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So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

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Re: So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

#81

Post by rjsw »

probably_wrong wrote: post #49
roel_v wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

* like bookstores and coffee shops and art galleries* Also, martial arts schools.

I taught martial arts for a couple years fully knowing I'd lose money in the process. How did I know that? Because my sensei had told us that he didn't make any money either. Neither does his sensei. I think at this point is almost a rite of passage - if you want to teach you do it because you like it, not because you expect to profit from it. Of course, the economics of your area also apply.

Probably doesn't apply to martial arts as I'm guessing it isn't very expensive.

A reason for getting into sports coaching is the same as for any other addiction, you reduce your own costs by becoming a pusher.

Re: So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

#82

Post by maehwasu »

Hendrikto wrote: post #74
shriphani wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

gallery house in palo alto has an interesting model - membership comes with a volunteering requirement - it can't obviously reach the level of NY MOMA but it works well for Palo Alto and is a nice little gallery that has launched quite a few careers.

> volunteering requirement Isn’t that an oxymoron?

Read as: "free work requirement"

Re: So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

#83

Post by IAmGraydon »

chrisseaton wrote: post #7
jaggederest wrote: post #2

The economics of hobby businesses, like bookstores and coffee shops and art galleries, are almost always such that you can either feed it the equivalent of a full time salary, or work there every hour it's open yourself, because the kind of business is one that other people want to do for free as a hobby. This means that, unless you want to be a slave to your own business, you'd better have $50k a year minimum passiv…

So how do coffee shops like Starbucks mange to support 20 working part time plus a corporate headquarters and make a profit, from the same small store you would operate as a hobby?

Scale, leading to the associated economies on the supply side, real estate and employee benefits, among other things. Plus, they have a well known, consistent product, which holds high value with customers.

Re: So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

#84

Post by oikos »

Hi!

I love this kind of spaces. This is how I would advise to do it. Art/literature - create high quality, high ROI product offering first. Hand bound collectables for example. Low cost digital counterparts. Find niche online first. Crowdfund, test. Have the publishing first. That's raising capital. Profit/Non-Profit no real difference if you have income. Just don't rely on grants and voluntary resources (economic volatility will hit these first). Physical space: make it enchanting (design/brand/service/experience). So that people would want to pop in regardless of products. High ROI food: coffee, tea, pastry, nibbles, smoothies and such. Food=energy. Sell local energy (economic volatility will hit this last). Innovate. Constantly change the furniture, accessories - sell them. Both online and at the physical space. Think of it as a curated space. Assess risks particular to the location/niche. Have contingency. Have another contingency for risks that are unknown.

Anyone planning to open something like that - happy to give some more specific free advise (tangible products/interior- service design/branding/marketing/economics).

Re: So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

#85

Post by mr_isomies »

I am sure that all of this is true but really there is almost no knowledge to be extracted from this bitter, passive aggressive, get-the-bottled-up-frustration-off-of-my-chest "tale"

This is just a very pointed & personal rant. I mean, good on that guy to let it out, but that's a complete waste of turning actual experience into usable advices

> While all this is happening, the bookstore runs out of money, but the employee doesn’t tell anyone for over a month. Instead, the employee tells all your friends that you’ve been exploiting them this whole time.

Re: So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

#86

Post by [deleted] »

Asooka wrote: post #32
jakobegger wrote: post #27

All the successful small artist spaces that I know are different in two ways: - they are run by volunteers (no paid staff) - they have some sort of arrangement where they don't have to pay rent at market rate If you rent a space and hire someone to keep it open, you need a lot of money coming in...

Sounds like before you open an artist- (or hacker-) space, you should start a real estate business, preferably with other people who want to make small artist spaces.

[deleted]

Re: So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

#88

Post by wayanon »

rpeden wrote: post #61
wayanon wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So did I get it the wrong way round, people have kids so they don’t risk failing in a business?

No, praptak was saying that some people start a business because they fear that if they don't, they'll look back on their life and regret that they didn't start a business, and that this is similar to the way some people decide to have children just because they fear that they'd regret not having them.

Ah ok thanks!, interesting parallel.

Re: So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

#89

Post by olvo »

They go to some lengths to dance around the issue. If you can't pay for the space based on a sustainable amount of donations, or other recurring income, you aren't running a space you are running a business and a lot of businesses fail. There is at least half a century of complaints over gentrification to that point.

Re: So You Want to Open a Small Press Bookstore/Artist-Run Space? A Cautionary Tale

#90

Post by mratzloff »

l0b0 wrote: post #4

A recent experience from a hackerspace showed me how incredibly thankless people can be. After working really insanely hard to build an inclusive space with loads of features, every little hobby revolutionary in the community just shits all over the work and proclaims the people actually getting stuff done should just stop and leave it to them. Even if I had the time, money and expertise I would never do something li…

> A recent experience from a hackerspace showed me how incredibly thankless people can be. After working really insanely hard to build an inclusive space with loads of features, every little hobby revolutionary in the community just shits all over the work and proclaims the people actually getting stuff done should just stop and leave it to them.

They are clueless. It's like when developers on HN share all their ideas about being a manager and what's required.

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