Small paintings shop or gallery

Local residents, interior designers, small businesses, tourists and gift buyers.

You earn a margin on each sale, either as commission on consigned originals or on the difference between the wholesale and retail price of prints. Framing and events add extra income.

• Curating and pricing art
• Selling and customer service
• Managing artist relationships
• Basic bookkeeping and shop management

• Commercial lease terms, deposits and how long you are committed for, ideally reviewed before signing
• Municipal business licence, zoning and signage rules (check with your municipality)
• Commercial general liability insurance plus coverage for stock on display
• Slow sales in the early months, so plan for rent and costs to be covered before income builds
• GST/HST and provincial sales tax registration, and in Quebec, French-language signage and labelling rules

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on your lease and deposit, your fit-out and the amount of art you stock.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on your location, the art you stock and how quickly you build a customer base. Sales may be slow in the early months, so plan to cover rent and costs.

Check commercial lease terms, deposits and commitment length before signing, plus municipal business licence, zoning and signage rules. Also check liability and stock insurance, GST/HST and provincial sales tax registration, and in Quebec, French-language signage and labelling rules.