I need your suggestions.
I am having a hard time finding a location for my custom furniture busness. For the last three months I have been trying to find a place and every time I have run into a brick wall. I live in a suburb of St. Louis and I’m not alllowed to have a woodworking business in my home. But I can build furniture if I don’t have a busness. I don’t understand, but I know I have to live with the restrictions. I just about ready to give up!
Replies
Wineman,
Have you contacted the local chamber of commerce? Better Business Bureau? Woodworking clubs? A realtor who specializes in commercial rentals?
In my experience, these are the times when networking, and an investment in shoe leather/cell phone, really pay off.
Good luck,
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Thanks for your input.
Yes, we have and still trying.
So, if I understand what you didn't say in your post, is that you have the room in your house to set up a wood shop and build furniture. It's just that you can't do it as a business and charge for the work.
So, what you really are looking for is a place to sell at retail custom made furniture.
Answer: Until you're established and flush with cash, go on, indulge your hobby and build furniture for yourself, for your family, for members of your extended family, for your close personal friends, etc. Give the stuff away.
And, while you're at it, form a small business, not a corporation but, if MO permits it, a Limited Liability Company (an LLC), or something similar, that just happens to be in the retail furniture business. Find a nice place to open the retail shop and display all this nice custom made furniture that you get from a select supplier. Don't have to say who.
Take orders from the nice people who enter your store and want to buy some. Then, when you get home that night sit down and have a man to man talk with your custom furniture supplier and tell him what you need. He'll probably get right to work building the stuff. In fact, he'll probably start to build it before he leaves your house!
Then when you rival Drexel Heritage in size and production, you can probably find larger accomodations to expand your wood shop, possibly even combine it with a small retail area so you can get into selling it yourself.
I never thought of that, good ideal.
Thanks
"But I can build furniture if I don't have a busness".
What you need are the zoning maps from the cities or county you're interested in to narrow your search. While your there find out what zones allow wood working. Chances are several will be suitable.
Another approach would be to visit your competition. I've seen several industrial parks in SoCal where woodworkers and other small shops cluster together.
John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking
The more things change ...
We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.
Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC
I had the same dilema - I was working out of my garage shop but obviously wasnt zoned for doing this. I luckily had neighbors that didnt complain, however, I was very concious conerning noise and work hours. However, it boiled down to three problems - the inability to work on projects with deadlines thru the night, wholesale sheetgoods and lumber suppliers wont deliver to a residence, and a professional shop just needs to be at least 1000sf, not the 400 or so of a two car garage.
I started looking around an found an industrial park 1/4 of a mile from my house that leased spaces from 1500sq feet and up. I took the 1500sf unit which I thought was huge when I moved in but now is too small for me. It came with three phase power 25' ceilings, three offices and a bathroom. Also included are dumpsters and all exterior maintenance like landscaping and snow removal. The cost is $799 a month plus $330 for maintenance and trash fees. Add to that electricity and heat (shop is heated, offices heat and ac) its about a $16,000 a year commitment, but worth every penny. (every penny is 100% deductible too) Best of all its zoned industrial which means I can make as much noise as I want 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you are making small furniture pieces part time you might not be able to justify this expense but if you are a full timer, trust me, you wont regret spending the money - your productivity and efficiency will increase.
I’ve looked into the industrial centers in my area also but nothing so far.
I have a meeting with the Economic Development Center Director tomorrow for St. Charles. There may be a possibility that I can located my shop in the historical area of town or some were close.
$16,000/year for space is a lot for a business that is just starting out. I don't say it is not necessary, but it is a lot. (A home shop used in a business is 100% deductable.)I think the best solution is to move where a "home occupation" is allowed. It gives more control over costs.
"home occupation" is allowed
Big difference between "home occupation", and productive furniture factory. Even though he may produce one handmade piece at a time, zoning laws don't see it that way. It's probably perfectly legal for him to have a home business where he lives now. I'd imagine the problem stems from his "production facility".
Here a "home occupation" is defined as any business (ignoring the legal phrasing) which produces goods or services and where the only employees are residents of the home.A home occupation cannot purchase and resell finished goods made by others.There is no limit on the amount of prodution that a home occupation can produce.
good to know.
Just curious do you get any crap from your property owner about your finishing processes? Does he require a EPA approved spray booth?
I have a friend who manufactures small after market accessories for trucks. He was shut down by a government agency(not sure which one). He was only using spray primer for all of his pieces. Now he sells them bare metal, or outsource's powder coating. The agency said there were very specific rules about spraying anything, and required a EPA approved spray booth(like body shops have).
I spray lacquer all the time in my homemade spray booth, but I'm always afraid someone will drop a dime on me.
I just read your posting regarding industrial space and I have a few questions if you don't mind answering. Where are you located? What type of work do you do e.g. furniture?
Thanks.
Winemaker, Where are you located - I have the exact same thing that you described down to the rent and fees. I'm in southern New Jersey, Hainesport.
I live in a suburb of St. Louis and I'm not alllowed to have a woodworking business in my home.
I hear ya.. But Crack house are allowed for some reason! Gee.. I hear ya!
EDIT:: SOrry I just had to.. Noise of a saw and expolosin' of a crack house.. Seems ususual to me...
EDIT I do drugs but just Jack Daniels....
Edited 8/10/2005 1:10 pm ET by WillGeorge
Edited 8/10/2005 1:11 pm ET by WillGeorge
WineMan,
I am moving into a 2200 sqft. space as we speak. I was able to find a reliable friend who needed about 1000 sqft. as well so we are splitting the space. In addition to the costs mentioned before there are some potientially devastating costs involved in setting up shop. If your shop is to be in the city you will have to have Electritions wire every thing to code ($1000 to $2500), install a dust collection system that meets the inspectors standards (3k to 4k), and a proper spray booth ($500 to $2000).
I live in the outlying suburbs of the Dallas/Fort Worth megaplex and was able to find a whare house in unincorperated county. In Texas that means NO PERMITS. That means you can do a lot of the work your self and save tremendously.
The main problem I had was finding a shop smaller than 2,000 sqft. That seems to be the minimum offered around here. But when my buddy aproached me about shareing a space that opened things up a lot.
Mike
Good luck buddy!
Start trying to find out what kind of inspections will be required and wheather or no they require certified dust collection and paint booths.
Mike
A real estate agent is the right professional if you want to locate a space like that. The economic developer is also a good choice because, they're free, and because they are paid to encourage development so they can grease the skids and help you overcome bureaucracy so you can get into a location with the support of the municipality. In a way you have some bargaining chips with the city -- they want development so are motivated to find a way to permit your business to operate.
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