Survivalist guide for pandemic crisis series: Setting up your first convenience store.

Grocery and essential commodities trading are the most in-demand business during this Pandemic.

Three major companies in the grocery delivery space alone recently announced plans to hire 550,000 positions.

1. How and where to start?

Starting Small

If you want to save for rent, you can start your own sundry or convenience store enterprise in the comfort of your home. If you have a spare space near your property line, you can construct it there.

Now, if you are a seasoned businessman, or an seasoned Overseas Worker who lost your job due to Covid and wanted to start a convenience store business, now is the time to do so.

Starting it Bigger

If you have enough savings and capitalization, you can use it to rent a better location considering better foot traffic on a commercial areas. Be sure you have enough fund to pay your advance rent.

You need to study the demography of the area. To study the demography of the area, you should be able to gather localized data of the population in your local area of influence.

It is important that you should be able to "feel" your location by visiting and surveying it personally. But of course, you cannot really survey them one by one. I recommend you just use your educated guess, so that you can be able to survey it quickly. Using an updated satellite map as well, will make your life easier.

2. How much the cost for rent?

If you choose to rent a commercial space, needs you to pay 1 month advance (sometime 2 months in advance) and 1 month deposit. Review the contract thoroughly before you commit.

3. How much will be the cost for shop design and construction?

If you consider to maximize space through space planning, I will suggest you consult an Architect or an Interior Designer with experience in commercial designing. DIY can be risky if you do not have enough knowledge. If you wanted to DIY, you can buy books, but it will not be enough. Experience is still the best teacher.

The Architect-of-record can design and administer your project with minimum standard professional fee of 10% of the total probable project construction cost.

The Architect or Commercial Interior Designer can be able to help you in the following:

Shopfront Design

Shopfront design is very important as it will emphasize your convenience store's branding.The Architect can design a welcoming entourage and help you conceptualize a branding theme. It is advisable that your shopfront should be open as possible so that there will be a 90% visibility for your shopfront displays. If you want to learn branding, you can buy books for better understanding.

Branding

the choice of name and logo for your store will be very crucial. It is very important as this will be the name that will carry your business all throughout. The architect can help you conceptualize your branding strategy (if he has some branding experience). Some Architects includes it in their services.

This can be separate or included to the contract, so it is important for you to review it before you approve and sign it.

Space planning

This depends on how big your store space is, the types of products you want to sell, and your target customers.

Space planning can be able to maximize your space so that your products will be attractive and displays can be well-fitted, and sorted out as per categories, while making sure that you can eye the store for shoplifters.

Store Counter

The location of your shop's counter should be strategically located to give convenient to your customers (with enough space for social distancing during this Pandemic). It should be well lighted, with emphasis on branding.

Store Lighting and Ceiling Lay-out.

Consider your lighting arrangements as you design your floor plan. Provide sufficient lighting so customers can easily find their way through the displays without being blinded by the lights.Display lights and spot lights are important so that your products can be visible to the customers.

Spotlights is advisable on the sale items and high-margin goods to guide customers to check out the products.

Store Flooring.

Use non-skid flooring materials to avoid slipping accidents. Light and strong colored flooring can endue a feeling of excitement to the customers.

Natural Ventilation and Mechanical Air conditioning.

As the stores are re-opening after the lockdown, experts are gently urging people to pay attention to ventilation. It's essential that convenience stores are ventilated with a fresh airflow.

So your store should be a combination of mechanically assisted air conditioning, but with natural fresh air flow system going inside to replenish the air. This will push the virus out of your store and protect your products and customers from contaminations.

4. Permits and Approvals

Commercial interior projects needs to have drawings to be submitted to the municipality or to the city engineering and architecture office for approvals. The length of days to approve or comment is dependent on the system per city, municipality or state in each country. The more advance the country in terms of technology, the faster it will be in the approval.

What are the Business Permits you need to obtain (Philippine setting)?

• Certificate of Business Name Registration in the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

• Business Barangay Clearance.

• Business Permit in the Mayor's Office.

• Certificate of Registration at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)

After you get your construction permit, there will be inspection by the Municipality representative before commencing the construction. DO NOT START the construction unless it is inspected to avoid PENALTY.

Length of the Construction.

The construction of the commercial shops varies and depends on how big or complicated it is. But for a simple convenience store with an area of not more than 100-150 sq.m., it will take 30 to 45 days to finish.The Project Architect as administrator, will be in charge with the time, cost and quality control until the end of the project. He will be in the site as scheduled, to ensure that the crucial works will be started right and done timely. Quality and the correctness of work should be carried out at all times.If no change request from the Client and the project goes smoothly, The Architect-administrator can proceed for inspection request from the Client himself for handover.

Then there will be final inspection from the Municipal Architect-inspector and the local Civil Defense. The Municipality will issue certificate of approval if all the requirements are successfully installed as per the municipality-approved drawings. Occupancy permit will follow afterwards.

5. Your Grand Opening!

Your opening date is like going through a successful birth. This is a great relief and a feeling of bliss after a conception and hard labor. It is a happiness that should be shared targeting your prospected customers.

So prepare to open with a bang!

You can create a party discounts on your first day! You can use the social media ads to invite people to come during the opening! On your first day, impress them and accommodate all your customers with the best service you can give!

6. Innovate!

Do not wait for the customers to come to you, innovate!

You can make a grocery delivery system or a mobile grocery web-store.You can start your own FB page and group so that it will help you connect with your customers.

It will be a combination of passive conventional and aggressive unconventional marketing and selling system.

Build your fleet of delivery army so that you can delegate most of your deliveries quickly.

Then step by step, conquer from your center of influence up to the outside.Create a spreadsheet for your fleet with their names and all the information you need.

Build your relationship with the suppliers and other grocery stores.

If you have a budget in the future, you can create an ordering app that can add value of convenience to your customers and efficiency your delivery.

7. Expand through delegation!

You cannot do it all. Time will come you need to hire managers and additional staffs to help you with your growing business!

8. Ensure the essentials and build emergency funds!

We cannot be sure of the future, and it is very crucial to save for your emergency funds, while your essential properties should be insured with the most dependable insurance company.

9. Diversify!

If you and your business will survive the pandemic, and the sales are going up, you need to save for your emergency needs, and build funds for portfolio diversification. More choices of products, more customers will come and like your service.

The more excess funds you have, the more opportunities to diversify your business portfolio!

Divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks might lie ahead.” Ecclesiastes 11:1-2.

10. Give Back!

It is important that you give a discount every now and then to invite future customers! This is one of the few ways of giving back to your community.

#Thrive

#Survive