Irish gift shop

Locals with Irish roots, tourists, gift shoppers and people buying for events and holidays.

Retail sales of stock bought wholesale, with extra income from online orders, gift hampers and seasonal events.

• Retail and customer service
• Buying and managing stock
• Basic bookkeeping
• Merchandising and local marketing

• Commercial leases can be long, so get advice before signing and negotiate break clauses if possible
• Selling packaged food may need checks with your local public health unit and labelling rules, including bilingual labels
• You will need commercial general liability and property insurance, and WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire staff, so check your province
• Sales are seasonal, with peaks around St. Patrick's Day and Christmas and quieter months in between
• Check municipal business licence and signage rules, and register for GST/HST when required

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $25,000 to $100,000, depending on your location, shop fit-out and opening stock. Get advice on lease terms before signing, since rent and fit-out can change your total considerably.

Check commercial lease length and break clauses, local public health unit and labelling rules for packaged food including bilingual labels, municipal licence and signage rules, and GST/HST registration. Also arrange liability and property insurance, plus WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on location, stock range and footfall. Sales are seasonal, with peaks around St. Patrick's Day and Christmas and quieter months in between, so plan your cash flow.