60 Strip Mall Business Ideas You Can Start Today [2024]

Updated: July 24th, 2023

Interested in starting a strip mall business in 2024?

A busy strip mall is a great option for product and service-oriented businesses.

We researched and found 60 strip mall business ideas you can start today

For these business ideas, we show real-world examples of other strip mall businesses to help you see what it takes.

Here's the full list:

1. Start a cycling gear store

The global cycling gear and wearables market is growing, as more people are opting for cycling as a form of leisure.

How much you can make: $55,000/month

How I Started A $55K/Month Chain Of Cycling Gear Retail Stores

Mastermind Bicycle Studio has consistently grown sales revenue at a rate of around 55% to 65% YoY since its launch in 2015, and with a strategy of constantly reinventing itself and remaining patient with consumer feedback, it plans to expand its online presence and continue expanding its retail footprint across India.

Read by 9,548 founders

2. Start a sewing and alteration business

Do you have sewing skills and looking for an entrepreneurship opportunity? You can start your sewing and alteration business.

A sewing and alteration business offers customers clothing repair, custom tailoring, button replacement, and other alterations. You can start a sewing and alteration business at home or set up a retail location.

To start a sewing and alteration business, you will need a commercial-grade sewing machine and a marketing strategy, so target customers learn about your business.

How much you can make: $200 — $6,500/month

How I'm Turning My Patch Embroidery Side Project Into A Full Time Business

A patch embroidery business based in New York City has grown to earn $6,500 per month on average within 18 months of starting, thanks to no custom embroidered minimum patches and a strong Instagram presence, with a future focus on B2B customers.

Read by 14,821 founders

3. Start an antique business

Owning an antique and vintage business can be fulfilling and profitable for those targeting the elite.

Antique businesses focus on procuring items at a low price and restoring them, then selling them at a profit. The items can include old toys, cars, bikes, household items, crafts, vintage jewelry, etc.

Opening an antique item store may seem somewhat daunting. However, once you have researched the items available and acquired the necessary skills and expertise, you will be ready to kick off.

For some, a storefront with enough storage for antique items might fit the bill. For others, an online store will work pretty well. Regardless of your approach, the secret is applying your entrepreneurship strategies to an overall framework for success.

How much you can make: $15,000/month

How I Left A 25-Year Career To Start A $15K/Month Antiques Restoration Business

How a former educator built a successful antique restoration business from scratch, growing from a 2-car garage to a 2200 sq. ft. space over seven years, thanks to communication skills, dedication to organization, regular website updates, and utilization of Google My Business and Maps.

Read by 10,178 founders

4. Start a furniture flipping business

Flipping furniture is a business idea that can make you money by working a few hours a week. From kitchen tables to dressers and armories, plus, you can turn old pieces of furniture into a masterpiece that someone would be interested in paying for.

If you have a few hours a week and you enjoy checking out wooden furniture, flipping household or office units can be a profitable business idea for you. Some furniture flippers earn a 6-figure profit per year, from furniture flipping.

How much does it cost to start: $50 (?)

5. Start a fashion accessories business

If you love fashion and clothing design, you may want to start a fashion accessories business. As a fashion accessories consultant, you help clients develop and adapt personal and professional styles.

Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement one’s outfit. They include jewelry, gloves, belts, scarves, watches, sunglasses, bow ties, leggings, suspenders, and tights. To work as a professional stylist, collaborate with clients to understand their needs, and tailor styles and aesthetics to each individual’s preferences.

How much you can make: $150 — $190,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,800 (?)

How long does it take to build: 230 days (?)

Woodies Sunglasses: $3.5 Million Per Year With One Employee

Woodies, a wood sunglasses brand founded by Cory Stout, reached over $3.5M in revenue in 2018, despite starting with only $15K from a failed business and has succeeded through Amazon sales, spending $50K monthly on PPC and keeping ACOS at 30%.

Read by 22,857 founders

6. Start a pet store

Pet stores are retail businesses that sell animals and pet supplies. They are a leading industry category with sales of approximately $4.5B U.S dollars and positive sales growth of 2.7%.

You can set up a pet store in many places, like supermarkets, malls, or pet supply stores.

The first thing to do is to find a location for your store. A good place would be an area with many residential buildings, schools, and colleges as this will give you access to many customers. It would help if you also looked for a location near public transport as it will make it easier for people to come and visit your store.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,833,333/month

How long does it take to build: 238 days (?)

