LTHForum.com

This is my first post in the professional forum.

I recently open a retail spice shop in Bucktown, Pinch Spice Market. I want to add some retail items to complement the spices that we sell. Things like electric grinders, pepper mills, mortar and pestle sets and other items related to cooking with spices. I have had a real hard time understanding how to source these items and price them in a way that customers will purchase them. I'm posting this in the hope that others have gone down this road already. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

Good timing - the Housewares Show is being held here in Chicago this weekend! you should be able to find everything you want. And don't want.

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Food & Flowers: Andre Jordan's sweet doodle for a cold winter's day; diary of an unhappy restaurateur, circa 1881; winter project - try a terrarium

Thanks for the tip. I unfortunately spend all my weekend time at the shop and won't be able to attend. Right now I may have a source for suribachi mortar and pestles. This at least gives me an item to start with.

you should check out bridge kitchware in new york. they sell wholesale and retail and have a gazillion items.
http://www.bridgekitchenware.com

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"the only things money can't buy are true love and homegrown tomatoes" (guy clark)

According to Yelp, Bridge kitchenware is no longer.....
The web site is down as well if that is any indication.

thankfully, yelp doesn't know everything. the NYC store closed, but they've moved their warehouse to madison, NJ, and their website is still available. i just went on it and it's functioning. just use the link i provided....

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"the only things money can't buy are true love and homegrown tomatoes" (guy clark)

Funny, the site was down yesterday. Checking it out now, thanks for the advice.

next time i walk by your store (which i do regularly) i'll stop in and say hello.

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"the only things money can't buy are true love and homegrown tomatoes" (guy clark)

Site is back up and running, I stand corrected. Not totally thrilled with the prices, but I am seeing a few things of interest.

I'd echo sundevelpeg's advice to attend trade shows. Many shows are invaluable for both finding merchandise and advice for retailing those items. And best of all, everyone there is ready to sell you wholesale.

This may seem silly, but the book Retail Business Kit for Dummies is pretty useful.

Finally, when you figure out what you are going to sell, think about the "amazon effect." Is the same product sold online cheaper? If so, perhaps it'd be best to find a different brand to carry... Then on the other hand, you have to get your online store up and running. When I started selling online in my business, I was shocked how many folks buy online.

Good luck. I'll be sure to stop by next time I'm in the neighborhood.

Again, thanks for the advice and I would love to have folks stop by. We are really looking for input from customers/anyone on what we should and shouldn't be doing.

I've been thinking about the amazon effect, and almost consider buying things there and just putting a markup on them. On the retail items it isn't so much about making a huge profit, rather it is about carrying items that are complimentary to our product, spices. I think I may go check out some of the Asian markets and see what they have, especially for mortar and pestles. Personally, I like the Thai granite mortar and pestle. I can get a pretty good deal on them, but the shipping is huge. I'm starting to think I may be able to find them locally and maybe negotiate a deal on 6 or more. Unfortunately, I am always at the shop, so it is hard to go and shop for things like this.