Leather and shoe repair shop

Local shoppers, commuters, boutique and luxury resale stores, dry cleaners and tailors who refer leather work.

Per-job pricing for each repair, with higher prices for complex restoration and steady wholesale work from partner businesses.

• Leather stitching and shoe repair techniques
• Using sewing machines and finishing tools
• Customer service and pricing jobs accurately
• Basic bookkeeping

• Check city or county business license, zoning and sales tax registration requirements for your state
• General liability insurance, plus coverage for customers' property in your care
• Lease terms and rent, which can outweigh slow early months
• Machines and chemicals bring safety and ventilation requirements, so check local fire and building rules
• Unclaimed items can pile up, so set a clear pickup policy in writing

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on your premises, lease deposit, machines, tools, materials and insurance. Rent can outweigh income in slow early months, so plan for it.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your location, the mix of repairs, your pricing and customer volume. The estimate assumes at least about 35 hours a week.

Check your city or county business license, zoning and your state's sales tax registration. Also check general liability and customer-property insurance, local fire and building rules for machines and chemicals, and set a written pickup policy.