Plans · Business

Open a shop

14 weeks · 5 phases · 31 tasks · 4 milestones · 5 risks

For someone opening a small physical shop, with a concept and some money but no space yet. The weeks run from finding a location and sorting permits through fit-out and stocking to a soft opening and a launch. Permits and inspections vary a lot by city, so check your local rules in the first week and move dates to match.

Open this in Harbor

Makes it a program in your harbor, dated from today.

Milestones

Week 4Lease signed
Week 10Inspections passed
Week 13Soft opening
Week 14Open to the public

The plan, phase by phase

1. Location and paperwork

Weeks 1 to 4. Secure the space and the legal basics before spending on anything else.

Week 1Set the budget, including six months of running costsRent, wages, stock and utilities for the first months, before sales cover them.
Week 1Register the business and open a business bank accountKeep business and personal money apart from day one: it makes taxes and bookkeeping far easier.
Week 1Check zoning and permit requirements with the cityAsk what the space needs for your use: business license, signage permit, occupancy, health permits if you sell food.
Week 2Visit and compare at least three spacesGo at different times of day to see foot traffic, parking and who your neighbors are.
Week 3Have the lease reviewed before signingWatch for who pays for fit-out, the rent-free period, and what happens if you need to leave.
Week 4Sign the lease and get the keys
Week 4Arrange business insuranceMost leases require liability insurance before you get the keys, so check what the landlord needs.
Week 4Apply for business license and sales tax registration

2. Fit-out

Weeks 5 to 10. Turn the empty space into a shop that is safe and pleasant to be in.

Week 5Draw the floor plan and fixture layoutLeave clear aisles and plan the till where staff can see the door.
Week 5Get quotes from contractors and pick oneGet a written schedule as well as a price, and check they pull the permits.
Week 6Order shelving, counter and fixtures
Week 6Apply for the signage permit and order the sign
Week 8Oversee building work weekly
Week 8Set up internet, phone and utilities
Week 10Pass the final inspectionsBook them as soon as the contractor gives a date. Inspector availability is often the bottleneck.

3. Stock and systems

Weeks 5 to 11. Choose suppliers, buy opening stock and set up how you'll sell.

Week 5Open accounts with suppliersAsk about minimum orders, lead times and payment terms. New businesses often pay up front at first.
Week 6Set prices and margins for each product linePrice from your landed cost, including shipping, and check local competitors.
Week 7Choose a point-of-sale system and card readerMake sure it tracks stock as well as sales, and test it with a refund and a split payment.
Week 8Place the opening stock order
Week 9Set up bookkeeping and a weekly sales report
Week 11Receive, check and price the stock

4. People

Weeks 8 to 12. Hire and train whoever will work the floor with you.

Week 8Write the job description and pay rateCheck local minimum wage and any required breaks before you set hours.
Week 10Interview and hire staff
Week 10Set up payroll and required employment paperwork
Week 12Train staff on the till, stock and opening routineRun a full mock day, including cashing up at the end.

5. Opening

Weeks 11 to 14. Open quietly, fix what breaks, then tell everyone.

Week 11Set up the website listing, map listing and social accounts
Week 12Merchandise the shop floor and window
Week 13Hold a soft opening for friends and neighborsWatch how people move through the shop and where the till queue forms.
Week 13Fix what the soft opening showed
Week 14Open to the public
Week 14Review the first week's sales and reorder

What usually goes wrong

Fit-out runs late
Contractors, permits and inspections each depend on the one before, so one delay pushes everything.
What helps: Get a written schedule from the contractor, book inspections as early as allowed, and keep two weeks of slack before opening.
Likelihood 4 of 5 · impact 4 of 5
Running out of money before sales pick up
Fit-out and opening stock usually cost more than planned, and early sales are slow.
What helps: Keep a contingency of at least 15 percent of the fit-out budget and track spending weekly against the plan.
Likelihood 3 of 5 · impact 5 of 5
A permit is missed
Opening without the right permit can mean fines or being told to close.
What helps: Get the full list from the city in week 1 and track each permit as a task with its own date.
Likelihood 2 of 5 · impact 5 of 5
Wrong stock mix
Cash tied up in slow lines can't pay for the ones that sell.
What helps: Order lighter than feels right for opening, watch what sells in the first two weeks, and reorder fast.
Likelihood 3 of 5 · impact 3 of 5
Supplier lead times are longer than expected
Fixtures and first orders from new suppliers often take weeks longer than quoted.
What helps: Order fixtures as soon as the layout is agreed and confirm stock delivery dates in writing.
Likelihood 3 of 5 · impact 3 of 5

Using it

Copy what fits and cut what doesn’t: no real project matches a template. In Harbor the plan becomes a program with these milestones, one project holding every task with its due date, and these risks in the register, all yours until you hand them out. The first phase starts in To do and the rest wait in the backlog.

Open this in Harbor

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