Starting a School Store

Location is EVERYTHING

Location. Location. Location. The first 3 rules of business apply to school stores, too. Pick a location in a highly-trafficked area of your school, one that will put your merchandise right in front of your potential customers.

Tip: A lot of people avoid starting the store because they think they don't have enough space. School stores can fit in whatever space you have available–a spare classroom, a rolling cart, even a fold-away table that gets set-up before and after school. Many Geddes items come in handy, counter-top displays that work in a variety of spaces.

Two Heads Are Better Than One

Often, schools might feel there's not enough time or people to run a store. School stores can be easy enough for one person to run a few hours a day.

Tip: Involve your students! The most exciting stores are often class projects or collaboration between the student council and the PTA or PTO. That way, you only need one or two adults to oversee AND you get the added advantage of giving the students a hands-on learning experience.

Buy NOW, Pay LATER

Start-up money is often a big obstacle with people who want to start a store, but it absolutely doesn't need to be. Geddes offers schools a Bill Me Later payment option, providing a 30-day grace period before payment is due.

Tip: Get your store ready for Back-to-School Season in the Spring. Raymond Geddes offers a convenient Fall Order program at the end of every school year. Fall Ordering allows you to place a school supply order in the Spring and schedule delivery for the start of next school year. Payment for Fall Orders isn't due until the following Fall.

Get it with GEDDES

Geddes products specialize in getting noticed. We have a wide variety of unusual school supplies that make doing business with us a snap.

Right-Click to download a free copy of GEDDES School Stores: An Operating Manual (file size: 21.6MB PDF), then browse our website of school supplies to start stocking your very first school store.