, my health, and my family.

I think our new barn is about the size of yours but we will add on the back in spring. I did go with extra high ceilings so I can go up with storage. It will only take me one wave of fundraisers to have to profit to pay for the next addition. With the economy as it is and wax prices soaring I won't incur any debt with my business right now. Playing it safe is the only way I think small businesses will survive this.

Just my 2 scents

Chele

[trishsmecca]

That is wonderful and I know you are excited!

Best of luck.....

Trish

[doris]

You're worried about possibly losing several thousand? Are you sure you haven't lost a zero or two? We've just had some work done on our living room and so far it has cost me $3500. I don't think that for several thousand you will get anywhere near what you want.

[gerrie]

Building, or even remodeling, is very expensive!! It's nice to have 1500 sq ft, but with the economy as shaky as it is, I would just go as big as you can afford. If you have some extra money, go bigger, you never have enough room, but don't go in debt for it. In a few years you may find the economy is stronger and business is booming, then you can add on. Sure, it's easier to do it the first time around, but sometimes things just don't work the way you want them to. Just make sure in your plans to have the best and easiest options for adding on at a later time if you need to.