60 Strip Mall Business Ideas You Can Start Today [2023]
Interested in starting a strip mall business in 2023?
A busy strip mall is a great option for product and service-oriented businesses.
We researched and found 60 strip mall business ideas you can start today
For these business ideas, we show real-world examples of other strip mall businesses to help you see what it takes.
Here's the full list:
1. Start a cycling gear store
The global cycling gear and wearables market is growing, as more people are opting for cycling as a form of leisure.
My name is Mukund Umesh Thakkar, I run the company with the brand name Mastermind Bicycle Studio. We are a chain of Retail Stores, selling the sport of Cycling through the most high-end and premium brands in the world of cycling and triathlon. We sell a wide range of products from Bicycles, Helmets, Shoes, Wheels, Components, Apparel, etc.
I am a Chemical Engineer and an MBA in Finance, selling and spreading this wonderful sport of cycling in India. I started Mastermind when I was 26 years old. Our Sales Revenue has consistently grown at a rate of around 55% to 65% Year On Year.
2. Start a sewing and alteration business
Do you have sewing skills and looking for an entrepreneurship opportunity? You can start your sewing and alteration business.
A sewing and alteration business offers customers clothing repair, custom tailoring, button replacement, and other alterations. You can start a sewing and alteration business at home or set up a retail location.
To start a sewing and alteration business, you will need a commercial-grade sewing machine and a marketing strategy, so target customers learn about your business.
We are Saara and Stephanie - we’ve been friends for 8 years and have both launched our own socially oriented businesses. We recently started ALTRD - a clothing alteration service.
3. Start an antique business
Owning an antique and vintage business can be fulfilling and profitable for those targeting the elite.
Antique businesses focus on procuring items at a low price and restoring them, then selling them at a profit. The items can include old toys, cars, bikes, household items, crafts, vintage jewelry, etc.
Opening an antique item store may seem somewhat daunting. However, once you have researched the items available and acquired the necessary skills and expertise, you will be ready to kick off.
For some, a storefront with enough storage for antique items might fit the bill. For others, an online store will work pretty well. Regardless of your approach, the secret is applying your entrepreneurship strategies to an overall framework for success.
In 2013 I decided to start a company where I would restore antiques and antique toys. After 25 years of working in education and information technologies, I decided to cash out my 401K savings to start Hoosierboy Restorations. I began in my mother's garage and quickly began receiving projects to restore. I quickly outgrew the small 2 car garage and expanded my operations to my present 2200 sq.ft. facility.
7 years later, we have restored hundreds of projects. Everything from 100-year-old toys, to historical furniture, to a T-33 Airforce jet ejection seat.
4. Start a furniture flipping
Flipping furniture is a business idea that can make you money by working a few hours a week. From kitchen tables to dressers and armories, plus, you can turn old pieces of furniture into a masterpiece that someone would be interested in paying for.
If you have a few hours a week and you enjoy checking out wooden furniture, flipping household or office units can be a profitable business idea for you. Some furniture flippers earn a 6-figure profit per year, from furniture flipping.
- Jack and Joan Ferrell are the founders of Second Time Sellers.
- They buy used items at yard sales, flea markets, and online auctions, then sell them for up to ten times what they originally paid.
- A brand-new inversion table was their very first acquisition. It cost them $50 to purchase, and they sold it for $450.
- They have taken off immediately and set a target of making $250,000 in the upcoming 12 months.
- Presently, they have an eBay store specializing in professional car care supplies and electrical and tools.

Read the full article on https://www.sidehustlenation.com/ ➜
5. Start a fashion accessories business
If you love fashion and clothing design, you may want to start a fashion accessories business. As a fashion accessories consultant, you help clients develop and adapt personal and professional styles.
Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement one’s outfit. They include jewelry, gloves, belts, scarves, watches, sunglasses, bow ties, leggings, suspenders, and tights. To work as a professional stylist, collaborate with clients to understand their needs, and tailor styles and aesthetics to each individual’s preferences.
I'm Jen, and I own FOXLY Handmade, a handmade bag company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I work with artists to develop illustrations that I then turn into useful, practical pouches. Think of them as little pieces of portable, functional art!
Now, I've transitioned my business almost entirely online, and my website sales have been growing month over month. I anticipate that I will triple last year's sales by the end of this year, even without the in-person events I used to rely on.
6. Start a pet store
Pet stores are retail businesses that sell animals and pet supplies. They are a leading industry category with sales of approximately $4.5B U.S dollars and positive sales growth of 2.7%.
You can set up a pet store in many places, like supermarkets, malls, or pet supply stores.
The first thing to do is to find a location for your store. A good place would be an area with many residential buildings, schools, and colleges as this will give you access to many customers. It would help if you also looked for a location near public transport as it will make it easier for people to come and visit your store.
I am Mike Leon, mechanical engineer, an avid bike rider, service dog trainer and inventor of the 1-Running-Dog Bike Tow LeashⓇ for safe bike, trike, scooter, and wheelchair dog-rides.
I am the owner of LEON Engineering, Inc. We design, build and sell the 1-Running-Dog Bike Tow Leash® to dog owners, walkers, trainers, military and law enforcement, search and rescue and those with special needs. Having sold less than 200 BTLs prior, My on-the-side hobby turned into a true business in 2009 with the launch of our first website. We went from shipping hundreds/year to thousands/year. Now, our business allows me to work comfortably from home, making 6 figures, while caring for my wife and enriching the lives of tens of thousands of dogs and their humans.
7. Start an auto parts shop
If you want to start a retail business in the automobile industry, consider an auto parts business.
The auto parts business is one of the most successful businesses in the world. There are many Auto Parts Businesses in the United States, Canada, and the UK, where most are part-time.
Listed are the steps on how to start an auto parts shop business.
