Antique furniture shop
Open a small shop selling curated antique furniture to locals, designers and collectors.
- $10k-50k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
What it is
A small storefront or showroom where you display antique furniture you have sourced from estates, auctions, dealers and private sellers. Many owners also offer light restoration, delivery and a buying service.
Your first three steps
- Build up a starter inventory by buying at estate sales and auctions, and research comparable sold prices before you commit to a lease
- Visit a few local antique shops and malls, and talk to designers and stagers about what they struggle to find
- Get your business set up (LLC or sole proprietorship, EIN, state sales tax registration) and ask your city or county what licenses a retail shop needs
Who pays
Local homeowners, interior designers and stagers, collectors and visitors who browse antique districts.
How it makes money
Margin on each piece sold, plus extra from delivery, restoration or commissions for sourcing a specific item for a designer or collector.
Skills that help
- Knowledge of furniture periods, makers and values
- Sourcing and negotiating
- Merchandising and customer service
- Basic bookkeeping and stock tracking
Watch out for
- Retail rent and a long lease are the biggest risk, so check terms carefully and consider a short lease or shared space first
- Stock can sit unsold for months, so keep enough cash to cover slow periods
- Check your state's sales tax rules, and whether any secondhand dealer or antique dealer license applies in your city or county
- Get general liability and property insurance, and check how your policy covers high-value stock
- Check rules on antiques containing ivory, certain tropical woods or older finishes before selling or restoring them
- Workers' compensation insurance may be needed once you hire help, so check your state's rules
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: antique furniture shop
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to open an antique furniture shop?
Startup costs are typically around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on your premises, lease terms and how much stock you buy. This is an estimate. Retail rent and a long lease are the biggest risk, so check terms carefully.
How much can an antique furniture shop make?
Monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your stock, location and how quickly pieces sell. Treat this as an estimate. Stock can sit unsold for months, so keep cash to cover slow periods.
What licenses and rules apply to an antique shop?
Check your state's sales tax rules and whether any secondhand dealer or antique dealer license applies in your city or county. Also check insurance for high-value stock, rules on ivory, tropical woods or older finishes, and workers' compensation when you hire.
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