Rustic furniture showroom

Homeowners, cottage and cabin owners, people furnishing a new home, and small cafés or guesthouses wanting a warm look.

You sell each piece at a markup over what you paid the maker or supplier. Custom orders, delivery fees and matching accessories add extra income.

• Eye for quality and style
• Sales and customer service
• Buying and pricing stock
• Basic care and repair of wood furniture

• Commercial lease terms and the cost of floor space tied up in large, slow-selling stock
• Commercial general liability insurance, plus cover for stock and any delivery vehicle
• GST/HST and any provincial sales tax, which differ by province, so check with the CRA and your province
• Quebec has French-language rules for signs and customer information, so check them if you open there
• Seasonality: sales can slow in winter and get busier in spring and around moving season
• Children's furniture such as cribs has strict Health Canada safety rules, so check before stocking it

Startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $80,000 CAD, depending on lease terms, floor space and how much stock you carry. These are estimates, and large, slow-selling pieces can tie up a lot of cash.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $6,000 to $30,000, depending on your location, stock and the season. That is revenue, not profit, and a showroom usually means working about 35 hours a week or more.

Check your commercial lease terms, insurance (commercial general liability, plus cover for stock and any delivery vehicle) and GST/HST and provincial sales tax with the CRA. Check Quebec French-language rules if you open there, and Health Canada rules before stocking cribs or children's furniture.