- Pick a location
- Do your market research
- Secure all permits and licenses
- Open a bank account for business transactions
Hey everyone! My name is Mitchel Matthews and I am a 22-year-old entrepreneur. I am the owner/founder of Adrenaline Offroad which is an eCommerce store for aftermarket vehicle accessories! We mainly focus our expertise in the realm of automotive LED lighting accessories. Our products are built for a person who will endure hardcore offroading situations with their vehicle all the way to people who attend multiple shows per month in their show trucks! Some of our most popular products being our RGB+W underglow/rock light & LED wheel ring lights. In just over a year of quitting my job to pursue my passion for truck mods full time, I am so beyond proud & excited to be making 5x the amount of money that I used to make per month!
Pictured above is our most popular bundle kit called “The UFO GLOW Bundle Kit”
8. Start an eye masks store
The eye mask is a simple accessory that blocks out light and improves sleep. The global mask market is expected to reach USD 18.6 Million in the next few years.
If you love to help people sleep better, then starting an eye masks business might be the perfect business opportunity for you.
An eye masks business is a relatively low barrier to entry business that doesn't require much of an up-front investment. You can start by making your own eye masks or buying them from wholesalers in bulk, then sell them to customers through social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram.
I am the CEO & co-founder of Manta Sleep mask, the only mask designed, constructed, and optimized for deepest-possible sleep in any environment. Manta Sleep masks provide 100% blackout for maximized sleep quality — so users feel 100%, all the time. Just a pinprick of light can disrupt REM and deep sleep, leading to post-sleep tiredness. That’s why Manta perfectly covers and conforms to the eyes to block 100% of light, even in broad daylight — so users always get deep, uninterrupted sleep.
We are anti-hustle culture. Working long hours and “hustling” is absolutely idiotic because nobody can make great decisions working 12 hours a day. At that point, you're just a walking zombie working on low-value tasks and pretending like you are actually doing something important. You are pretending like you are actually making it work and “succeeding”, when in fact, you're just using mindless work as an excuse to make yourself feel better. In order to live a good life, a happy life, there are several pillars in our lives that we need to make sure to take care of: Health, Wealth, Family, and Friends. When these go out of sync, life sucks. You basically have to keep it balanced to live a good life.
9. Start a barber shop
Are you passionate about men’s grooming and looking to start a low-investment business with a high-profit margin? A barbershop can be a great business idea since it will never hit a low a season. Men and boys always look for grooming, no matter how bad the economy is.
Therefore, starting a barbershop can be a profitable business venture.
My name is Antonio Camilleri, an old school barber from Malta (Europe), I have been working as a barber for over 18 years. Started as an apprentice for the first 2 years and moving to the UK to further my studies, opened Antonio’s Barber Shop in Leister, UK for 5 years, and during that period I have traveled to the Netherlands to further improve my barbering skills.
We have an annual turnover of 1.5 million euros from 3 different revenue streams. One revenue stream is coming directly from the servicing itself, the second is from sales of products, and thirdly from the barbering academy.
10. Start a vr-based sports streaming service
Sporting is one of the domains where VR technology is put to use effectively and aggressively. VR technology enables users to amplify the sporting experience in nearly every field, including consuming content.
A Sports VR streaming service replicates the experience of being courtside at a game where a team is playing, so the user can view favorite sporting events in VR. The service provides a myriad of content, including live streaming sporting events such as the US Open, golden state warriors’ games, and other sports.
With a sports VR streaming service, no more paying for parking and expensive concessions! All the users need are VR headsets and can enjoy their favorite sports through the VR streaming service. Starting a VR streaming service is fun and a lucrative business opportunity.
I’m Zack Johnson, and I run ggCircuit,which provides premium software, services, and support for esports arenas around the world.
UC Irvine Esports Arena - One of our first university customers in 2016
11. Start an athletic footwear business
Data shows that the global athletic footwear market will grow at a compound annual rate of 4.9% in the next few years.
Awareness and growing enthusiasm regarding the health benefits of sports and fitness activities fuel the market growth. Thus, more people are shopping for athletic footwear on the streets and online. Setting up an athletic footwear business online or at a strip mall can be a successful venture.
Hello everyone! My name is Olguy Songolo. I am the co-founder and CEO of the DIFFERENCE, the very first heelless running shoe brand. Why heelless? Extensive research by the original designer, Etienne Penka, has determined that heel strikes are one of the leading causes of injury for runners, causing a host of negative health consequences in the heels, back, knees, and other impact absorption points. We discovered a simple and elegant solution: remove the heel.
As a Black-owned business, we’ve also seen a great deal of interest from the Black community. Another large segment of customers includes medical professionals such as nurses, who have found that wearing our shoes prevents the pain they are accustomed to the feeling after spending all day on their feet. Over the last two months, we’ve seen our revenue dramatically increase, grossing an average of $12,500 each month.
12. Start a boutique
You may consider opening a boutique if you are passionate about the fashion and textile industry.
A boutique is a shop that sells clothes. Opening a boutique is a dream for entrepreneurs who want to experience the joy and freedom of owning a cash business. Starting a boutique is easy and can be managed by a single individual. In addition, a boutique requires a comparatively smaller capital to start.
To succeed, the boutique owner must coming creativity and passion.
Hi everyone, my name is Gia, and I am the owner of Boutique Rye. We are a women’s clothing and accessories boutique that is all online!
We have anywhere from clothes that are appropriate for work or clothes that will make you turn heads on a night out on the town. I try and buy clothes with many different styles in mind. I'd like to think that we are a one-stop shop for a diverse group of women!
13. Start a mattress brand
Do you want to start a mattress business? Starting a mattress brand is a lucrative business you can set up in any part of the world. The truth is that the demand for mattresses is increasing as the population continues growing. Data shows that the global mattress market is growing by a CAGR of 6.7% over the past few years, and this growth will not slow down anytime soon. However, whether you shall be a wholesale or a retail mattress business, finding a good location is the key to the success of your business!
