Rice cracker and asian snack shop

Local residents, students, Asian food lovers, tourists, and shoppers buying gifts.

Retail sales of packaged snacks at a markup over wholesale, plus gift boxes, loose-weight sales where permitted, and bulk orders from offices or events.

• Choosing and buying stock
• Running a shop and handling cash
• Friendly customer service
• Keeping track of stock and dates

• Health department permit rules for food retail; check whether selling only sealed packaged snacks is treated differently from opening packs or offering samples
• Lease terms, rent increases and the cost of fitting out the space
• Allergen and ingredient labels on imported products must meet FDA rules, so check each product
• General liability insurance, and workers' compensation once you hire staff
• Stock going out of date, so order in small amounts at first
• Sales tax registration with your state

Startup costs are typically around $25,000 to $90,000, depending on your location, lease terms and the cost of fitting out the space. Starting with smaller stock orders can also help keep your opening costs down.

Check health department permit rules for food retail, including whether selling only sealed packaged snacks is treated differently from opening packs or offering samples. Also check FDA allergen and ingredient label rules for imported products, and sales tax registration with your state.

Monthly revenue is typically around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on location, product range and foot traffic. These are estimates, not guarantees, and rent, stock and staff all come out of that revenue. Plan for around 35 hours a week at minimum.