Cascade Alliance

Technique Tuesday: Tips For Opening a New Store

This week for Technique Tuesday, we will be focusing on tips and tricks to opening a new store while keeping a level head.  Sometimes it seems like a stressful goal to pull off but using a timeline and spreading tasks out can be super helpful.

Our organization is in the final stretch to open our new store in Eugene.  This has rippling effects on our other stores as we pull staff.  It is also important that your organization has enough goods stocked up to stock the store.  Below is a list of items with amounts that we recommend for opening a small store (8000 sq. ft)

*note: be prepared to have ½ this amount saved up for back stock – expect to sell a lot of items through the opening week and be prepared to restock.

As mentioned above, a timeline is useful in planning to open a new store.  Below is a timeline we refer to when planning store openings. Throughout the entire time we are pushing product out. During a set-up we will work 6 days a week for 10-12 hours. We have our managers come in and work Saturdays to help prepare the store.

New Store Set Up Timeline

1/21/2xxx – 2/21/2xxx

January 27th: Get keys (this is after the necessary renovations have already taken place)

January 28th: Start installing book shelves

January 29th: Book shelves installed, labeled off and book stocking begun

January 30th: Gondola shelving installation has begun

February 1st: Gondola shelving in

February 2nd: Start stocking Miscellaneous

February 1st: Furniture begins to be unloaded in store

February 4th: Clothing and shoe racks are in

February 5th: Clothing & shoes outgoing

February 15th: Clothing is organized and in, misc. stocked up

February 16th: Displays organized/finessed, appliances cleaned

February 18th: Tightening up of all displays, furniture

February 20th: Books still being stocked with a few spaces still needing to be full

February 21st: Grand opening