In recent years, strip malls have remained a good position for consumer goods such as mattresses.
My name is Joe Nashif and I operate US-Mattress.com. We are an online mattress retailer shipping all across the US and we also have some stores in Michigan. We specialize in selling name-brand mattresses, like Sealy, Serta, Tempur-Pedic, and Beautyrest, but we also offer many other brands like Nectar and other lesser-known names. We have a great team of dedicated folks helping to take care of our customers no matter where they live.
Our business is very competitive and it would be hard to start an online mattress company today. We were fortunate to get started when nobody was selling mattresses online. Today, we have competition from online giants, big brick and mortar retailers, and newer, direct-to-consumer brands. We generate $750,000 a month now, one customer at a time.
14. Start a children's clothing business
The children's clothing business has grown rapidly over the last few years, and in 2022 was valued at $263.30 billion.
Starting a children's clothing business gives you the opportunity to be your own boss while working in a field you enjoy. While you have to be prepared to work long hours and put in lots of hard effort, it can be extremely rewarding if successful.
Hello, I am Charles Carette, CEO & Co-founder of Bambox. We developed the first monthly subscription-based ecommerce for baby essentials combined with a virtual assistant to guide new parents throughout their baby’s first 3 years. We operate in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
15. Start a maternity store
Maternity wear is typically created with a loose, appropriate fit containing elastic, tabs, and stretchable fabric to provide extra comfort to the wearer. The demand for formal maternity wear is increasing, a trend that is because of an increasing number of working females.
According to records, the the number of pregnant working mothers is increasing tremendously, a trend that will continue for the next few years. Therefore, starting a maternity wear store at a strip mall or setting up an online shop can be a great business venture.
My name is Wendy Foster. I am the founder of The Mamalates Birth Recovery Method.
Postpartum women are sometimes isolated and can have challenges with the physical and mental recovery after baby. Finding an experienced professional to help them navigate this challenging time is crucial.
16. Start a lingerie business
Are you interested in opening a women's fashion shop? Running a lingerie shop can be the right choice for you. Any woman will tell you that wearing quality lingerie makes her feel beautiful and confident.
Therefore, opening a lingerie shop can be a successful business venture. To open, research the market and find a reliable supplier of quality lingerie. Before deciding on the location for your lingerie store, it would help if you research the competition and check if competitors within your targeted region are selling lingerie.
When considering location, choose strip malls located in busy streets to maximize the number of views from potential customers.
At the moment, this business is still a side hustle. Between my online store and the in person events I do, revenue averages to about 1.9k per month. Not bad for something that was started on a whim!
17. Start a food truck
Food trucks are a highly profitable business that offers customers a variety of meal options out of a mobile truck. This basically operates inside a large vehicle equipped with kitchen and food products. Starting a food truck is a dream for many people, but it's more challenging than it looks. To make it work, you need the ideal location and menu.
To start a food truck business in a particular city, it is mandatory to check what kind of food trucks are already operating, identify a gap, and bring in some new experiences. Then, with the right plan and the right approach, you can be on your way to starting your own food truck empire.
I started my career at the world-famous Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles Apprenticing under Certified Master Chef Raimund Hofmeister.
Food Fleet’s growth Year after year has been at an at over 30 %. From 2017-2018 we had an unprecedented 160% growth spurt. With a team of 6, including my partner and I, we managed over 20 million in sales for our clients. As an example. We took over a convention center 3 years ago managing their food truck business. For their largest event of the year, we were up 53% over the previous year. I honestly would have to equate some of that success to the under-reporting of sales by the previous operator. But the following year we were up 19% from that figure and again close to that this year. That is due in large part to our understanding of transaction times, menu mix, the equipment in each truck or pop up and other factors.
18. Start a hair salon
Hair salons offer a wide range of beauty services including hair-cutting, waxing, nail treatment, massages, and complementary care such as aromatherapy.
With the increased demand for high fashion beauty services, starting a hair salon could be a profitable venture.
To start a hair salon, you need a strong business plan and find a niche that attracts a local client base. To succeed, hire knowledgeable and experienced employees, and encourage them to maintain a good customer service culture,
19. Start a lighting store
The lighting fixtures market will reach a CAGR of 5.4% over the next few years. The massive demand for modern lighting fixtures will fuel the market growth as consumers look to optimize power consumption and save more on utility bills.
Thus, starting an interior and exterior lighting fixtures store can be a profitable business venture. If you are passionate about supplying lighting fixtures, consider setting up a brick-and-mortar shop in your neighborhood.
If you already have an online store that is doing well, you can target the areas with a high demand for lighting fixtures and open a physical store there.
I’m Nick Griffiths. For 25 years I was a freelance journalist in London; now I run Any Old Lights, selling vintage nautical and industrial lighting, online and from a shop by the sea in Cornwall, UK. You never quite know where life will take you!
Any Old Lights has won awards along the way and keeps growing in popularity, selling worldwide to anyone from high-street giants and celebrity bars to Middle Eastern hotel groups, turning over last year £250,000.
20. Start a drinkware brand
A drinkware brand sells home and houseware products like cups, koozies, mugs, and other drinking accessories. If you've decided to try and create a business selling drinkware, there are certain things you need to know. You can do it from the comfort of your own home. You can get started for free, avoiding the hefty cost of setting up a brick-and-mortar shop. And if you take advantage of the right marketing strategies, you could be on your way to making money within a few weeks. The demand for custom-branded drinkware in the workplace has increased substantially over the past decade.
Hello, my name is Dylan Jacob and I am the founder of BruMate, AKA, The Dehydration Company. We are a unique insulated drinkware brand with a sole focus on the adult beverage community.