How I Started A 6-Figures Business Selling A Dog Accessory

Mechanical engineer and avid bike rider Mike Leon turned his hobby of creating a safe bike-to-leash attachment for his service dog into a 6-figure business, shipping from hundreds to thousands of 1-Running-Dog Bike Tow Leashes per year to dog owners, military and law enforcement, and search and rescue teams.

Read by 14,353 founders

7. Start an auto parts shop

If you want to start a retail business in the automobile industry, consider an auto parts business.

The auto parts business is one of the most successful businesses in the world. There are many Auto Parts Businesses in the United States, Canada, and the UK, where most are part-time.

Listed are the steps on how to start an auto parts shop business.

  • Pick a location
  • Do your market research
  • Secure all permits and licenses
  • Open a bank account for business transactions

How much you can make: $9,000 — $1,200,000/month

How long does it take to build: 365 days (?)

How I Started A $12K/Month Aftermarket Vehicle Accessories

This case study follows an inspiring 22-year-old entrepreneur who started an eCommerce store for aftermarket vehicle accessories, making 5x the amount of money he used to make per month, and generated over $90,000 in sales last year.

Read by 19,204 founders

8. Start an eye masks store

The eye mask is a simple accessory that blocks out light and improves sleep. The global mask market is expected to reach USD 18.6 Million in the next few years.

If you love to help people sleep better, then starting an eye masks business might be the perfect business opportunity for you.

An eye masks business is a relatively low barrier to entry business that doesn't require much of an up-front investment. You can start by making your own eye masks or buying them from wholesalers in bulk, then sell them to customers through social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram.

How much you can make: $800,000/month

How long does it take to build: 730 days (?)

How We Successfully Raised $700K For Our 100% Blackout Sleep Masks

Manta Sleep has successfully raised $700,000+ through crowdfunding campaigns for their unique, 100% blackout sleep mask designed for light sleepers and aims to empower people to sleep better so they can do more.

Read by 9,531 founders

9. Start a barber shop

Are you passionate about men’s grooming and looking to start a low-investment business with a high-profit margin? A barbershop can be a great business idea since it will never hit a low a season. Men and boys always look for grooming, no matter how bad the economy is.

Therefore, starting a barbershop can be a profitable business venture.

How much you can make: $125,000/month

How I Started A $125K Barber Shop, Beard Grooming Brand And Barbering Academy

Antonio Camilleri built Antonio's Barber Shop from a small two-chair operation to two locations servicing over 250 daily clients and €1.5M in annual revenue with a product line generating a 30% profit.

Read by 8,661 founders

10. Start a vr-based sports streaming service

Sporting is one of the domains where VR technology is put to use effectively and aggressively. VR technology enables users to amplify the sporting experience in nearly every field, including consuming content.

A Sports VR streaming service replicates the experience of being courtside at a game where a team is playing, so the user can view favorite sporting events in VR. The service provides a myriad of content, including live streaming sporting events such as the US Open, golden state warriors’ games, and other sports.

With a sports VR streaming service, no more paying for parking and expensive concessions! All the users need are VR headsets and can enjoy their favorite sports through the VR streaming service. Starting a VR streaming service is fun and a lucrative business opportunity.

How much you can make: $150,000 — $300,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How We Started A $150K/Month Platform Where Streamers Can Monetize Their Audience

Streamloots is a marketplace where viewers can buy real-time interactions with live streamers, allowing content creators to monetize their audiences and earning over $1M in just the last quarter with a community of more than 12K active streamers.

Read by 11,107 founders

11. Start an athletic footwear business

Data shows that the global athletic footwear market will grow at a compound annual rate of 4.9% in the next few years.

Awareness and growing enthusiasm regarding the health benefits of sports and fitness activities fuel the market growth. Thus, more people are shopping for athletic footwear on the streets and online. Setting up an athletic footwear business online or at a strip mall can be a successful venture.

How much you can make: $2,500 — $12,500/month

How long does it take to build: 5280 days (?)

How I Created A $12.5K/Month Patented Heelless Running Shoe

The DIFFERENCE co-founder developed a patented heelless running shoe that eliminates heelstrikes, grossing an average of $12,500 per month within the last two months, primarily targeting runners and the medical community.

