B&M or Online

[GulfVapor]

What else are you kicking around? Not sure I'd want a grammatical error as a business name (Insane Vapors would be correct).

This here is south alabamie....We don't need no grammar down here!

Thanks for correction though ( no sarcasm ).

I thought about " Slim Vapors " as my nick name was " slim " growing up.

My better half is more creative than me but coming up with a business name is a pain in the rear.

 

[Browncoat]

Now that has some potential. Although, consider this for a moment:

Vapor Slim's

Rolls off the tongue better, has a catchy vibe, and it's hip. Fatboy Slim is a popular DJ, and Jackrabbit Slim's was the name of that cool 50's diner in the movie Pulp Fiction.

 

[GulfVapor]

Now that has some potential. Although, consider this for a moment:

Vapor Slim's

Rolls off the tongue better, has a catchy vibe, and it's hip. Fatboy Slim is a popular DJ, and Jackrabbit Slim's was the name of that cool 50's diner in the movie Pulp Fiction.

I seriously thought about doing a retro theme but, the cost of finding retro interior stuff might be a little much at first. I found a pretty cool building by chance this morning, it has rough saw cut ceiling beams, older brick walls. It has alot of potential without alot of work. I just gotta find who owns the building as it had no phone number or anything on it. I think i can use the local land tax webpage to find the owner.

 

[Browncoat]

There's a bar downtown here like that. Neat little hole in the wall kind of place with exposed brick and plaster, gas-style lamps and the bar itself is a re-purposed shuffleboard floor from an old ship deck. There's all kinds of DIY tutorials out there for eclectic decorating on the cheap. For example, this would be a badass bar top IMHO.

People remember that kind of stuff. I've only been in one vape shop that was memorable, and I wish it wasn't an hour away. Good luck to ya! Keep us updated on your progress.

 

[VapedCrusader]

Competition happens in business.. no way around it - if you already offered to partner up with your friends place and they turned you down then I say game on. Selling a couple mods and one line of juice is just not enough these days.. My friend owns a shop and he did the same thing .. then a few other places popped up and he started losing business.... he finally started listening to me and my other friend and now he carries at least 15 different juice lines and TONS of mods/ attys for all different types of vapers... his place is packed all the time now.. I bet he wishes he started selling all that stuff from the get go.

I hope everything works out with your venture - we need more loyal, reliable, and knowledgeable B&M owners rather than people just looking to turn a profit and have no idea wtf they are talking about.

 

[Iamme]

I hope everything works out with your venture - we need more loyal, reliable, and knowledgeable B&M owners rather than people just looking to turn a profit and have no idea wtf they are talking about.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[GulfVapor]

Competition happens in business.. no way around it - if you already offered to partner up with your friends place and they turned you down then I say game on. Selling a couple mods and one line of juice is just not enough these days.. My friend owns a shop and he did the same thing .. then a few other places popped up and he started losing business.... he finally started listening to me and my other friend and now he carries at least 15 different juice lines and TONS of mods/ attys for all different types of vapers... his place is packed all the time now.. I bet he wishes he started selling all that stuff from the get go.

I hope everything works out with your venture - we need more loyal, reliable, and knowledgeable B&M owners rather than people just looking to turn a profit and have no idea wtf they are talking about.

I agree with you 100%. I want to offer people wanting to kick tobacco a way out and I want to offer someone who is a serious vaper a place that they can come and see the newest stuff and get great deals. I visited a serious vape shop this weekend and they gave me good ideas. One being a work area with all the tools they will need to build coils ect. I want them to feel at home and come in, BS with me, other people and build/buy. I have been jotting down ideas.

I also spoke with a lady about a building this morning, nice building, great open space and also extremely reasonable rent. The building has some history ( built in 1916 ), my dad worked there as a kid when it was a general store in the 60's. I am going to go purchase my business license in about 30 minutes so that i can sign up with wholesalers ect.

 

[Iamme]

A idea just to throw out there for you that I was going to do with my shop is classes. Start a mailing list with your customers. Once a month do a little class type deal where noobs who want to get into more advanced stuff can learn battery safety and some coil wrapping techniques. If you do them once a month and charge for the amout of supply used, you will have people buying wire, wick and some will more than likely pick up a new RDA. Figure like $5 and a hour worth of time for enough wire to wrap 2-3 coils and learn and they will need supplies when they leave. You are also making sure they will be a educated safe vaper. It is as much a service to the vaping community and it is a potential marketing tool.

 

[VapedCrusader]

I agree with you 100%. I want to offer people wanting to kick tobacco a way out and I want to offer someone who is a serious vaper a place that they can come and see the newest stuff and get great deals. I visited a serious vape shop this weekend and they gave me good ideas. One being a work area with all the tools they will need to build coils ect. I want them to feel at home and come in, BS with me, other people and build/buy. I have been jotting down ideas.

I also spoke with a lady about a building this morning, nice building, great open space and also extremely reasonable rent. The building has some history ( built in 1916 ), my dad worked there as a kid when it was a general store in the 60's. I am going to go purchase my business license in about 30 minutes so that i can sign up with wholesalers ect.

There yah go... one thing I should suggest.. keeping up with your website to make it easy to navigate, and make sure stock is regularly updated on it.