I launched our first product line in November 2016. We did $250,000 in sales from November-December 2016, 2.1M in sales in 2017, and we are now doing over 1.1M/mo in sales, in over 1000 retailers nationwide, and are on track to do 20M this year with roughly 35-45% bottom line depending on our ad-spend.
21. Start a sports shop business
A retail sporting shop provides sports equipment such as balls, bats, gloves, sticks, rackets, clubs, and protective gear.
Entrepreneurs can set up a sports shop at a strip mall or sell their products online. Renting a shop at the strip mall will require a little money to pay the rent, but depending on the entrepreneurs’ approach, it could be more profitable.
Hello, my name is Chris Meade, and I’m the co-founder of CROSSNET, the world’s first four-way volleyball game. We have created a revolutionary four-way volleyball net where four players compete in a hybrid version of foursquare and volleyball in a competitive game to 11, win by 2.
We began working on our first prototype of CROSSNET during the summer of 2017 when I and our co-founders Greg Meade and Mike Delpapa moved to Miami to start our business. In 2018 we did $74,000 in revenue and just one year later we 30x’d our business in 2019 to $2,250,000 in sales.
22. Start an electronics store
An electronics store sells any electronics from smartphones to televisions, laptops, refrigerators and other home appliances. With the technological advancements in the past decade, the electronics sector is expected to grow by 5.6 percent over the next five years.
To start an electronics store, research and find the right location for your store, then register your company at the state level to get the tax ID number.
Then, research your competition, which includes online stores and the local electronics store in your area. You should examine what they sell and focus on the products you can provide at a better price than the competition.
Hello, my name is Kyle Capel and I am the founder of Hand Held Legend, a DIY upgrade shop for vintage handheld consoles. If you are as old as I am, you’ll remember the day you opened up your first Nintendo console and impatiently waited for mom or dad to figure out how to hook it up. After the crisp sound of a cartridge inserting into its plastic slot, you were ready to be taken into another world. Whether it be a 90’s Christmas morning or a special birthday, each of us can be taken back to parts of our youth when hearing and playing the games we grew up on. There is nothing that can replace the nostalgia old gaming consoles and the controllers that come with them.
Most of our customers are males between the ages of 13 and 45. Nearly 40% of our sales are international. Revenue averages about $27,000/month and is growing. The first quarter of 2020 posted a 30% increase in revenue over the same period in 2019.
23. Start an eye wear store
The global eyewear market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 8.4% over the next few years. The growth is because of the changing lifestyle patterns and increased adoption of luxurious accessories.
Therefore, starting an eyewear store can be a profitable business. An eyewear shop sells sunglasses, contact lenses, and eye protection wears.
My name is Andrew Shapiro, and I am the co-founder and CEO of Tomahawk Shades. Tomahawk Shades is the Eyewear Brand I co-founded with my twin brother, Ryan Shapiro. Our goal was to create affordable eyewear while providing the best quality in the market.
We have made our eyewear from a handful of different materials and, at the moment, are putting a strong focus on acetate, which is what is used in our best-selling Ranger Class. Within the last 3 years, we have seen a 175% increase in sales year over year, to increase this going forward.
24. Start a cosmetic store
The cosmetic industry is growing rapidly. Starting a cosmetic shop can be highly profitable, but only if you stock trendy, skin-friendly products.
If you are passionate about the beauty industry, consider starting a cosmetics brick-and-mortar shop.
Cosmetic shops sell products ranging from anti-aging, aromatherapy, lotions, beauty spa, cosmetic store, and even make-up.
To start a cosmetic store, research the market and source products from well-known brands in the beauty industry.
My name is Alexis Evans aka Da Mademoiselle. I am a native of South Florida who has started a cosmetic and skincare company named FBI Cosmetics d/b/a Flawlessly Beautiful Individual in the middle of a pandemic.
I am also the owner of Boss Talk Expo an annual expo and conference company. I branched out into the beauty industry, I started FBI Cosmetics off with just lipsticks and have progressed into the skincare business in December. I have grossed over $62,000 in sales. People ask where the name comes from and I tell people “it’s a crime to be so damn beautiful.”
25. Start a flower shop
Do you enjoy designing floral arrangements for special events like weddings or holidays? If so, owning a flower shop can be exciting and rewarding.
However, setting up the business for success can be overwhelming.
As a florist, your role is to touch people’s emotions with the flowers. The career requires creativity and design skills to appeal to your target customers. You need to love and enjoy working with flowers and have some patience.
My name is Carlos Franco, and I am the owner and creative director at Green Fresh Florals + Plants, San Diego's premier modern flower and plant shop located in Hillcrest.
I’ve been connected to Mother Earth my entire life and became a professional florist in my early 20’s. I opened Green in its current location in July 2009. Before that, I had a shop located in the East Village neighborhood in downtown San Diego.
26. Start a candy shop
Nothing is as enticing as a display of colorful and yummy sweet treats. Adults, teens to little kids will spend money on sweet treats. Therefore, opening a candy shop can be profitable and a fun business. Luckily, a candy shop is a low-capital business yet very profitable.
You can start as a distributor, wholesaler, or retailer, and as you learn the industry dynamics, turn to candy making business.
27. Start a book store
Starting a bookstore is a great way to start a small business.
Bookstores are found anywhere, from the smallest towns to the largest cities. Perhaps you have thought of running your bookstore . People need to read and buy books, and that’s been true for thousands of years. A bookstore is also a great central location where people can browse and purchase books.
Listed are the steps to start a bookstore business.
- Register your business
- Get all required permits and licenses.
- Organize your business operational flow
- Promote your business
28. Start a pawn brokerage business
A pawn broker lends money in exchange for personal property that the broker can sell if the loan is not repaid by a specific time. Pawn brokers charge interest rates, often higher than the banks.
To start a pawn brokerage, open a physical shop where loan applicants will drop their valuables. Develop a binding contract so loanees can sign their commitment when applying for the loan.
