Open a local souvenir and gift shop

Tourists, day trippers, cruise and bus visitors, and locals buying gifts for out-of-town guests.

You buy stock wholesale or from local makers and sell at a mark-up. Sales are heavily seasonal, so peak months carry the year.

• Choosing products that sell
• Customer service
• Stock control and budgeting
• Basic merchandising and display

• Commercial rents in tourist spots can be high, so check lease terms and what happens in the off-season
• Check your municipality for a business licence and sign rules
• Commercial general liability and contents insurance
• Register for GST/HST (and PST or QST where your province applies) once you pass the threshold, and check provincial rules
• Many cheap souvenirs are imported, so check for items that could infringe trademarks or Indigenous art copyright, and label origin honestly
• Quebec has French-language signage and display requirements, so check them if you are there

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $15,000 to $60,000, depending on location, lease terms, fit-out and opening stock. Commercial rents in tourist spots can be high, so check lease terms and what happens in the off-season.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on foot traffic, your product choice and the season. Tourist trade can be uneven, so check off-season trading when comparing locations and lease terms.

Check your municipality for a business licence and sign rules, plus commercial general liability and contents insurance. Look into GST/HST and provincial tax registration, trademark and Indigenous art copyright issues, honest origin labelling, and Quebec French-language signage rules.