Read by 8,404 founders

12. Start a boutique

You may consider opening a boutique if you are passionate about the fashion and textile industry.

A boutique is a shop that sells clothes. Opening a boutique is a dream for entrepreneurs who want to experience the joy and freedom of owning a cash business. Starting a boutique is easy and can be managed by a single individual. In addition, a boutique requires a comparatively smaller capital to start.

To succeed, the boutique owner must coming creativity and passion.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $25,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $100 (?)

How I Grew My Clothing Boutique to $10K/Month in 6 Months

Boutique Rye is an online-only women's clothing and accessories boutique that has grown to 3,200 Facebook Group members and a successful website through organic customer sharing, live sales, and open communication with customers.

Read by 36,945 founders

13. Start a mattress brand

Do you want to start a mattress business? Starting a mattress brand is a lucrative business you can set up in any part of the world. The truth is that the demand for mattresses is increasing as the population continues growing. Data shows that the global mattress market is growing by a CAGR of 6.7% over the past few years, and this growth will not slow down anytime soon. However, whether you shall be a wholesale or a retail mattress business, finding a good location is the key to the success of your business!

In recent years, strip malls have remained a good position for consumer goods such as mattresses.

How much you can make: $2,000,000 — $3,500,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 95 days (?)

How I Started A $750K/Month Mattress Ecommerce

Meet Joe Nashif, the founder of US-Mattress.com, who started his business with just $1,500 and now generates $750,000 a month as an online mattress retailer shipping across the US and also having a number of stores in Michigan, specializing in offering name-brand and lesser-known mattresses.

Read by 10,724 founders

14. Start a children's clothing business

The children's clothing industry has grown rapidly over the last few years, and in 2022 was valued at $263.30 billion.

Starting a children's clothing business gives you the opportunity to be your own boss while working in a field you enjoy. While you have to be prepared to work long hours and put in lots of hard effort, it can be extremely rewarding if successful.

How much you can make: $500 — $1,333,333/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 190 days (?)

How We Grew Our Baby Subscription Box To $60K MRR

Argentinian startup Bambox has grown its monthly recurring revenue to $60,000 and ships more than 1,100 boxes of baby essentials a month, a figure expected to help it achieve an annual recurring revenue of about $750,000 in 2019, after launching its first subscription service in July 2017. 

Read by 17,865 founders

15. Start a maternity store

Maternity wear is typically created with a loose, appropriate fit containing elastic, tabs, and stretchable fabric to provide extra comfort to the wearer. The demand for formal maternity wear is increasing, a trend that is because of an increasing number of working females.

According to records, the the number of pregnant working mothers is increasing tremendously, a trend that will continue for the next few years. Therefore, starting a maternity wear store at a strip mall or setting up an online shop can be a great business venture.

How much you can make: $1,500 — $5,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How I Started A Business Helping Women With Postpartum Recovery

Mamalates Birth Recovery Method has successfully built an e-commerce store and market by creating pilates based pregnancy and postpartum workout kits, DVDs, and training programs for birth and fitness professionals, combined with a prenatal/postpartum video streaming site, and has been able to create a profitable and sustainable business.

Read by 9,074 founders

16. Start a lingerie business

Are you interested in opening a women's fashion shop? Running a lingerie shop can be the right choice for you. Any woman will tell you that wearing quality lingerie makes her feel beautiful and confident.

Therefore, opening a lingerie shop can be a successful business venture. To open, research the market and find a reliable supplier of quality lingerie. Before deciding on the location for your lingerie store, it would help if you research the competition and check if competitors within your targeted region are selling lingerie.

When considering location, choose strip malls located in busy streets to maximize the number of views from potential customers.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $5,245/month

How much does it cost to start: $9,250 (?)

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

How I Started My Own Lingerie Business Side Hustle

Love Lorn Lingerie started as a side hustle and now generates $1.9k per month in revenue through Etsy and local events, with plans to expand into wholesale and increase marketing efforts to eventually replace the founder's day job.

Read by 30,228 founders

17. Start a food truck

Food trucks are a highly profitable business that offers customers a variety of meal options out of a mobile truck. This basically operates inside a large vehicle equipped with kitchen and food products. Starting a food truck is a dream for many people, but it's more challenging than it looks. To make it work, you need the ideal location and menu.