29. Start an organic food store
Organic food stores stock fresh or processed food produced through organic farming methods. Healthy food restaurants and health-conscious individuals are some target customers regarding healthy organic food.
If you plan to start an organic food store, focus on providing the customers freshest, organically grown produce. Starting an organic food store is a great way to make money while helping the environment. Organic food stores are becoming increasingly popular, especially with people who want to eat healthily but don't have time to cook. If you're looking for a business idea that will allow you to make money and help people simultaneously, starting an organic food store could be the perfect fit for you!
Organic food stores are so popular because they offer fresh produce that has not been treated with chemicals or pesticides, which means they're much safer than the produce found at your local grocery store.
Hi all! My name is Andrea and I’m the founder of Golden Root. I manufacture and sell a caffeine-free Turmeric Latte Mix in Denver, CO.
Currently, I sell Golden Root online from my e-commerce site and to over 50 coffee shops nationwide. After a very eventful and strong finish to 2018, Golden Root is making an average of $4k/mo.
30. Start a gift cards selling business
We all love receiving gifts from friends for occasions such as birthdays, weddings, or festival celebrations like Christmas and Easter. As times change, people's tastes and preferences are changing rapidly, and offering variety is the best way to fulfill customers' expectations.
Therefore, if you are looking for a good business idea, you may consider setting up a gift card shop at a convenient location. A strip mall with high traffic of target customers makes a good choice for a gift card business.
Hi there, my name is Dayana Doncheva and I am the founder of EcardForest. We create greeting cards that can be signed by multiple people and sent online. The product is quite straightforward - it’s a digital greeting card that a person buys and shares with others so that everyone can enter their wishes.
It looks like our efforts pay out well, as we already count more than $15K in monthly revenue.
31. Start a wine shop
A wine shop is a brick-and-mortar establishment that sells different wine brands from leading wineries. Starting a wine shop can be a lucrative business opportunity. Ensure a clear business plan detailing your target market and the suppliers you intend to work with.
Before launching the business, have a clear list of startup and ongoing costs. Research the competition, and find an ideal location where you will reach target customers.
32. Sell used appliances
The global second-hand appliances market is flourishing rapidly due to the rise in the income of lower-class consumers. Further, the global market for second-hand appliances is anticipated to achieve a Y-O-Y growth rate of 7.45% in the next few years.
With the growing need for appliances rising, starting a used appliances business can be a way to earn extra cash or even a side hustle.
To get started, target the areas with a growing population or middle-income areas where consumers choose to save money on appliances by opting for gently used or refurbished appliances. Then, register your used appliances business and create a business plan.
Find an ideal location and complement it with an online presence.
You may purchase used appliances from the used appliances stores, social media sales pages, auctions, estate sales, and auction websites such as eBay.
33. Start a bakery
Everyone loves baked goods, be it sweet items like cakes, muffins, and cookies or savory baked food like pizzas, buns, bread, and puff pastry. Baking takes a lot of effort and patience, which is why many people buy baked items from stores or restaurants instead of baking them at home.
Starting a bakery can be a rewarding business opportunity if you have a passion for baking. If you plan to start a bakery, consider that happy customers often become repeat customers. Therefore, always focus on quality and work on customer satisfaction.
To start a bakery , pick an ideal format. Some options include:
- Counter-style bakery
- A hybrid bakery with a cafe,
- Food truck with a bakery
- Home bakery.
Write a suitable business plan and choose the correct location.
Bonjour! My name is Anthony Rosemond. I'm a Parisian chef & founder of Pastreez, an online French bakery.
We’ve sold over 1 million macarons to this date, with only a team of two.
34. Start a grocery store
A grocery store sells a wide variety of food products, fresh or packaged, and other household & personal care items. The grocery store industry is the largest retail channel that makes $682 billion in the United States.
To start a basic grocery store, you can expect to spend a minimum of $50,000. Ideally, the bigger expense would be the rent, equipment, labor cost, cash registers/POS systems, and software. Some of these are recurring monthly fees. However, the location, size of the store, competitors, and local customers will significantly impact the business. A new grocer should sell more items for a lower price to make a more significant profit.
A new grocer can also save costs by buying the items from local distributors. The distributor is the middleman between the manufacturer and the grocery store selling it. Once the store cost and location are decided, the next step is to obtain a seller license. In most states, a grocer's license is required to run a grocery store.
Thus an average grocery store has a profit margin of 3% to 5%. The profit rates depend on the store's location, size, and popularity. On average, a small to medium grocery store can make a profit of up to $300,000 annually if all the profit factors are considered.
Another way to make your business more profitable is to diversify your store and add amenities like a coffee shop or stocking up the front of the store with magazines, batteries, etc., as these items can cross a margin of up to 70%. As a rule of thumb, offering lower prices on higher purchases will ultimately win more customers and increase profitability.
35. Start a restaurant
If you love cooking and are passionate about entrepreneurship, starting a restaurant can be a fun and lucrative business.
To get started, choose a great location, and hire an excellent support team. You will need a chef to inspect the food and line cooks, waiters, and waitresses to serve the customers. No matter the restaurant type, you need great culinary and business skills to make your dream come true.
If you plan to open a restaurant , gain insight from consumer preferences and focus on serving modern consumers what they need.
Hi, I’m Andrei Calinescu and I am the Founder and CEO of One Life Meals.
36. Start a retail pharmacy
Starting your retail pharmacy can be a rewarding venture that offers you independence and the opportunity to define your work schedule. If you are considering starting a pharmacy, understand the licensing requirements and comply with the National Council For Prescription Drug Program.
Then, define the business model. You may opt to start an online retail pharmacy or a brick & mortar establishment. For a brick-and-mortar establishment, rent a physical location and take care of staffing costs and inventory keeping.