A lot of vape shops seriously slack on their websites and having the best of both worlds is a HUGE way to get people to keep supporting you.. once people find out they can order stuff cheaper online, most people stop buying from shops all together (unless they can't wait for shipping) . if you can still offer good prices online (or bulk orders) - then you will keep a lot more of your customers coming back.

You made a very good point too - we all started vaping to QUIT SMOKING, a lot of shops have lost sight of this and now its all about 'blowing the biggest clouds' or sub-ohm bigger dick contests.. please don't let your place get like this

 

[GulfVapor]

A idea just to throw out there for you that I was going to do with my shop is classes. Start a mailing list with your customers. Once a month do a little class type deal where noobs who want to get into more advanced stuff can learn battery safety and some coil wrapping techniques. If you do them once a month and charge for the amout of supply used, you will have people buying wire, wick and some will more than likely pick up a new RDA. Figure like $5 and a hour worth of time for enough wire to wrap 2-3 coils and learn and they will need supplies when they leave. You are also making sure they will be a educated safe vaper. It is as much a service to the vaping community and it is a potential marketing tool.

I actually thought about that but didn't know how well it would go over here. I love learning and giving what I have learned.


I am big into a website that loads fast / ease of navigation. If a website is like a maze to try and get through, I will leave in 30 seconds or less. If a website takes more than 15 seconds to load after a initial visit, then I am not into it anymore.

One thing about this town that I have lived in all my life...I do not believe this town will support $100 + authentic mechanical mods. I will be going the clone route with 1 or 2 authentic mechanicals, nice VV VW Mods would sell, clones will sell and starter kits will sell. I will offer a variety though to meet the needs of the consumer. Its not about what I like..its about what they will want and buy.

 

[VapedCrusader]

Nothing wrong with selling clones.. if you see the demand for more authentics then you can always offer them strictly online.. that way you can still offer them to the rest of the community

 

[ConcreteBob]

A idea just to throw out there for you that I was going to do with my shop is classes. Start a mailing list with your customers. Once a month do a little class type deal where noobs who want to get into more advanced stuff can learn battery safety and some coil wrapping techniques. If you do them once a month and charge for the amout of supply used, you will have people buying wire, wick and some will more than likely pick up a new RDA. Figure like $5 and a hour worth of time for enough wire to wrap 2-3 coils and learn and they will need supplies when they leave. You are also making sure they will be a educated safe vaper. It is as much a service to the vaping community and it is a potential marketing tool.

The B&M that I frequent does that same thing, something like twice a month. And a cloud comp afterwards. And they have a couch and a TV for just relaxing and vaping. Plus a community tool box and tables to work on. Great shop, although the decor is not nearly as pleasant as the ideas you guys are tossing around.
Also, for 5 bucks they'll do coil builds for drippers if the owner isn't knowledgeable or motivated enough to do it themselves. And they are ALWAYS packed.

 

[Iamme]

I actually thought about that but didn't know how well it would go over here. I love learning and giving what I have learned.


I am big into a website that loads fast / ease of navigation. If a website is like a maze to try and get through, I will leave in 30 seconds or less. If a website takes more than 15 seconds to load after a initial visit, then I am not into it anymore.

One thing about this town that I have lived in all my life...I do not believe this town will support $100 + authentic mechanical mods. I will be going the clone route with 1 or 2 authentic mechanicals, nice VV VW Mods would sell, clones will sell and starter kits will sell. I will offer a variety though to meet the needs of the consumer. Its not about what I like..its about what they will want and buy.

There is nothing more annoying than a web site that isn't laid out well. Two of the companies I order from are like that. I ja e been doing business with them for years. It was really bad as a noob. Now I am used to it and know where things are, but newbies have to have a hard time.

The more clean and simple a site is to navigate, the happier the costumer IMO.

 

[GulfVapor]

There is nothing more annoying than a web site that isn't laid out well. Two of the companies I order from are like that. I ja e been doing business with them for years. It was really bad as a noob. Now I am used to it and know where things are, but newbies have to have a hard time.

The more clean and simple a site is to navigate, the happier the costumer IMO.

Exactly, I am a fan of Banner at the top, simple drop down menu at the top with categories. I love software that allows of up to date quantities.

 

[GulfVapor]

Well, progress is coming along. Waiting on my state sales tax ID number to come in ( 3 to 5 days ). I have my building but trying to negotiate some things that I will do to the building to make it a bit better ( plumbing / electrical ) since I have done both trades for well, more than a decade. I have found many wholesalers to sign up with. I am waiting for artwork to come back from fiverr.com. Concretebob came up with a name that I found suitable but not going to post it quite yet. There is a slew of other things I am doing as well as selling off my other business, so extremely busy, but I think I am going to enjoy my new found venture alot better.

 

[GulfVapor]

...I use to have a bunch of rough sawed cut lumber.....Never sell anything that could be used for something cool one day. :| It would of fit into the theme quite well.

 

[GulfVapor]

Well guy's, Its finally happened. Its taken alot of hard work, but I am opening my shop next friday. I am not going to say location till a admin approves but here is my logo

I am in a great location, its a 2 lane main road through this town with no competition near me.

Brb, gotta send a few dollars to this site