What would you like to see?

[nomadsland]

We're opening a homestead supply store to support our non-profit ministry in Alabama. We'll be selling used building materials as well as homestead/off-grid living/survival supplies. We're building our inventory now and we're trying to fill the store with things that will be helpful for the local homesteaders. I know that this will very from one community to the next, but what would you like to see if you walked into a local homestead shop? Thanks for your help!

[Harry Chickpea]

Dolly Parton?

Community bulletin board. CERAMIC gravity water filters (no black Berkey - I would walk out if I saw one) 275 gal totes at $75 or less. Tiller rentals. Sources for reliable and vetted backhoe, bulldozer, and bushhog work.

[Forcast]

livestock feeders waters, poultry equipment, items to build livestock shelters. insulation ,plumbing supplies, tool rental DIY classes, borrow a man or 2. Time swaps for when you need a helper and dont have money to pay for one you could swap time .

[Paumon]

a really big community bulletin board for all kinds of notices right at the front door

cast iron cookware
canning supplies and enamelled hot water bath canners
fruit press
wine making supplies
counter top incubators
an assortment of knives
a large variety of hand tools for gardening, brush clearing, construction,
nails, screws, fencing staples, duct tape, electrical and plumbing tape, etc.
rolls of clear and black plastic and tarps
rolls of chicken fencing mesh in various sizes
fencing wire
rope
farm work clothing such as boots, gloves, hats, work shirts
protective eyewear
animal feeds and supplements, tools/equipment used on animals
brooder lamps and hoods
bags of potting soils and soil amendments, mushroom manure
seeds
insect repellent - insecticides - traps
mouse/rat traps
candles, lanterns and fuel, flashlights, batteries

[TerriLynn]

Good quality clothespins and clothesline (plastic coated wire-the kind that resists stretching)

[CuriousWanderer]

Soap making supplies
Cheese making supplies
Heirloom seeds that grow extremely well in your area

[Helgen]

Where in Alabama will this store be, Im very interested in visiting.

[light rain]

Woolen items (more for up north though), potato onions, permaculture plants/shrubs, good information on how to heat/cool the house and live with less energy used. Oh, and good information/classes on using native foods/botanicals. Got to be careful how presented so as not make yourself libel for any medical lawsuits.

I hope this venture does well for you'all!

[Waiting Falcon]

Yes a bulletin board for services offered /needed/traded
equipment needed/loaned/rented.

Seeds, of all kinds for field and garden.
Cheesemaking cultures and supplies.
Blacksmithing tools
Plastic buckets for all manner of uses new or used

Some of this might be specialized and a website needed with online catalog

[CraftyLady]

Barter board
Table and chairs, coffee pot, place to stop and say hello to friends.
Remember the longer a client says in the store the more they buy and good will is made in the community.

[karenp]

curing salt
butchering supplies
ditto on the heirloom seeds

[hippygirl]

I'll second the suggestion to sell seeds/plants that grow WELL in the local area. Every year, I see so much offered for sale that shouldn't be in this zone.

Offering grain seed not only in 50lb bags, but also by the pound would be great...not all homesteaders have the need for 50lb of one variety...sometimes all they need is a couple of pounds of this and a couple pounds of that (thinking of cover crops for a veg garden, not a XX acre field).

This got me to thinking about TSC...in our local TSC, almost half the store is devoted to clothing. If you offer work clothing, look how much floor space and, most importantly, INVENTORY space you'd have to have considering the various clothing sizes you'd need to keep on hand...not everyone is simply small, medium, and large and it's VERY frustrating to find a piece of clothing you're prepared to buy only to hear "we don't carry that size".

I care nothing for "name brand", but DO care about QUALITY.

So, my list of wants in a "homesteading" store would include (but not be limited to)...

• Vegetable seed/plant varieties that are proven to grow well in the local area
• Seed starting supplies including a couple of choices of good quality potting mixes WITHOUT fertilizers or other junk added...just plain potting mix
• Canning/food preservation supplies
• Grain seed available in bulk and by the pound
• Feed available in bulk and by the pound
• Livestock supplies...poultry, cattle, goats, rabbits, sheep
• Good quality garden hand tools (tools, not momentarily "in vogue" gadgets)...hoes, rakes, forks, spades/shovels/scoops, wheelbarrows/carts, etc
• Good quality basic hand tools...hammers, saws/blades, knives, axes/hatchets, etc
• Fencing (various types) and associated supplies/tools
• Sharpening service

I could go on, but my main point, I guess, is to focus on need, intended use, and quality rather than trying to carry everything for everyone at dirt cheap, Chinese-made pricing. As long as you're not outrageous with your pricing, people WILL pay for quality...at least those who are serious about their endeavors...and if you offer what they need, they'll come back.

[Rustaholic]

WE have a family owned feed store just up the road and a Tractor Supply that will be open soon even a bit closer but the other way.
That family store is just that.
They have hardware and will get you what you need if they do not have it.
The rest of the family is handling the farm and the feed making part of the business.
They do not price for much profit at all and I believe what they have told me because the prices show it id true.
What I have been told is the price for their wages and expenses not a profit.
By lowering the prices like that they really do get a lot of local support.
Tractor Supply will not cut into them much at all because there already are a lot of people with fussy needs that go to town anyway and those folks will be more likely to shop at Tractor Supply.
The large family that runs the farm and feed store also sell a lot of bagged feed to several feed stores in town. I can buy the very same bag of feed here for at least two bucks less than in town.

[BlueRose]

Fishing and trapping supplies.
Ditto on the other lists

[DW]

Paumon has my list...add metal trash cans...we use them for many things...not trash, good ropes, tarps.

[Maura]

What is not sold within 20 miles of your locations? 30 miles? 50 miles? Some things you can always sell, regardless of how easy it is to get, simply because if you are in one store you’d rather stay in the one store. Hence, the candy bars near the cash register.

Pet supplies? Animal books. Sheep, cattle, dogs, pigs, whatever is raised locally. If people are open to rescued animals, consider that as well (coincidentally, I have a book on rescued dogs). Some pet medications can be sold outside of a vet’s office, consider those (flea drops, for instance, cattle and horse immunizations). I’d be wary of things that have to be refrigerated unless you keep them behind the counter.

Lye. Lye is used in making pretzels, but also soap making. Because it is also used in making meth, Red Devil no longer makes it and grocery stores no longer sell it. I have to special order through my hardware store.

[halfpint]

I'm another that would like soapmaking supplies - especially essential oils and organic coconut oil, olive oil and such. Would possibly be interested in working out a group purchase with the store for some of those.

Please let me know where you are located so I can try to visit sometime since I'm in Alabama.

Dawn

[myheaven]

I don't know the rules bout selling fruit bushes or such. But I would love to be able to buy local tried and true fruit bushes and trees. Some people just decide to tear up their old fruit plants and burn them. I often find they do this after the fact. Makes me want to scream.

[soulsurvivor]

If you're selling food supplies please consider selling single serve options for those folks that don't have large families and have no need for 25 pounds of anything.

If you have an elderly population the need for self help items would be something to consider as inventory. Keep it simple and stock items like walking sticks, jar openers, reading glasses, magnifying glasses, non-break cups/mugs, lightweight metal luggage rolling carts, and cheap microwave cookware.

I'd also like to see one place for all the tiny stuff that's so nerve wracking trying to track down in a big store such as one area that has matches, lighters, toothpicks, tweezers, backscratchers, ink pens and paper note supplies, shoelaces, straws, tape, envelopes, scissors, calendars, sewing kits, safety pins, clothespins, and big black markers.

[Awnry Abe]

.22lr