My name is Misty Dupree and I own Medical Bag Tags, LLC. I create customizable medical and allergy awareness bag tags for your purses, backpacks, lunch boxes, and more! I desire to help bridge the gap between the medical community and everyday folks by raising awareness of medical and allergy conditions. My Bag Tags can help in emergencies where someone may not be able to speak for themselves.
During the darkest of dark days, I managed to keep my business afloat, getting small orders here and there. I did manage to pull myself out of the muck and get my LLC and Registered Trademark too. I am now on the other side of the years of pain and am looking forward to putting more time into my business and seeing it grow.
37. Start a vegan ice cream
Vegan ice cream is made using plant-based products. Free of animal-based products, vegan ice cream is healthy food.
Experts expect the demand for vegan ice cream to grow across the globe. Thus, starting your vegan-ice cream business can be a profitable business venture.
To start a vegan ice cream business, access the demand for your product and write a business plan. Then, contact your state's health department for a food handling license and permits before starting any business operations.
38. Start a coffee shop
Starting a coffee shop is an exciting and rewarding venture. It's a business that can be started with relatively little capital, and there are many ways to make it profitable. Coffee shops feature a low-cost stock but are profitable businesses.
If you plan to open a coffee shop, you may purchase a franchise, buy an existing business, or start from scratch. Whichever the decision, ensure a strategic location and renovate the space to create an inviting atmosphere. Develop a fantastic offering and begin marketing the business even before you open.
My name is Beth Baxter and I co-founded Camper Cafe, a mobile coffee van business. The idea for our business started with my partner’s love for vintage VW campervans. He had a rusty old shell of a T25 Campervan given to him, that he wanted to convert into a trailer for his motorbikes.
Although we never really thought about this ever becoming more than just a lifestyle business, we found we were turning so much work away from that in 2019 when the company was turning over around £150k from working only 70 days of the year, we decided that I should go full-time to see the potential.
39. Start a gift shop kiosk
The gifting culture is a trend that will not end anytime soon. People will look for customized or surprise gifts for their friends, parents, relatives, and colleagues.
Do you love the gifting tradition and looking for a chance to help others improve their gifting experiences? Maybe you can start a gift kiosk in your neighborhood.
A Gift kiosk sells greeting cards, books, candy, jewelry, fragrance, inspirational gifts, and baby and fashion items. To start, identify the niche, and set up the shop at a strategic location. It would be best to have high-quality suppliers so your business stands out and attracts return customers.
40. Start a mobile phone cases & accessories kiosk
The increasing adoption of mobile phones and other handheld devices has created a secondary demand for phone accessories. Experts project the mobile phone accessories market will reach $166 Billion in the next decade.
High-demand mobile phone accessories include phone cases, batteries, headphones, portable speakers, etc.
Opening a mobile phone accessories kiosk can be a profitable way to make money. Do you plan to start a mobile phone accessories kiosk? Find a busy shopping mall where people buy phones. You can sell mobile phone accessories in retail or wholesale only.
Hi, my name is Jean-Philippe Brousseau, I’m a 32-year-old entrepreneur from Canada, Québec. I’m the founder and owner of phoneloops.com. We mainly sell our universal phone strap that provides a secure, yet relaxed grip on mobiles to B2B and B2C markets.
We’ve been in business since 2014 after a successful Kickstarter campaign. We’ve grown exponentially every year since. As of 2018, we’ve sold over one million Loops in 66 countries. We couldn’t be happier and we are super excited about what the future holds.
41. Start a chocolate kiosk
Do you love crafting fine chocolate and other candies? Then starting a chocolate kiosk can be a fun and rewarding business opportunity.
To start, define the target customers and find an ideal location. Then, determine the type of chocolate you will sell and decorate your chocolate kiosk appropriately.
Finally, focus on serving quality and tasty chocolate to acquire customer loyalty.
Adam founded Dick At Your Door, an e-commerce shop for prank chocolate dicks. Getting viral on social networks turned it into a $25k/month business.
42. Start a 3D Printing Business
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, makes it possible to produce a physical item by assembling a material layer by layer.
If you love creating stuff, then a 3D printing business may be for you.
My name is Roy Kirchner, an entrepreneur from Odessa, Florida. After years spent in the automobile and marketing and advertising industries, I decided in 2014 to form a new company solely focused on emerging new technology, 3D printing.
I started my company with an initial, out-of-pocket investment of $65,000, and today we are averaging monthly gross sales of $330,000.
43. Become a massage therapist
Massage is a growing industry, and as such, many business options exist for those who want to enter this field. The most typical form of massage therapist business is an independent operation. This can be either out of one's home or a massage studio rented on an hourly basis.
Building a successful massage therapy business is not as difficult as you might think. Massage therapists offer much-needed services to communities and clientele. If you are looking for a new career or want to increase your income while delivering an important service, then starting a new massage therapist business can be an excellent choice.
Turn your massage therapy practice into a successful business by applying core business skills that lead to success.
Hi there! My name is Sam Varnerin and I created Snuggle with Sam, my independent professional cuddling practice, while I was still working full-time as a construction engineer.
Here’s all of the contributors on the panel at CuddleXpo in Chicago presenting how we came up with the Code of Ethics for Professional Cuddling. Back left to right: Maryelen Reid, Madelon Guinazzo, Samantha Varnerin (me!), Samantha Hess, Jean Franzbleau, Fei Wyatt, Janet Trevino. Front left to right: Keely Shoup, Lisa Meece. Photo credit Rellian Chen Merrin
44. Start a smoothie business
Smoothie is a blend of whole fruits containing bananas, yogurt, honey, ice cream, and other ingredients.
Smoothie businesses attract health-conscious consumers, and their mass appeal has grown tremendously.
