Gone are the days of hanging out a shingle to be in business. Here are a number of important hints to keep in mind as you develop your expansion strategy on opening new doors. Your goal is to sell, but there are a number of hurdles along the way.

Start Early!

Even if your lease does not start for 6 months begin the process by lining up contractors and fixture providers. Although it seems obvious the sooner you begin the smoother the process goes.

Find out about site requirements and municipality requirements!

New codes and regulations have made the process of gaining permits and approvals somewhat more work than say 2 years ago. In addition to building permits sometimes you will need to gain approvals from the fire marshals and electrical inspectors. This takes time as well. Some areas require as much as 12 weeks to process your applications! Don’t forget that malls ultimately have the final say in what your fixtures or kiosk look like so pick a manufacturer who can work with the malls and municipalities on your behalf to design something everyone can agree upon.

Be prepared for curveballs!

Although the majority of store/kiosk openings run smoothly be prepared for unforeseen obstacles. Some examples are:

- Unknown required permits and approvals. Check with your landlord and/or leasing representative about what the town needs.

- No electrical service at your space in the mall. Often the mall requires YOU to get power to the kiosk space. This generally has to be done by a mall approved electrician and can take up to 4 weeks. Make sure the power is there BEFORE you sign your lease. You never have as much leverage as you do before you sign the dotted line.

- Inspection requirements. Even after the store is installed you may still need inspection before being allowed to open. Schedule this in advance so you have no down time.

Be ready for “Grand Opening”

Set a “grand Opening” celebration 2-3 weeks after you actually open. This will give you time to make sure you store is fully merchandised, your staff is familiar with the location, and advertising has had a chance to work.

These helpful hints can make opening a lot easier and get you on your way to drive sales upward. Please contact Andrew Pierce for further questions at apierce@kioskousa.com. Kiosko is the leading turn-key provider of Store Fixtures, Kiosks and POP displays for the Wireless Dealer Market.