Neighbourhood general store

Local residents, seniors, people without a car, workers on their break, cottage and seasonal visitors, and anyone needing a quick top-up shop.

You buy stock wholesale and sell at a markup. Margins per item are thin, so steady daily foot traffic matters. Extras like local products, ready-made food, or services such as parcel pickup can lift the average sale.

• Stock ordering and inventory control
• Customer service
• Basic bookkeeping and cash handling
• Negotiating with suppliers

• Zoning and business licence for the location, check with your municipality
• Selling perishable or prepared food may need a permit and inspection from your local public health unit
• Tobacco, vape, alcohol and lottery sales are usually licensed or restricted by province, check your provincial regulator before stocking them
• Register for GST/HST when required and check provincial sales tax rules where you live
• Commercial general liability and property insurance, plus WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire staff (rules vary by province)
• Thin margins, spoilage and theft can eat profits, and long opening hours are common
• Winter weather and seasonal swings can change foot traffic a lot in some areas

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on the unit, fit-out, opening stock and any extras such as a deli counter. Your own figure will depend on location and how much stock you carry at launch.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $12,000 to $60,000, depending on location, opening hours, range and foot traffic. Revenue is not profit, and thin margins, spoilage and theft can reduce what you keep. The starting estimate is at least 45 hours a week.

Check zoning and business licence rules with your municipality. Selling perishable or prepared food may need a permit and inspection from your local public health unit, and tobacco, vape, alcohol and lottery sales are usually licensed or restricted by province, so check your provincial regulator first.