To start a food truck business in a particular city, it is mandatory to check what kind of food trucks are already operating, identify a gap, and bring in some new experiences. Then, with the right plan and the right approach, you can be on your way to starting your own food truck empire.

How much you can make: $30,000 — $1,500,000/month

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How I Took Food Trucks Corporate And Built A $18M Business

Food Fleet grew over 160% in just one year and managed over 20 million in sales for its clients, securing multiple contracts with the likes of Sodexo, Levy Restaurants and more, due to its understanding of catering client needs and its advanced turnkey and design services.

Read by 15,654 founders

18. Start a hair salon

Hair salons offer a wide range of beauty services including hair-cutting, waxing, nail treatment, massages, and complementary care such as aromatherapy.

With the increased demand for high fashion beauty services, starting a hair salon could be a profitable venture.

To start a hair salon, you need a strong business plan and find a niche that attracts a local client base. To succeed, hire knowledgeable and experienced employees, and encourage them to maintain a good customer service culture,

How much you can make: $30,000 — $550,000/month

How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)

How I Went From Hairstylist To Running My Own $3.3M Salon Business

This case study follows the founder of Urban Betty, who started her salon business with only one contractor, and now has two locations with over 50 employees, growing from 1.5 million to 3.4 million in revenue from 2014-2018, and investing around 2% of its gross income every year in Yelp, Google, and Facebook Ads.

Read by 21,600 founders

19. Start a lighting store

The lighting fixtures market will reach a CAGR of 5.4% over the next few years. The massive demand for modern lighting fixtures will fuel the market growth as consumers look to optimize power consumption and save more on utility bills.

Thus, starting an interior and exterior lighting fixtures store can be a profitable business venture. If you are passionate about supplying lighting fixtures, consider setting up a brick-and-mortar shop in your neighborhood.

If you already have an online store that is doing well, you can target the areas with a high demand for lighting fixtures and open a physical store there.

How much you can make: $35,000/month

Starting A Lighting Store and Growing To $35,000 Per Month

Any Old Lights, a UK-based vintage nautical and industrial lighting store, has grown to turn over £250,000 annually by being on the forefront of SEO tactics and building their own Revivals brand of lighting, as well as sourcing and selling maritime antiques and curios.

Read by 12,213 founders

20. Start a drinkware brand

A drinkware brand sells home and houseware products like cups, koozies, mugs, and other drinking accessories. If you've decided to try and create a business selling drinkware, there are certain things you need to know. You can do it from the comfort of your own home. You can get started for free, avoiding the hefty cost of setting up a brick-and-mortar shop. And if you take advantage of the right marketing strategies, you could be on your way to making money within a few weeks. The demand for custom-branded drinkware in the workplace has increased substantially over the past decade.

How much you can make: $115,000 — $12,000,000/month

I Grew A Drinkware Brand To $1.1M/Month At 23 Years Old

BruMate is a successful insulated drinkware brand focused on the adult beverage community, with a flagship product that generated $2.1M in sales in 2017 and is now doing over $1.1M per month in sales, with plans to do $20M this year.

Read by 112,800 founders

21. Start a sports shop business

A retail sporting shop provides sports equipment such as balls, bats, gloves, sticks, rackets, clubs, and protective gear.

Entrepreneurs can set up a sports shop at a strip mall or sell their products online. Renting a shop at the strip mall will require a little money to pay the rent, but depending on the entrepreneurs’ approach, it could be more profitable.

How much you can make: $3,000 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,625 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How We Invented A $2.5M/Year Four-Way Volleyball Net

CROSSNET, the world's first four-way volleyball game, went from $74,000 in revenue in 2018 to $2,250,000 in sales in just one year by attracting customers through social media, email marketing, and exclusive distribution agreements with retailers like Target.

Read by 12,353 founders

22. Start an electronics store

An electronics store sells any electronics from smartphones to televisions, laptops, refrigerators and other home appliances. With the technological advancements in the past decade, the electronics sector is expected to grow by 5.6 percent over the next five years.

To start an electronics store, research and find the right location for your store, then register your company at the state level to get the tax ID number.

