How would you run an audio salon?

My wife suggests a jewelry counter in the corner for a "get back" to that expensive amp...

Stringreen, what do mean by needing a dealer to voice your Vandersteens? Is it the settings adjustments on the 5s.

Be like Audio Connection in Verona NJ is a good start. I see Buconero said hire pretty women and have it on second floor but for those of us in solid relationships and who are also disabled thats a stupid plan, a gal that answeres phones and greets is nice but most of us could care less other than that and its too expensive and inmportant to worry about flirting. I also dont want to be sold to by a journeyman salesman, I want to talk to those who really love music and this pursuit and not a guy who may sell cars or gutters next week.
I say have it in a house, a comfortable space with real world sense of space and accoustic performance that will also keep overhead way down, easy parking is a plus too. Dont qualify customers and dont expect a purchase everytime you see someone, those who get treated well and are not rushed will return and return again. Dont plan on getting rich, you will be let down every time and be prepared to perhaps hate your hobby you love........sometimes making a business out of a hobby could ruin it for you. Last, send me lots of SWAG!

Service, Service, Service I can't understand why some retailers act the way they do. I needed something from my dealer in NJ, and had to keep after him to buy whatever it was. He knows that I spend lots of money on this stuff, and yet, he was not there to suggest, and yes..to schmooze me. I thought that was him, so here I am in Arizona. I need my Vandersteen's voiced..a process that authorized Vandy dealers alone can do. I had to contact this guy a number of times, and now he says he'll do it next week...we'll see. If it were me, I'd also bring some things to demonstrate in my system to show me what these things can bring to my system..power conditioners, cables, LP records, resonance controll gizmos...anything to make a sale. We'll see....

Don't forget special listen sessions when audiophiles get to come in and talk to manufactures and listen to music.

First, don't set up in a street level store front. Walk ins will drive you to the poor house. Make it a second floor walk up with frontage on the street, so you get plenty of daylight. Second, Hours should be 1PM to 8PM, Tuesday to Saturday. Of course extend other times by appointment only. Hire sales people, not audiophiles. You can train them into audiophiles, but hard to train an audiophile into a salesperson. While mentioning salesperson, try to hire gals. Very important they be attractive to the point the customers will want to flirt. Have, in addition to an open sales space, four listening rooms. Room 1, $1k-3K systems, Room 2, $4K to $8K, Room 3, $10K to $20K, Room 4, $25K up. Take trades, working capital of $500K, inventory of $400K, furniture and fixtures of $750K. Adversting/Marketing/Sales promotion must be 10% of sales after the first year, $40K the first year. Don't expect to turn a profit until the beginning of the fourth year. Pay sales people on commission only, 25/33% of gross profit, nothing less. Close for at least two weeks of vacation starting after the first year. If you can't accommodate all of the latter conditions, forget about opening a 'shop'.

You've been to that place too!

I would be nice, very nice to any and all who bothered to come in. I have been to one to many shops where they act bothered by your presence and if you do get a demo they think based on listening to their crappy sounding system you should be ready to get out the checkbook. Come to think of it. I've never been to an audio salon where I wasn't put off by the salesman. Mostly I've found they are just a bunch of big dorks with crap taste in music. I've mostly stopped bothering at this point.