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For some people the dream of starting their own business is as realistic as building a baseball diamond in the middle of a cornfield. And if you have an entrepreneurial spirit you may find your plans to open your own shop are met with less than enthusiastic responses. “Don’t you know the failure rates of new businesses?” “Are you sure you can handle such a risk”. My personal favorite was a comment made by a neighborhood merchant who told us upon first opening our shop, ‘’Well, having a shop here sure isn’t a get rich quick scheme.”

Despite all the naysayers, there are still some tough questions you need to ponder upon embarking your journey into the retail world. How can can you translate your abstract ideas into something tangible and identifiable? Will customers share your grand vision, enjoy it, and return again and again? Or will they walk in, turn around, scoff and merely dismiss your efforts, ultimately turning your dream into a nightmare?

Making dreams a reality is deeply personal stuff. And starting your own business in this seemingly impersonal corporate world can be a surprisingly emotional experience.

At Indie Retailer we hope to keep the spirit of the independent retailer alive by creating a forum for the exchange of ideas about retailing and becoming a source for those who dare to brave it out on their own.