In the US alone, smoothie bars are a 3-billion-dollar industry. Therefore, starting your smoothie business can be a great idea from an entrepreneur’s standpoint. To start your smoothie bar, consider an ideal location, and ensure a proper shop format. The alternative smoothie shop formats include:
- Dine in Plenty of seating space: customers order and pay at the counter.
- Window only: Serves takeaway smoothies with customers ordering and paying at the counter
- Food truck: Mobile smoothie shop allowing you to connect with a more extensive customer
The rising popularity of healthy juices and the low startup cost makes the smoothie industry an appealing frozen food business idea.
Hi there. I’m Jen Hansard, the co-founder of Simple Green Smoothies where we create plant-powered recipes that gives you the energy and health to fuel your passion. It all started on Instagram in 2012, yet over the years (and with a LOT of hustle and luck) it has exploded into a brand of best-selling plant-based recipe books, live community cleanses, adventure retreats and the #1 green smoothie app in iTunes, Daily Blends. Since 2012, Simple Green Smoothies has helped over 2 million people take control of their health in a tasty and simple way.
Our programs can bring in as much as $30,000 a month in revenue, which helps me pay our staff, expenses and also allows us to help women farmers in Cambodia build mushroom farms through World Hope International. Click here to learn more.
45. Start an artwork kiosk
Artwork kiosks sell traditional landscape paintings, abstract paintings, pop art, graffiti, nude paintings, etc. According to statistics, the global art market is snowballing. Homeowners and business owners are among the largest consumers of artwork.
Thus, starting an artwork kiosk can be profitable. Getting started is easy. Make sure you find an ideal location where you can display the artwork and catch the customer’s attention. To boost sales, ensure you have an active online presence and share the artwork in online galleries.
46. Start a bedding & pillow kiosk
A bedding & pillow sales kiosk business sells mattress covers, fitted sheets, flat sheets, pillowcases, comforters, shams, quilts, and bed skirts.
Research has shown that the global home bedding market size will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 7.9% in the next decade.
The growth in demand attributes to the boom in the housing sector and the growing consumer spending on home furnishings, which have expanded the growth scenario for the market.
Therefore, a sales professional looking for the best sales business idea stands a chance to increase their income if they start the bedding & pillow sales kiosk business. To start your bedding & pillow sales kiosk business you need skills and the knowledge of sourcing good designs and high-quality materials. Also, you need proper negotiation skills so you can maximize your profit margins.
Follow these steps to start your bedding & pillow sales kiosk business.
- Decide how much you are willing to invest
- Research the market
- Come up a name for your bedding kiosk
- Choose a strategic location
- Acquire business licenses
- Get the required insurance for your business
- Obtain inventory for your kiosk
When you have your bedding & pillow sales kiosk business running, you can scale your sales by showcasing your beddings with professionally edited photos. In addition, sell your bedding online, in-person, and in whatever channel your target consumers feel convenient to use.
I’m Colin McIntosh, Founder & CEO of Sheets & Giggles, a pun-based, eco-friendly bedding brand that launched in May 2018 on Indiegogo with our first product: lyocell bed sheets made from eucalyptus trees.
That’s me in the middle after winning Denver Startup Week back in September.
47. Start a jewelry retail kiosk
Starting a jewelry retail kiosk can be a lucrative and engaging business. Jewelry kiosks across the country have been growing rapidly. Jewelry retailers buy stocks online at cheaper prices and sell locally at a profit. Besides, the online jewelry wholesalers offer a unique and much larger jewelry selection.
The United States jewelry market was valued at about $76B in 2020. Diamond jewelry is the most valuable jewelry market in the United States. Starting a jewelry kiosk can be extremely profitable. But to do this, you need a great e-commerce platform.
I am Tara Mikolay, one of the co-founders of Desires by Mikolay, a brand offering fine and designer jewelry, fashion and gift items, custom design and jewelry repair.
It is a personal motto that we never stop moving. We are constantly accessing how the business functions, if we are serving our customers properly, and what we can do to improve. Currently we are working on offering our customers even MORE ways to shop remotely. We want to make it an easy process for them to celebrate all their special occasions with us.
48. Start a movie posters kiosk
Do you have a passion for movies and looking to turn your passion into a business but are not sure of the idea? How about printing movie-themed posters and selling them to other movie fans near you? Starting a movie posters business can be a fun and a great way to earn money.
To start, find trending movies and print images of the movie characters and scenes from the movie. You can sell the movie posters outside movie theaters or online.
49. Start a perfume retail kiosk
The global perfume market is growing rapidly, a trend attributed to increased awareness of luxury and exotic fragrances. Among the end users, the fragrance market is segmented into male, female, and unisex. However, the females account for a higher value luxury perfume market share.
To start a perfume kiosk, understand the market potential and conduct proper research. Select a niche and an ideal location for your perfume business. To keep the business running, create a sourcing plan and scout the competition.
Hi, my name is Rafael Hernandez and I am the founder of Alfred Lane. I have a line of personal and home fragrances handcrafted in small batches out of our Miami studio. I began selling solid colognes initially as an alternative to spray colognes and released three fragrances.
The business generates $19k a month in revenue. In 2020, the company had its best year ever. I opened a production studio where we make everything and hired a studio assistant all within the last 5 months. It’s been more than 8 years since I started and the journey has been a wild one.
50. Start a vegan ice cream
Vegan ice cream is made using plant-based products. Free of animal-based products, vegan ice cream is healthy food.
Experts expect the demand for vegan ice cream to grow across the globe. Thus, starting your vegan-ice cream business can be a profitable business venture.
To start a vegan ice cream business, access the demand for your product and write a business plan. Then, contact your state's health department for a food handling license and permits before starting any business operations.
51. Start a sports bar
People drink when they are happy or depressed. Opening a sports bar can be an excellent opportunity to earn money no matter their mood.
