Left luggage shop near a station or tourist spot

Tourists between check-out and their train, bus or flight, cruise passengers, day visitors, and people at nearby events or conferences.

A fee per bag, usually per day or per block of hours, with extra for oversized items. Busy summer and holiday periods carry most of the income.

• Friendly, patient customer service
• Organised and careful with other people's belongings
• Basic bookkeeping and opening hours discipline

• Commercial general liability insurance, plus cover for customers' belongings in your care (check with a broker what is included)
• Municipal business licence, zoning and signage rules, and French-language signage rules if you are in Quebec
• Written terms covering lost tickets, unclaimed bags, liability limits and banned items such as weapons, hazardous goods and perishables
• Strong seasonality, with quiet winter months in many places, so check you can cover rent year-round
• GST/HST registration once your revenue passes the small supplier threshold

Estimates suggest startup typically costs around $15,000 to $60,000, depending on the unit, racks or lockers, and fit-out. Strong seasonality means you should check that you can cover rent year-round.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on location, opening hours and season. A typical minimum is about 30 hours a week, and many places have quiet winter months, so plan for uneven income.

Check your municipal business licence, zoning and signage rules, plus French-language signage rules in Quebec. Also check insurance covering customers' belongings, written terms for lost tickets, unclaimed bags and banned items, and GST/HST registration.