Opening a hydro store

[Papa_Moña]

Hey, just wondering, how would i go about starting a hydro shop? In other words, do any of you guys know of wholesale vendors?

I'm really serious about this, my dream is to have my own store and warehouse full of tomatoes and herbs. Sell those to restaurants and shit. Do something legit with what i've learned here.

 

[RudolfTheRed]

not really sure about the site as i didn't really check it out for you but a quick google search pulled up

hydroponicswholesale.com

 

[Brother_Monk]

http://nationalgardenwholesale.com/ngw/default.aspx

Contact them about getting a retailers account. You buy shit for half price, what their catalog lists. Good luck!

 

[tuco]

Good luck!

Also look into supplying 'ethno' botanicals, various medicinal herbs and wheat grass setups/kits...seems to be a growing market.

From one business owner to another:

 

[Derty]

Found this site that has all kinds of hydro suppliers. and info about hydro veggie crops. http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu/crops/hydroponics/index.html

 

[chubbynugs]

The best route is to get a business license. Then call every vendor whose products you wanna carry in your shop and see what kind of deals they can work out for you. Most will i am sure will give you half off. You for sure wanna get a hold of american agritech Grodan, Advanced Nutrients, General hydro, botanicare and shit many more cause the list will go on forever.

 

[Papa_Moña]

thanks my friends. i am hoping this will be my outlet that i can show my knowledge through, legally....

 

[Papa_Moña]

i'm running into a problem.

as far as nutes are concerned, i'm set, but since i'm a DIYer, i don't really know about equipment brands...


also, tuco, how much inventory would be normal for a low volume store? what variety should i have in store?

also, do I have to buy in bulk to get the retailer discounts or can i buy some samples and have em in a shop and have people order out of the catalog?

I'm sure eventually i'll be medium to big sized, because it's a ripe market in my area, but until then, i want to keep overhead at a bare minimum, to assure survival of those crucial first months.

I can go for state funding for small businesses, but that usualyl requires a transparency i'm sure my biggest clients would object to, right?

Another option i have available is free publicity. I KNOW i can get written up in the news and shit, i have journalist friends. and i also have deep contacts rooted in the enviromentalist movement, so i can even provide setups for "organic" hydroponic lettuce and other foodstuffs.

I woudl actually love to eventually have a warehouse full of food, like herbs and foliage and heirloom tomatoes, and have low income kids maintain it, tke what they need and sell the rest to cover operating costs and to take back to their school for supplies.

what i'm getting at i think, is that what i want to really do is open people's eyes to the wonders of the green world, something lost on younger generations...

 

[LiLWaynE]

so are trying to run a hydro shop or a greenhouse? im confused?

 

[Pops]

Unless you have a shitload of money, a ton of experience, a ready market and a HUGE fricking operation, don't plan on making any money from it.