Are you looking for a strip mall business idea? You can start a sports bar at your nearest strip mall. You can sell take-away wines, spirits, whiskey, or beers and have a sitting place for customers who enjoy drinks at the bar.
52. Start a home improvement service kiosk business
Do you have a passion for home improvement? You can start a space improvement kiosk that sells various décor products for either office or residential spaces. Setting up a home improvement kiosk at the strip mall will allow you to speak with customers and show them samples of your products.
To start a home improvement kiosk, find an ideal location, probably within busy streets. Ensure unique space décor to attract many customers to your business.
53. Start a car wash
As more people purchase vehicles, the demand for carwash services will keep increasing. Starting a car wash can be the ticket for the budding entrepreneur looking for an innovative business idea with low startup costs.
You must choose an ideal location and invest in quality car wash equipment to operate a successful car wash. Proper advertising and marketing are critical to running a successful car wash business.
Hi Starter Story! My name is Joey Sanchez and I'm the founder of Wolf's Auto Detailing in Phoenix, Arizona. We are a mobile auto detailing service that focuses on quality work and convenience. We specialize in interior detailing, Paint polishing, and ceramic coating just to name a few.
While our client list consists of many different types of vehicles and personalities, they all share one thing in common: they all understand the value of quality work. We hold our standards very high and measure our success not only in dollar amounts but in the satisfaction of our clients. However, making $3K a month only working 3 days a week isn't a bad deal!
54. Start a convenience store business
A convenience store is a shop with extended opening hours and stocks different household goods and groceries.
These stores are located conveniently, such as strip malls or residential areas, where people can access them easily.
Here are three options to consider:
- Buying an existing store
- Opening a franchise
- Starting a convenience store from scratch
Buying an existing convenience store comes with the advantage of inheriting the existing customer base so long as you keep up the excellent service. For the franchise, it means the parent company will provide you with the guidelines and procedures, inventory lists, and pay for national marketing and advertising.
However, opening your convenience store means you have the freedom to choose vendors and product selection. You can select the location and negotiate the lease.
Regardless of your choice, ensure your convenience store is within a strategic location.
55. Start a vape shop business
The global e-cigarette and vape market is expected to keep rising over the next years. Vapers are attracted to the marketable technology and flavorings seen in vaping devices.
According to statistics, around 7% of adults vape, and up to 20% of existing smokers vape.
If you are looking for a business idea you can launch at the strip mall, starting a vape shop is an irresistible opportunity.
To open a vape shop, partner with an experienced and reliable e-liquid wholesaler. Then research the market, so you understand your target market and have a clear picture of what they expect. Finding a good location for your vape shop will help you maximize sales.
We have a glassblowing facility on site where our customers can see our glass artists working every day. Our team also produces high-quality, bulk-promotion glass hand pipes where we custom etch company logos right into the glass. This has been a widely popular and growing area for us.
We faced challenges head-on and have learned a tremendous amount both in our industry, and organic business growth. The reward for this unbridled passion is apparent through our swaths of satisfied customers resulting in a business that generates 366% greater sales revenue than our industry peers.
56. Start a yard art business
Yard art enhances the outdoor space by creating stunning focal points. Landscape and home décor experts use metal art as an easy-to-install and maintain yard enhancement method. Thus, if you are a metal fabricator looking for home improvement ideas, consider the metal art business. You can make metal yard art for indoor and outdoor installation.
To start the business, register a brand and ensure you meet all the legal formalities. You can do a sample yard art in your compound and use it as a reference site. Alternatively, you can start mass production of metal yard art and sell them online or at a brick & mortar establishment.
57. Start a nail salon
A nail salon is a specialty beauty salon that offers nail beautification solutions for men and women. The services available at nail salons include manicures, pedicures, and other nail enhancements. Nail technicians at the nail salon also check for signs of fungus or sores that need special treatment.
To start a nail salon business, find an ideal location and register a unique brand name. Apply for the business plan and ensure you have the permit to operate a nail salon in your city.
58. Start a stationery business
A stationery business sells stationery products such as paper goods, notebooks, greeting cards, and envelopes.
The best part about starting a stationery business is that it's relatively easy and inexpensive to get started.
Since there are so many different types of products available in this industry, there are endless opportunities for creativity, customization, and expansion.
You could even start out small by selling your products on Etsy or eBay before opening up an actual storefront.
Hi, I’m Jess. I’m 34 years old from Tasmania, Australia. I started Chasing Planner Peace back in 2015 when I was pregnant with my third child. Originally we were based on Etsy and only sold planner inserts, however, we’ve now turned into a one-stop planner shop that caters to seasoned “planner addicts” who want to add to their planners, and also planner newbies who love the fact our shop is the only store in Australia you can custom build your own ring planner style planner.
Over the past few years, we’ve really expanded our range to not only offer planners and inserts, but also planner dashboards (beautiful cover pages), dividers, notepads, stationery items and more. We also recently started our subscription box service where every two months customers can receive a “Planner Peace Box” which is full of planner and self-care goodies. We have so many more plans for new products in 2020.
59. Start a kids store
The kid's store business is a large market attracting millions of annual global sales and steady growth. If you plan to start a kids store business, you can specialize in clothing, toys, and accessories or sell all of these in one store.
Research the local market to discover what is appealing, and find the best suppliers. Define a business model and apply for applicable licensing. For kids apparel stores, a physical storefront acts as an anchor and helps build a local customer base. An online store will help you reach a wider market as you supply to those outside your locality.
60. Start a Garment Retail Store
While garment retail stores are getting a lot tougher because of huge discount department store chains, they are still a viable business idea for entrepreneurs who are willing to commit extra time and effort to make a sale.
If you are planning to start a garments retail store, develop a strong business strategy that clearly differentiates you and gives shoppers a reason to walk into your store. You will need capital for funding the inventory, paying rent, and some cash reserve to market your business.
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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