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ClammyJoe
Azurescen Head



Registered: 11/03/05
Posts: 3,691
Loc: PNW
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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Opening A Smoke Shop
#6181504 - 10/18/06 07:50 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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So, My friend's parents own some pretty good commercial property, with which nothing is being done, so he pitched to them that'd he open up the only smoke shop in town, next to their bar. They are giving him 3 grand, and use of the building for free, to basically start up the business. The thing is, He's under 18 so he can't do a lot of the stuff in the shop, so he recruited me. Should be fun. 
Question I want to ask: We have some local glass blowers that we could buy pieces from, but I was wondering if there's like any smoke accessory wholesaler?
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RoosterCogburn
Fearless,one-eyed U.S.Marshall


Registered: 08/25/06
Posts: 8,508
Loc: Dirty South, NJ
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: ClammyJoe]
#6181565 - 10/18/06 08:24 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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#1. Get a decent lawyer.
#2. Make tons of signs that specifically instruct customers to NEVER say anything that rhymes with ROLL or KONG... If anyone says "bowl" or "bong" and you sell them a pipe, you get fucked. Stress the use of words like piece and pipe.
#3. You may have to go outside the FREE country of the USA for pieces.
#4. Get an accountant, and pay your taxes EVERY month.
I had a few small businesses, and it can be a REAL pain in the ass if you get behind on sales tax and shit. Do it correctly from the start and avoid trouble, since your type of business will draw negative pressure as it is.
Also, IMMEDIATELY kick out ANYONE who mentions weed... Most smoke shops will ignore you completely like you are invisible if you even mention anything related to happy smoke... you should as well.
Good luck, we need more high quality headshops!
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0xYg3n
topdawg


Registered: 04/29/04
Posts: 18,881
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
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ask zippoz.
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magikgrl
~Inevitable~


Registered: 02/04/06
Posts: 4,566
Loc: Michigan
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: 0xYg3n]
#6181590 - 10/18/06 08:38 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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Kick ass man. Good luck. I'm convinced I'd be much better off if my dad wouldn't of lost his head shop down in Florida back when I was little. Not sure what state your opening in, but check local state laws. and, as Rooster said, get a lawyer.
--------------------
"In the 60s people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal...go figure." Becoming human was not part of the plan... I wish I could be as high as my tolerance-danlennon Reality is a crutch for those that can't cope with drugs.
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sleepy
zZzZzZzZz


Registered: 01/17/05
Posts: 3,888
Loc:
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: magikgrl]
#6181636 - 10/18/06 08:58 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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eugene oregon has thousands of glassblowers
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twigz
stick boy


Registered: 02/29/04
Posts: 689
Loc: From up in a tree
Last seen: 5 years, 4 months
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: magikgrl]
#6181665 - 10/18/06 09:04 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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sweet dude I would love to work at a pipe shop good luck man. 
some day when bud is legal hear in the states Id like to open my own coffee shop/ head shop/ lounge.
Edited by twigz (10/18/06 09:08 AM)
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Jadian
Ninja


Registered: 07/07/05
Posts: 7,404
Loc: The desert
Last seen: 6 years, 2 months
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: ClammyJoe]
#6181819 - 10/18/06 09:52 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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I know a few very good glass blowers in Alaska that I know you would be able to contract to do a certain amount of peices a week or something like that, ought to be a good price too.
I don't know what state you're in and if that would be feasable, but like everyone said check your state's regulations carefully.
-------------------- LNC's official Alaskan stoner
 
