Garden statuary yard and showroom

Homeowners, landscapers, garden designers, and people buying memorial or housewarming pieces.

Retail mark-up on stock, plus delivery and placement fees. Trade accounts with landscapers can add steady repeat orders.

• Sales and customer service
• Buying and stock control
• Safe lifting and handling

• Check zoning rules for outdoor display and signage with your municipality
• Commercial general liability insurance, since heavy items can tip or fall
• Concrete and ceramic pieces can crack in freeze-thaw weather, so check how to store and display stock over winter
• Sales are strongly seasonal, so plan your cash flow for the quiet months
• Check GST/HST registration and any provincial sales tax rules
• Lifting equipment and delivery vehicles add cost and safety responsibilities, so check workplace safety rules in your province

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $20,000 to $80,000, depending on premises, stock and display setup. Monthly revenue is estimated at about $4,000 to $20,000, depending on your range, location and the season.

Check zoning rules for outdoor display and signage with your municipality, and GST/HST registration and provincial sales tax rules. Get commercial general liability insurance, since heavy items can tip or fall. Also check workplace safety rules in your province for lifting equipment and delivery vehicles.

Plan on at least about 30 hours a week as an estimate. Sales are strongly seasonal, so plan your cash flow for quiet months. Concrete and ceramic pieces can crack in freeze-thaw weather, so check how to store stock over winter.