Hello everyone. I'm sure this story has been spoken 1000x but I'm going to make it 1001. I'm Starting a Vape Lounge near Ann Arbor looking to have my grand opening August 2016. Right when all the college students come back to school. I have never owned a business which is my sole reason for waiting so long. I want to make sure everything is lined up perfectly. I have been doing a LOT of research on Vaping laws in MI. What I really want & need is feedback. Obviously all of my ideas sound great in theory but for those who actually own a shop what is the reality, are my ideas even a possibility?
Here is what I envision:
5-10 Variations of starter kits
10-15 Variations of Intermediate kits
& a pleather of mods, RDA's, Tanks etc...
Now, pretty standard I know but there is more. I don't create my own juice, I know how, I have done it before when I lived in OH & was selling to just a couple friends for $5 a 30ml. But ever since I moved in to Michigan I stopped. (& when I say a couple I literally mean 3-5) I'm considering starting or maybe even contacting a lab & hiring them to create my line for me. But I need to weigh the prices on both. IMO saying I have a USA made juice made in a professional lap sounds a little better then oh, this is my DIY juice, still made in America, but still very house made. Then obviously I want to carry 5-7 non-house juice lines.
Here's what IMO is going to set me apart from my local competitors. I want to sell a "taste testing" pack. Basically for $15.99 you get 5 3ml juices, any that you choose, but ONLY the house juice. ( which im hoping to have a minimum of 15 flavors) you can hang out with your friends Vape & relax while trying multiple flavors. I also want to have a build station. A large table somewhere in my shop where once a week anyone interested in joining can come out & learn to make builds with your local vaping community. Or maybe you stop in to buy some juice, want to sit down & use my equipment to create yourself a build $.50 for 2ft of wire, any gauge you would like.
I am also big in the competitive video game scene. So I would like to host video game tournaments with decent payouts for example
1st place $300 in store credit
2nd place $100 in store credit
3rd place any 120ml house juice
With a $35 pass for each participant.
If all goes well I would even consider starting team based events with actual cash payouts.
I want to have a HardcoreVapor card. For every 30ml you purchase you get 15 credits (it is my responsibility to remind the customer to hand their card over at the time of purchase in order to give them credit for their purchase) Once you reach 100 points you can choose any 30ml bottle you want using your points.
Lastly, something I don’t see very often in shops (atleast not around here) is appliances such as ohm readers, coiling kits, different brands of wire at different gauges, different brands of organic cotton. These are all items I plan on stocking in store, yes I understand the convenience of ordering online. However, people still want that instant gratification of being able to purchase something & take it with you that day.
Okay, phew that was a lot. If you are still reading I really do admire your dedication. In short, I am looking to start a 1 stop lounge that becomes more involved in the vaping community, giving every Vaping dude & dudette a place to relax, build, try new juice win some really cool prizes & really just hang out. I want everyone who walks in my doors to feel comfortable & excited to come back when they leave. I would love to hear of one of my customers just stopping in before work to chat because they had a couple minutes to spare.
Sales/Customer service is my profession. Vaping is one of my biggest hobbies. It only makes sense to combine the two to create something truly amazing.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. Any & all feedback is needed.
Thank you for your time.
Here is what I envision:
5-10 Variations of starter kits
10-15 Variations of Intermediate kits
& a pleather of mods, RDA's, Tanks etc...
Now, pretty standard I know but there is more. I don't create my own juice, I know how, I have done it before when I lived in OH & was selling to just a couple friends for $5 a 30ml. But ever since I moved in to Michigan I stopped. (& when I say a couple I literally mean 3-5) I'm considering starting or maybe even contacting a lab & hiring them to create my line for me. But I need to weigh the prices on both. IMO saying I have a USA made juice made in a professional lap sounds a little better then oh, this is my DIY juice, still made in America, but still very house made. Then obviously I want to carry 5-7 non-house juice lines.
Here's what IMO is going to set me apart from my local competitors. I want to sell a "taste testing" pack. Basically for $15.99 you get 5 3ml juices, any that you choose, but ONLY the house juice. ( which im hoping to have a minimum of 15 flavors) you can hang out with your friends Vape & relax while trying multiple flavors. I also want to have a build station. A large table somewhere in my shop where once a week anyone interested in joining can come out & learn to make builds with your local vaping community. Or maybe you stop in to buy some juice, want to sit down & use my equipment to create yourself a build $.50 for 2ft of wire, any gauge you would like.
I am also big in the competitive video game scene. So I would like to host video game tournaments with decent payouts for example
1st place $300 in store credit
2nd place $100 in store credit
3rd place any 120ml house juice
With a $35 pass for each participant.
If all goes well I would even consider starting team based events with actual cash payouts.
I want to have a HardcoreVapor card. For every 30ml you purchase you get 15 credits (it is my responsibility to remind the customer to hand their card over at the time of purchase in order to give them credit for their purchase) Once you reach 100 points you can choose any 30ml bottle you want using your points.
Lastly, something I don’t see very often in shops (atleast not around here) is appliances such as ohm readers, coiling kits, different brands of wire at different gauges, different brands of organic cotton. These are all items I plan on stocking in store, yes I understand the convenience of ordering online. However, people still want that instant gratification of being able to purchase something & take it with you that day.
Okay, phew that was a lot. If you are still reading I really do admire your dedication. In short, I am looking to start a 1 stop lounge that becomes more involved in the vaping community, giving every Vaping dude & dudette a place to relax, build, try new juice win some really cool prizes & really just hang out. I want everyone who walks in my doors to feel comfortable & excited to come back when they leave. I would love to hear of one of my customers just stopping in before work to chat because they had a couple minutes to spare.
Sales/Customer service is my profession. Vaping is one of my biggest hobbies. It only makes sense to combine the two to create something truly amazing.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. Any & all feedback is needed.
Thank you for your time.
