Japanese confectionery shop

Walk-in shoppers, people buying gifts, local Japanese and Asian communities, tourists and office workers nearby.

Counter sales of single sweets, boxed assortments and imported packaged goods, plus seasonal gift sets and larger orders for events.

• Making Japanese sweets or hiring someone who can
• Customer service
• Stock buying and managing inventory
• Basic bookkeeping

• A health department permit and inspection is usually needed for food made or sold on site, so check the requirements for your city or county
• Local business license, sales tax registration and zoning for your location
• Rent and build-out costs, so check the lease terms carefully
• Imported foods must meet FDA labeling rules, so check what applies to the products you stock
• General liability insurance and workers' compensation once you hire
• Fresh sweets have short shelf lives, so plan batch sizes to limit waste

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $40,000 to $150,000, depending on your location, build-out, equipment and opening stock. Rent and build-out can be a big part of this, so check lease terms carefully before committing.

A health department permit and inspection is usually needed for food made or sold on site, so check the requirements for your city or county. Also check your local business license, sales tax registration, zoning and FDA labeling rules for imported foods.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $30,000, depending on location, product range and foot traffic. Fresh sweets have short shelf lives, so plan batch sizes to limit waste. The estimates assume about 40 hours a week.