Opening A Wiccan Shop?

So I don't exactly know how to go about this, but I'm from a town near Toronto, Canada. My boyfriend and I want to save up some money to open our own Wiccan shop featuring books, incense, pendants, oils, jewelry, robes, teas, and the like. Has anyone here ever been to a shop like this? Or owned one? If so, what did you like or dislike about it? I know the rates at which these stores fail is incredibly high, but our normal jobs can afford it if the business crashes (I'm a nurse and he's in IT). Is there anything you'd recommend adding to our merchandise?

Sorry to ask so much, but we really feel like this is the best move for us, so we want to know as much as we can before we do anything we can't recover from.

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Hi there.

I currently own an online wiccan store and can tell you from first hand experience that it is not fun or easy.

There is a high start up cost, that can almost ruin the business before it even starts, you have to deal with laws about teas, herbs and the selling of such items as herbs, athames, bolines, etc.

You then have to worry about the limited market, once someone buys supplies, including robes, pendants, and wands etc, they do not need to rebuy, making your maket even smaller.

If you plan on opening a physical shop you would have to do it full time, if you don't want to pay someones wages, and if you do pay for a store clerk you have to choose someone with enough knowledge on the topic to help your customers when they ask for it.

Honestly I know I am being pessamistic, but the online market is so huge there is little room for much else unless you have something unique, with stores like pagandreams, spellsofmagic and everywitchway, there is very little extra room.

it can take years to get off the ground, I have been in this business for a year and I have yet to make a profit, or to cover my costs...

I wish you the best of luck, but I wish I had never started in this business.

Good Luck
Arabella - Owner of The Witch's Heart (to give you a referance that I am in the business).

I haven't been to a Wiccan shop or anything like it, but I am also from a town near Toronto, Canada. I just wanted to say that I hope you guys end up opening your own store like that, I'd love to visit :D

I don't live in Canada so I'm not sure what the laws are there, but I suspect that since you are only 16 years old you will not be able to enter into any contracts such as with suppliers because you are not legally an adult. In addition, it is unlikely that you will be able to obtain a business license for the same reason.

Lark is right but start small for now
Try EBay and Amazon selling first
You will be a very successful adult with this mindset
I made bad mistakes and wasn't an adult until I hit my 30s

Even with amazon and ebay, you will have to think about disclosing income, which can be incredibly difficult, especially when you may not make anything at all.

We're still saving up, for those reasons - but my boyfriend is of legal age, so he could.

I wish you luck if you decide to go through with it. You will need luck, as you have probably figured out already; it is not an easy line of work.

My best suggestion is to make your store both physical and online. You will get a wider range of people that way. Also, get good at promoting and advertising; it will help. Lastly, have something unique that people will be interested in.

I don't have much else advice to offer! But good luck.

The owner of the magic shop, near me, told me that if she only sold magic things she would go bankrupt in a week! She sells everything, from Halloween masks to fake vampire fangs!

A few days ago I was reading an informative older article about pagan shops on Witchvox.com I found it via a google search. It might be interesting for you to read it.
Via witchvox.com you can also see the list of shops in your area.
I do not know the Canadian tax system but here in Europe if you have a shop selling items and a job you have to pay even more tax.
You can find general info on having a shop via small business sites. Before delving in you might perhaps do Etsy for a while see how it goes or an online shop.Not sure how big the market for witchy items is in Canada.