Buying a shop on a main road

[tanglehorn]

I'm buying a shop and am wondering about the pro's and con's of having a shop on a main drag. I figure that once I polish it up a bit and put a big sign up that the advertisement will be a big plus. When I say main drag, understand that I live in a smallish town and the cars are very close to the sidewalk. Very visible frontage. It was an old car mechanic shop and has a lift in one of the 4 bays. The bays are less than large in size except the one with the lift.

Who has come out of the shadows and made their company a public figure and what were the pro's and are there any con's?

 

[Gorman]

My old boss did that. Kicked some losers out of a drug shack after he bought it and fixed her up. It was a great move for him. Lots of business from it

 

[tomthetreeman]

As long as the main drag is where your prospective clients drive, you're good.

Tom

 

[Jeff]

If it's a high visibility spot, this will aide with security. The druggies are less likely to jimmy open a truck trying to score a chainsaw if there's a regular stream of traffic going by.

 

[Swifty_htl]

My boss actually purchased a out of commission movie theater and transformed it into our new shop, which was located on a pretty major stretch of road linking several towns. The move as been great for business, adding to an already prospering company, and also allowed us to pick up more clientele from other surrounding towns whom now travel by everyday. With the right signage, I'd say it's a hell of a good call! Only con for us has been trying to pull out at rush hour with the whole fleet .Best of luck

 

[treevet]

If it's a high visibility spot, this will aide with security. The druggies are less likely to jimmy open a truck trying to score a chainsaw if there's a regular stream of traffic going by.

I am sorry but have to disagree from my experience. Druggies have no fear (from the drugs and the need for) and generally are set free with non violent crimes even if caught and will return to the same site according to anyone who knows. In prison it is called a "honey hole".

I moved from that type of spot and bought this time on a dead end road with friend/neighbor resident homes across the street. The 1 1/2 acre lot butts up against a railroad trestle that is about 20 foot high and runs the length on the east. On the south, deep woods, on the west, another business property. About 4 years now and nothing stolen (I shouldn't talk) and I am in bliss. We were hit sometimes daily in the old spot and constantly on edge. I could tell stories for hours. Lost tens of thousands of dollars.

I don't really need that kind of advertising...but if you do at least there is a positive. Security takes so much time, money and energy.

 

[Swifty_htl]

Vet, you make avalid point, if they need there fix there gonna do whatever it takes .I guess the ultimate solution would be to shoot for a spot with hi vis exposure, that's not in a drug ridden area! If you don't need the exposure to help grow your business then off the grid is probably the way to go .But if its an aspiring business looking to get it's wheels off the ground, I feel the investment in security vs the potential profit and exposure that could help expand is business is certainly well worth it .