Scott Posted August 26, 2005 Report Posted August 26, 2005 Hey, i was thinking there should be a discussion of kite retail on here! Surely there's folks on here that are in the kite retail business. I wanna hear from ya! What's the ups and downs of it? Is it possible to be in the business full time or do most people have other means of income to support the hobby of having a kite retail business? I would love to hear about what it takes to start up a kite shop. I'm not planning on starting my own business or anything. I just want to hear peoples input. Thanks for any post on this subject! Quote
Dorsal Posted August 26, 2005 Report Posted August 26, 2005 There are lots of online kite websites - Why don't you email each of them and ask? We're just a bunch of people who like to make and fly our own kites here. Quote
Kitesquid Posted August 28, 2005 Report Posted August 28, 2005 Are you atttending the AKA's National Convention in Ocean City MD this year?? Bill (King of the Wind) Oche is giving a one hour talk on starting a kite buisness.... He is the owner of the most sucessfull kite buisness in the US.... The Kite Loft..... You should attend.... Quote
Kitesquid Posted August 28, 2005 Report Posted August 28, 2005 BTW one of Bill's best quotes (this is from memeory so it is NOT a dirrect quote): If you want to make a small foutune in the kite buisness, start with a LARGE one. Quote
Scott Posted August 29, 2005 Author Report Posted August 29, 2005 That sounds like a good statement! I can't imagine there would be much profit if at all in the kite business and especially if you don't have a web site. I grew up looking at into the wind catalogs and never got to order anything from them til I was older and had my own money to spend. I remember looking at all those high dollar kites as a kid and wondering who in their right mind would spend over a hundred dollars on kites?! All I ever knew were those cheap plastic deltas at the local retail store! Now that I'm grown I wish I HAD that hundred dollars or more just to spend on em!! And no I won't be attending any convention. I haven't even got to attend any kite festival or thing of the like period! Now that I'm into kites more than ever, I'm also married with two kids and currently fostering three others! So going any long distance from here to any type of kite event (although i'd love to) is outta the question! Quote
John Barresi Posted August 29, 2005 Report Posted August 29, 2005 What are of the country are you from Scott? There might be some stuff locally that your kids would enjoy a great deal. Quote
Scott Posted August 29, 2005 Author Report Posted August 29, 2005 I live in Spring Hill, TN. It's south of Nashville. Quote
John Barresi Posted August 29, 2005 Report Posted August 29, 2005 Looks like there's a festival in March... Chattanooga. http://aka.kite.org/cal_dtl.php?event_no=2439 I pulled that off the AKA on line calendar. Also, you might write your local AKA Regional Director... It's their job to help local fliers. Region 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico) Michael L. Agner (NC) (910) 790-5979 region4 (at) aka.kite.org Lastly, there are always the local clubs... Some have monthly fun flies. Music City Kite Flyers P.O. Box 210765 Nashville TN 37221 Phone: (615) 831-1496 E-mail: MusicCityKites (at) webtv.net URL: http://community.webtv.net/MusicCityKites Looks like this club flies at CENTENNIAL PARK on West End Ave. I hope this helps some. Quote
Scott Posted August 29, 2005 Author Report Posted August 29, 2005 Yeah, IF that club is still around! That web site hasn't been updated in 2 years and I recently tried emailing the site but haven't gotten a reply yet. As far as the Chattanooga festival goes, maybe i can make it by next year but who knows. I think there's some flyers in Alabama less than 2 hrs from here but I haven't checked into it yet. I found a website of a kite shop down that way and it seems to be updated pretty recent but I haven't emailed anyone yet to check into it. Thanks for posting the info though. Quote
John Barresi Posted August 30, 2005 Report Posted August 30, 2005 Sorry to hear about the dead club Scott, let me know if there's anything else I can dig up for you... Anytime. Quote
Scott Posted September 4, 2005 Author Report Posted September 4, 2005 Since I've never had the chance to try anything better than a goflyakite boomer, bandit and parastunter; how's a bout digging me up a new stunt kite?!!! Quote
John Barresi Posted September 4, 2005 Report Posted September 4, 2005 Hehehe... I'm an info guy, too attached to my kites. Quote
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