Neighborhood personal care shop

Local residents, nearby workers, students and visitors who want convenient, better-chosen or hard-to-find personal care products.

You buy from wholesalers and brands and sell at a markup. Regular shoppers, gift sets and a small range of higher-margin specialty brands help balance out the thin margins on basic items.

• Choosing products customers want
• Stock control and ordering
• Friendly customer service
• Basic bookkeeping

• Check your city or county for a business license, zoning approval and any certificate of occupancy for retail use
• Register with your state for sales tax and a resale certificate so you can buy wholesale without paying tax
• General liability insurance and property insurance; check what a landlord requires in the lease
• Buy only from authorized distributors to avoid counterfeit or expired products; toothpaste with fluoride and some other items are regulated, so check FDA rules
• Large drugstores and online retailers compete on price, so avoid relying on basic items alone
• Lease commitments and personal guarantees can be a big financial risk; read terms carefully

Startup costs are typically around $25,000 to $80,000, depending on your location, the shop fit-out and your opening stock. Lease commitments and personal guarantees can be a big financial risk, so read the terms carefully.

Check your city or county for a business license, zoning approval and any certificate of occupancy for retail use. Register with your state for sales tax and a resale certificate, and check FDA rules for regulated items such as fluoride toothpaste.

Monthly revenue is typically around $8,000 to $30,000, depending on location, product range and foot traffic. Large drugstores and online retailers compete on price, so a clear focus matters more than relying on basic items alone.