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ZippoZ
Knomadic


Registered: 06/17/03
Posts: 13,227
Loc: Pongyang, North Korea
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: 0xYg3n]
#6181927 - 10/18/06 10:17 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
0xYg3n said: ask zippoz.
business man/ glass blower extrodinare here 
opening up a head shop is somthing that i have looked into for a long long time, i also get my wholesale glass tube from the owner of a head shop. after looking into it for a long long time, i decided it was a bad business move, mostly because of the legal issues that i didnt want to fuck with in illinois, and also operation pipe dreams (look it up, it was a DEA op against online head shops)
honestly as for your stock, its sooo much cheaper to get it from out of the country, pieces can be bought from egypt and the rest of asia for dirt cheap, ~$3 a piece..... this is a good business move.
however on the other hand being a glass blower, i hate imports, because i cant compete with their low prices. some people wont buy them, but most will. I would recommend that you get most of your shitty low class glass from over seas, and have a local guy that will blow you some kick ass pieces for your "headie section"
also, i would recomend that you write out a detailed business plan for this venture, and have it looked over by your local SBDC (small business development center) look it up there will probably be one in a local college campus. they are a federally funded office that helps americans get small businesses off of the ground from concept to completion, all for FREE theyll also be able to give you a good outline for your business plan.
Youll also have to legally incorporate your business, and operate as a corportation, s-corporation, or LLC. having your business legally incorporated creates what is called the "corporate veil" basically it makes you and your business 2 seperate legal entites.
which means if your business goes out of business, or gets fined by the cops, its the business that has to pay, not you. also if the head shop were to get sued, it would prevent you or your friend from loosing any personal money as its protected by the corporate veil 
umm, aside from that, once you get a business plan togeather, youll realise that it will take about 20,000 to get a good head shop up and running, and stocked, with insurance, incorporation, and wages paid out. so think long and hard about where youre going to get the money from first 
if you need any other help, ill be here to answer your ?'s 
although i do have one suggestion, to raise the money. find those whole sale glass dealers, and buy a shit ton, get a few gun cases and roam around festivals and raves selling them in person i usually always made about 200 a night selling my home blown glass that way.
peace
-------------------- PEACE
zippoz "in times of widespread chaos and confusion, it has been the duty of more advanced human beings - artists, scientists, clowns, and philosophers - to create order. In such times as ours however, when there is too much order, too much m management, too much programming and control, it becomes the duty of superior men and women and women to fling their favorite monkey wrenches into the machinery. To relieve the repression of the human spirit, they must sow doubt and disruption" "People do it every day, they talk to themselves ... they see themselves as they'd like to be, they don't have the courage you have, to just run with it."
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TrancedShroom
Mr. Hanky


Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 8,002
Loc: Rippin Waves
Last seen: 12 years, 4 months
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: ZippoZ]
#6182040 - 10/18/06 10:48 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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What is a good importer of these glass pipes from overseas Zippoz? It would be nice to buy a bunch of them, so when my friends or I get high and lose or break them it isn't such a big deal.
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FunkyLoFi
Existing

Registered: 07/18/05
Posts: 1,542
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: ZippoZ]
#6182045 - 10/18/06 10:50 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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1. Buy U.S. made glass. Support your local artists, fuck that overseas mass produced shit. It costs a little more, but its worth it.
2. $3K startup is not very much. We just bought $50K worth of glass and other things for my shop
-------------------- All the people you knew were the actors
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ZippoZ
Knomadic


Registered: 06/17/03
Posts: 13,227
Loc: Pongyang, North Korea
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Quote:
TrancedShroom said: What is a good importer of these glass pipes from overseas Zippoz? It would be nice to buy a bunch of them, so when my friends or I get high and lose or break them it isn't such a big deal.
i dont know, i dont want to know, imported glass kills the business and market of home blowers like myself, fuck egyptian glass
-------------------- PEACE
zippoz "in times of widespread chaos and confusion, it has been the duty of more advanced human beings - artists, scientists, clowns, and philosophers - to create order. In such times as ours however, when there is too much order, too much m management, too much programming and control, it becomes the duty of superior men and women and women to fling their favorite monkey wrenches into the machinery. To relieve the repression of the human spirit, they must sow doubt and disruption" "People do it every day, they talk to themselves ... they see themselves as they'd like to be, they don't have the courage you have, to just run with it."
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TrancedShroom
Mr. Hanky


Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 8,002
Loc: Rippin Waves
Last seen: 12 years, 4 months
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: ZippoZ]
#6182173 - 10/18/06 11:26 AM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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Well then sell them for cheaper prices! LOL
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Chazzersize
Pokemon Master


Registered: 11/30/03
Posts: 1,274
Loc: Center Of The World
Last seen: 10 years, 9 months
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They took our jobssss.
Seriously, this country is all about finding things for the cheapest possible price without sacrificing quality...
Awesome, costco/sam's club has 20 box's of cereal for 20 dollars! (Horray!)
But when it starts effect us personally, it's the exact opposite. Outsourcing jobs...ect.
If they are busting your balls on the price, there's really only one thing you CAN do if you want to keep your profession. Go cheaper. Everyone wins. Cept those dirty egyptians.
-------------------- Take off my mask and leave the lies to the liars.
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TrancedShroom
Mr. Hanky


Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 8,002
Loc: Rippin Waves
Last seen: 12 years, 4 months
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Re: Opening A Smoke Shop [Re: Chazzersize]
#6182374 - 10/18/06 12:09 PM (17 years, 4 months ago) |
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Tell me how much your material cost Zippoz and what local head shops would buy from you(quantity) and I will do an equation to maximize your revenue if you want. By the way this will work if your prices lower.
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