# Owning a tack shop/horse store?



## WesternBella (Jan 7, 2012)

When thinking about what I want to do when I grow up, my mind always changes. But recently I was thinking about wanting to own a horse store? Since there aren't many horse stores around my city, I think I would make good money if I located it in the city. You have to drive far to find any..

I thought of maybe having a pet supply/horse supply store so I could make even more money/attract more people.

There are many years until this would happen but I have to start planning now. (Taking business courses, making sure I take the required courses)

Do you think this is a good career choice? Would I make an acceptable amount of money after I pay back my debt.

Let me know your opinions! Thanks!!


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

Doing something that you love and are interested in is always rewarding. If there isn't a tack store/pet supply store, but you have a high percentage of animals in your area, I think you would be able to turn a pretty decent profit. If there weren't so many in my area, It'd definitely be something I'd consider myself. Then go broke because I'd want to keep all the pretty horse stuff to myself. :lol:


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

With the advent of the internet and online shopping, brick and mortar tack shops don't stand a chance unless they have ample storage space, have a lot of stock on hand, and can be competitive with online prices.

So if you're asking if a small shop that will have to special order a majority of things, and who will charge the customer more to do it than an online place has a chance at turning a profit, I'm going to have to say the odds are against you. There's a reason you have trouble finding actual tack shops anymore; they're simply not competitive enough, and are folding left and right.

Unless you have a lot of money to invest in stock and a place to put it, you're not likely to be able to make a living at it. If you're majoring in business, you should know that 90% of all small businesses fail within their first year.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

"In the city" means your gonna get spanked by someone with a warehouse and a UPS truck route in the middle of nowhere. 
The items you are gonna be able sell local are things that must be tried on, or are hard to ship. The big bulky items like suppliments and fly spray.


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## WesternBella (Jan 7, 2012)

Well my dreams have just been crushed..lol


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## ridinapony (Jan 23, 2012)

depending on where you live, if you do a feed and tack store, you may have a shot.
I live in Los Angeles and of the 6 local horse stores (all within less than 15 miles of eachother), 4 are feed stores that sell hay, grain, shavings, as well.

I worked for 10 years in a popular feed and takc store and while the original owner was a business man, and this store was able to support 2 other stores he opened... he sold the store and within a year and a half the new owners ran it into the ground and it closed. There were some major issues there as far as paying rent, etc, but tehey bought a lot of junk to sell.. Like, they had bought these necklaces for $10 each, then priced them at $25 each. They were something a 10 year old kid would make at summer camp. We never sold any of them.

So it's being smart about your stock as well. The orginal owner was smart in that he'd only cary maybe the 6 most popular fly sprays. Yeah, we'd have people ask for stuff we didn't have, but it wasn't worth buying a case of 24 when we'd only have 1 person every 4 months ask for it.

We were also the only local Circle Y seller, so if someone local wanted to try on a Circle Y or buy one, we were it. They also did a blanket cleaning/repait service, and while I think he barely mad a profit on it, it brought customers in. Oh and they did tack cleaning and repairs and custome orders as well. But that was kind of hit or miss, because sometimes someone would order a headstall, the guy would make it (he does beautiful work!) and they wouldn't like it. Yeah they'd have put a non-refundable deposit, but the store still had to purcase the item and then put it on the shelf. So stuff like that would sit. 

So it depends on the area and who your customers are. Just remember, hrose people can be crazy.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

Sell something noone else has,,,, namely used. People can buy new stuff anywhere and always someplace that has it cheaper. But a used item there is only one exactly the same. With all the saddles being bought must be tons of them out there collecting dust, get a good inventory built up and follow the used car and pawn model of only paying about 1/3 of what you think you can sell them for.


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## Cruiser (Aug 28, 2011)

I got a question, what if you sold used stuff, within an hour of me there are 10 or 15 people selling large lots of tack some saddles, bridles, sheets, blankets and clothes. How many people want to look through hundreds of ads for that one thing in the right size. What if you fixed, cleaned, water proofed and offered alterations (I can do this and make custom clothes but it isn't for even one) and re sold?

If you were able to get a kids English saddle, two leather bridles, a couple of pads, fly sheet, and a kids show jacket for under $200 for example, cleaned the leather, washed the pads, and repaired the small tear in the sheet, if you were good at the marketing and advertising do you think you could make money?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

With our dismal economic outlook tack shops are closing. Part of the problem is there is so much cheap crap that looks pretty that can be bought on-line. Pretty sells. It's a hard call - if a store sells that stuff they quickly get a reputation for selling junk and if it doesn't sell it, someone might be going hungry.


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