Rob Boudrie
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I think it was in a strip mall on the right as you took the exit off I95 to drive towards Four Seasons.Does anyone recall a place called Tom’s Handloading? It was somewhere on the North Shore I think…
A problem with a business like that is lack of dealer protection. You won't get near a true wholesale price list for most mass market consumer items, nor will you be able to buy online for wholesale plus epsilon. Try looking online for Levis - sure, you' fine them at dozens of suppliers for very close to the price at a local store. Try getting near a wholesale price list for this years brand name bicycles if you are not in the business - not gonna happen. Guns and accessory sales runs by different customs. It's also "different" in that you get better prices from the small independent shop that from a big box chain retailer like Bass Pro.
But, go the Valley and you'll fine reloading supplies for with a few points of what stocking dealers like Fours Seasons pays. You'll find the going rate for non-Dillon presses is about 50% or so of retail, and the Dillon wholesale to retail spread is only 15% last I checked.
With margins like that it's tough to make a significant amount of sales with sufficient margin to cover the overhead, even if you are a sole proprietor and don't have staff to pay.