Geocaching store

[79olds]

Hi all ! I would like to know if anyone would be interested in a local store to sell geocaching stuff. I would like to start one locally,in the West Gardiner area and have contact by going to caching events, through email, or buy phone. It seems like there might be a need for one. Would like to have some feedback, good or bad about this. Thanks 79olds

[cachecrashers4]

I would love to see one.

[hollora]

FYI DeLorme's Map Store carries a limited amount of caching things and Sound Shapers in Brewer just added some inventory.

[TRF]

Hi all ! I would like to know if anyone would be interested in a local store to sell geocaching stuff. I would like to start one locally,in the West Gardiner area and have contact by going to caching events, through email, or buy phone. It seems like there might be a need for one. Would like to have some feedback, good or bad about this. Thanks 79olds

I think it is an interesting idea. Are you looking to consign stuff to sell? That is the impression I'm getting from your post.

Geocaching is a limited local market. I think it would be fun to do as a sideline but I would surmise it unlikely a very profitable endeavor catering to the relatively small local market.

I see that the pros to a local store would far outweigh any cons as long as it isn't wealth that you are after, It is always fun to shop a store that specializes in a specific area; ie Cabela's.

Good luck and Cache On!!

[brdad]

Sudonim has a small section of his store in Brewer (Sound Shapers) dedicated to caching supplies. It can be done as a sideline.

[Team V3]

Ask any geocacher and they would be all for the idea. Realistically, I do not see many stand alone geocaching stores lasting long. As mentioned previously, as a side venture to a business that already exists, its quite possible. I have wondered about the possibility as well but I just do not see it working. However, there are a few exceptions in other places such as Cache Advance which I believe is in Washington.

[dubord207]

While I would certainly shop local for all things caching, I think it might be difficult to create a business model that would work here in the Northeast.

Start with GPS's. No way to compete with the internet wholesalers or Bean's, Cabela's, Best Buy so scratch those.

Containers. In Maine, I'd guess Glad food saver containers out pace ammo cans five to one, sad but true. You could sell film cannisters by the gross and make five bucks per hundred.

Lock and locks...hard to compete with Hannaford, Marden's, etc.

Coins, well with about a zillion members to this site, Andy may still have some left from the 500 he had made of the beautiful State of Maine coin. I think the price of coins combined with a lot of thievery has discouraged folks from paying good money for coins that often end up missing very early on after activation.

So what does that leave? I know.... psycho-therapy for those addicted to the game! Complete college, do a 2year Master's programs in social work and hang out the therapist shingle! People will come from miles away. You'll get the FTF crazies who snowshoe for FTF's at midnight in below zero weather. Then there's those of us who lie about their whereabouts to our spouses " Hi honey. Ya, I'm on my way home, just pulled in to the Hannaford. ( The one in Preque Isle!)" I'll be a couple of hours, have a couple other stops to make."

Then there are those with various degrees of adult compulsive disorders...like those that put out 100 caches in one long binge or place caches 20 feet up in a tree!

I see opportunity here. Think PSYCHOTHERAPY! Go big. Learn elctro-shock therapy. "One flew east, one flew west...."

Send me time and date for my first appointment when you get set up!

[79olds]

thanks to all of you for the feed back and to try and answer Trezrs-R-FUN
question about consignments not at first. I would be trying to sell a small selection of geocaching stuff to start off with. I will have to see if the store does well . If it does good then yes I would be very interested in trying to take on consignments because I feel that there other cachers out there that would have some very interesting ideas

[kayaking loon]

And I can actually get to West Gardiner now and then, on my way to Boothbay Harbor. Carry "interesting" things to put in caches too, not just containers and coins.