Businesses in Davis

[ronhaha108.livejournal.com]

Hi group, I'm thinking of starting a business in Davis, something possibly with a store front, and am trying to come up with some ideas. What do you think is sorely lacking in Davis?

Cheers,
Ron

Comments

[ron_newman]

A food store, something like Trader Joe's, but locally owned. That would be divine.

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Exactly - a place to get groceries, especially health food/organic types.

[mrpet.livejournal.com]

As long as it's not a bar, coffee shop, or bank ;)

[kevin-church.livejournal.com]

...or a pizza joint.

[azores.livejournal.com]

or Indian restaurant. Or nail salon.

[philbot.livejournal.com]

A place I can drink beer *and* shoot pool.

[oonh.livejournal.com]

something wet, fragrant, with a lot of color.
like a pigment, scent, and tea shop
inks, spices, flowers, vegetables, teas, papers.

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I'm SO in agreement with this.

A place to get stones, scents and teas to soothe the soul; meditation supplies, art, etc.

Also, bubble tea. Indie music.

[ron_newman]

A music store?

Tower Records is closing in Harvard Square. Virgin Megastore is closing in the Back Bay. HMV closed all of its local stores a year or two ago. This suggests a big hole in the market for someone local to fill.

[cosinezero.livejournal.com]

There's already CD Spins...

[veda815.livejournal.com]

... or it suggests that music stores are no longer profitable?

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

That suggests everyone is downloading their music online.

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

* Laundromat with a wet bar. Good luck getting a liquor license.

* Sex shop (the nearest good one is in Brookline). The nearest place to buy Liquid Silk is Hubba-Hubba in Central.

* Computer store; the nearest (if you don't count Radio Shack) is probably Microcenter.

* Sparqs (http://www.makezine.com/extras/26.html). God, I miss it.

* I bet a fantasy/anachronistic clothing store could do well 'round these parts.

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I also second sex shop and computer store; especially one that sells Mac stuff.

[-afton-.livejournal.com]

I agree with the sex shop.
The closest one is a hike, and I'm pretty sure there are a fair number of tufts students who would frequent it... actually, I know that there are.

...

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I've pondered the idea of a sex shop around here for years now and would totally do it if I had a person or persons to go in with me. (I'm not the type to do this sort of thing all alone.) I think it'd be great. Not to mention a context where it wouldn't be inappropriate to constantly share my opinions on all the different toys. :)

[ariwriter.livejournal.com]

An arcade.

A deli. Think Johnny's Luncheonette.

Or a bonsai nursery. Heck, any nursery. There are plant shops and there are nurseries; none of the latter around here.

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I think there have been a lot of good ideas here, and I've agreed with many of them, but what kind of business do YOU want to start? What are your strengths?

Not to shove hard questions on you, but as a fellow business owner, I know that unless you REALLY LOVE what you're doing, it's hard to commit to a business long enough to make it successful. It might be worth looking at what you can provide to the community and seeing if there's a genuine market for it.

Ahh, good question...

[ronhaha108.livejournal.com]

well, I've been doing software development for the past 10 years and used to consulting before that (telco, network, database programming, etc). Not to toot my own horn, but I feel like I can do anything. And I don't mind doing mundane things, as long as I get a sense of accomplishment (like, I enjoy washing the dishes... weird, I know).

so a computer store sounds like a great fit, I know a lot about this subject! On the other hand, I'd like to take over Sacco's bowling and make it a hip joint, bring it more towards the college crowd... more pool tables and liquor!

I've also toyed with a laundromat / internet cafe, right in Davis (instead of just outside like the others are)...

so many options, not so much $$$, but lots of energy!

[amethystmoon.livejournal.com]

well, if you're mostly looking to fund, I really want to start a craft studio. More hands-on and dirty than Spark, less specialized than Mudflat, and preferably CHEAPER than all of the above (I'm thinking non-profit). I've got it all worked out, minus the capital and what kinda of insurance and permits I'd need (various chemicals, soldering stations, spinning machinery, and open-flame acetalene torches).

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

maybe the art center that is going to open up on Highland could co-locate/offer space? They seem headed in a 'club' type (as in art/craft - not dance) thing.

[inkscarred.livejournal.com]

A grocery/produce store/co-op, a gym, a bar/music hall (you know, something with a small stage for performances, art shows, etc) that is actually geared towards much of the davis center population (grad student/young professionals, dare i say a little hip, glbt-friendly, etc.).

I also think that another locally owned coffee shop would probably do well given the large market and how crowded Diesel is getting these days.

Someone mentioned a sex shop and I bet that would do well here as well.

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

Oooh. A coffee sex shop. That could work.

I mean, it does seem that there's no need for another coffee shop in Davis, but for years an awful lot of coffee shops seem to have done very good business in spite of so much other coffee shop competition. Add sex, and how could you lose?

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

I'd actually like a good pet shop for food and supplies. We have Big Fish, Little Fish, but...yeah.
And there's Stinky's, but it's in Ball Square and a bit of a hike.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

Do you know about Animal Spirit (http://www.animal-spirit.com/) on Mass. Ave. in N. Cambridge? It's (more or less) across from the T bus yard, an easy walk up the bike path or any of several side streets from Davis.

rents in davis

[petula73.livejournal.com]

I would say maybe look into a different square, rents are close to $30 a square foot around here!

No signs of slowing down either...

Re: rents in davis

[magpie-leah.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I wasn't even going to post about that but at Magpie (http://www.magpie-store.com/) we pay over $30/sqft and we are a bit "out of the way" as far as location goes. It's very expensive to rent in Davis Sq.

Tea

[azores.livejournal.com]

Last time I was in Chicago I came across this brilliant tea place- Argo Tea, I'm sure others know about it. www.argotea.com. I had a Mojito- flavored iced tea that made me wet my pants, and I can take or leave tea in general. Anyway, it's a great concept that is different enough from the Tealuxe model (which is more hot tea-centric, it seems) and kicks it up a notch. They are Chicago-based but expanding slowly. Alternatively, you can just use them as a template for a similar venture.

Re: Tea

[ronhaha108.livejournal.com]

Have you ever been to Tealux in Harvard / Newbury st ? I was thinking something like that would be good too..

how about a toy store?

[doingthemath.livejournal.com]

Davis Square is full of the stroller set; if you actually arrange the space so that it's a destination as well as a store (can be nothing more than a small play area inside, think O'Naturals in Davis Sq) everyone will use it.

[fatcatinatophat.livejournal.com]

Davis needs a pool hall. Something like Flat Top Johnny's.