The boss-man here at the shop bit the bullet and bought the old Johnny's Pizza building next door, we are turning it into a woodworking area and install bay. Floor layout is 24' x 66'. Wood shop will be 24' x 18', install bay will be 24' x 48'.
We finally go all the city and state paperwork together, so let the fun begin!
Back wall of the building w/ the old bathrooms, gotta get rid of those. Getting a hole cut in the back wall for a 14' wide roll-up door.
The building is pretty well built...lol
The old hood from the ovens when it used to be the original Johnny's Pizza here in Monroe, La. This is the building the pizza chain started in.
The front half of the building is built down to 8ft ceilings, we are ripping those out to match the back 14ft ceilings throughout the building. The nonload-baring walls in the center are going to be knocked out and a new wall built up front to separate the woodworking area from the install bay.
CNC is pretty much out of the question. Not enough space, not enough $$$.
I'm posting from the shop now, we have been next door working on the new shop most of the day. Buddy just cut his finger and made a blood-trail all the way back over to the shop...lol. Not really all that bad a cut, but bled like hell. Got some pics coming as soon as we shut down for the day.
Yea, Best of luck. Around here audio shops are dropping fast. Last year 3 around my area closed. All did custom install. Even my buddy is slow as hell, He is considering closing down, If it wasnt for winter remore start installs,($199 installed) he would have gone under allready.
I was just thinking. If the car stereo shops go down so will the audio companies they represent. But then I realized what it will take is for them to sell online to survive which I see as doable. I mean in a sense yes ebay is bringing the shops down but if im seeing this right what is actually happening is a restructure to what I just suggested. The only problem is then you dont have custom install shops surviving unless they can join in on discounts below the online pricing structure. Am I right here guys? Is this the future?
Not to mention the internet is a wealth of resources outside of discounted/wholesale products. Forums just like this one help to educate and influence more ppl to attempt it themselves. (Like building boxes). After all why pay for service or knowledge when so many ppl keep are available to give advice for free? EVERY business has been impacted by the net. If your company doesn't have a website you need one. Even my freaking local tiny pizza joint has a website. Who orders pizza over the net lol? Nobody, but they have one.
When was the last time you rented a porn0 or bought a map? Referred to an actual encyclopedia or waited until 10pm to get the weather on the local news? And Xmas shopping? I'd guess 75% of you did most of it online like me. Malls are dropping like flies and the USPS is hurting worse than ever. All thanks to the internet.
To survive means to increase your inventory numbers to remain competitive on your prices. Wanna sell furbies on Ebay? Just remember there's a guy somewhere with a warehouse FULL of them who can undercut your price by 25% because of volume. Then there are the ones willing to sell at zero profit just to maintain complete market saturation. After all the last man standing is the winner no?
Like my knives I sell. As a business venture I'd far rather sell 1000 knives at $1 profit each than 100 at $10. Exposure is key. Leave them wowing and they come back.
Lol. You got me then. The internet has been such a leap forward in many ways but has robbed so many mom and pop shops in every industry of their livelihood.
After all, do you care if a business in Detroit goes under because you found your item for $1 less online?
So many stores simply get bigger and bigger. Home improvement chains, drug stores, supermarkets, ect........
Complete market saturation is the biggest weapon they have.
Its funny because this week i was at a shop (not a mom and pop shop but silt) and i told him i felt bad since hes not busy. And he said that if was to rely only on audio he wouldve tanked already, and these guys really good quality work. He said 2002-2003 were the best years and that now everything comes to the bottom line. People dont understand the amount of money and time it takes to do installs. I told him i completely agree and i know he doesnt make much money. If he makes a 1" box a sheet of mdf is 75$can so one sheet plus labour and the material he has no choice but to charg 250$ for a box but people wont pay it, they rather buy shitty prefabs that cost 100$ and have shitty sound, y all because of the bottom line.
The worst thing is, if somebody decides to make there own box he would save maybe 30-40$ doing it himself.
I feel ya. As a consumer in today's time though it just isn't in the small shops' favor. Regardless of industry. It's taking the "flavor" out of what you love. I myself will NEVER go to my local hardware store for anything. Even though it may be run by a great family with very decent ppl I just can't pay the exploded prices compared to the chain stores.
And I'm all for do-it-yourself. You gain so much by getting your hands dirty. You can't buy experience in anything. You learn by failing and eventually succeeding.
That means there's someone who gets paid to monitor a computer screen for online orders? Lol. I've ordered 1000's of things online but food was never one of them.
I order dominos pizza online, I think the guys are rude on the phone and I can visually confirm my order. Having some guy tell me 15-45 minutes and it'll be done, or have the choice to wait for an email to my phone saying it's done? I'll take the email please.
Most people I talk to let others do their audio work out of fear of serious damage to their vehicle, or simply wasting money on ruined supplies.
"I'm all for do-it-yourself. You gain so much by getting your hands dirty. You can't buy experience in anything. You learn by failing and eventually succeeding."
Speaking of new/expanding car audio shops, a new one just opened here in town. That's great and all but they're going to have to compete with a larger car audio shop who has two places here in town and have been around for a long time. It's good to have competition but they're selling the same products as this other company. To me, I think if you want to suceed you should offer products you can't get anywhere else in town. You can offer the same products as the other stores but push names people don't know of, that still make quality products. I don't know how the whole business works with setting up contracts with distributors but I think Digital Designs would be a great name to get into the area. Give the other company business they can't compete with.