Then, research your competition, which includes online stores and the local electronics store in your area. You should examine what they sell and focus on the products you can provide at a better price than the competition.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $230,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How I Started A $27K/Month Business Modifying And Upgrading Game Consoles

Founder Kyle Capel started Hand Held Legend, a DIY upgrade shop for vintage handheld consoles, which generates an average revenue of $27,000 a month and grew 30% in Q1 of 2020, offering an array of modern LCD upgrades for various consoles and serving an audience of mostly male customers aged between 13 and 45, 40% of which are international.

Read by 11,698 founders

23. Start an eye wear store

The global eyewear market will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 8.4% over the next few years. The growth is because of the changing lifestyle patterns and increased adoption of luxurious accessories.

Therefore, starting an eyewear store can be a profitable business. An eyewear shop sells sunglasses, contact lenses, and eye protection wears.

How much you can make: $3,352 — $100,000/month

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

My Twin & I Started A $240K/Year Premium Eyewear Brand [With Just $200]

Tomahawk Shades, co-founded by Andrew Shapiro and his twin brother, Ryan Shapiro, is an eyewear brand that has seen a 175% increase in sales year over year, focusing on small batches of quality acetate, with an e-commerce business acting as its main area of focus to release new ideas and products.

Read by 6,218 founders

24. Start a cosmetic store

The cosmetic industry is growing rapidly. Starting a cosmetic shop can be highly profitable, but only if you stock trendy, skin-friendly products.

If you are passionate about the beauty industry, consider starting a cosmetics brick-and-mortar shop.

Cosmetic shops sell products ranging from anti-aging, aromatherapy, lotions, beauty spa, cosmetic store, and even make-up.

To start a cosmetic store, research the market and source products from well-known brands in the beauty industry.

How much you can make: $8,500/month

How much does it cost to start: $800 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How I Started A $8.5K/Month Cosmetics Brand

A former felon's passion for makeup and skincare led her to launch FBI Cosmetics, which has grossed over $62,000 in sales since July 2020, through social media marketing, brand partnerships, and online sales at Walmart.com.

Read by 8,716 founders

25. Start a flower shop

Do you enjoy designing floral arrangements for special events like weddings or holidays? If so, owning a flower shop can be exciting and rewarding.

However, setting up the business for success can be overwhelming.

As a florist, your role is to touch people’s emotions with the flowers. The career requires creativity and design skills to appeal to your target customers. You need to love and enjoy working with flowers and have some patience.

How much you can make: $2,000 — $120,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $600 (?)

How long does it take to build: 45 days (?)

How I Started A $120K/Month Modern Flower And Plant Shop

Green Fresh Florals + Plants owner and creative director Carlos Franco explains how he built a unique, authentic, and profitable modern flower and plant shop in San Diego's Hillcrest neighborhood, growing from one employee to a $120k per month business through customer service, a focus on design, and a deep love for his craft.

Read by 5,283 founders

26. Start a candy shop

Nothing is as enticing as a display of colorful and yummy sweet treats. Adults, teens to little kids will spend money on sweet treats. Therefore, opening a candy shop can be profitable and a fun business. Luckily, a candy shop is a low-capital business yet very profitable.

You can start as a distributor, wholesaler, or retailer, and as you learn the industry dynamics, turn to candy making business.

27. Start a book store

Starting a bookstore is a great way to start a small business.

Bookstores are found anywhere, from the smallest towns to the largest cities. Perhaps you have thought of running your bookstore . People need to read and buy books, and that’s been true for thousands of years. A bookstore is also a great central location where people can browse and purchase books.

Listed are the steps to start a bookstore business.

  • Register your business
  • Get all required permits and licenses.
  • Organize your business operational flow
  • Promote your business

How much you can make: $30,000 — $50,000/month

How long does it take to build: 212 days (?)

How I Started A Six-Figure Niche Book Blog

OrderOfBooks.com is a website that lists books in both publication and chronological order and generates six-figure revenue after starting off as a resource for the founder and his friends, serving as a valuable resource for book readers.

Read by 18,600 founders

28. Start a pawn brokerage business

A pawn broker lends money in exchange for personal property that the broker can sell if the loan is not repaid by a specific time. Pawn brokers charge interest rates, often higher than the banks.

To start a pawn brokerage, open a physical shop where loan applicants will drop their valuables. Develop a binding contract so loanees can sign their commitment when applying for the loan.

29. Start an organic food store

Organic food stores stock fresh or processed food produced through organic farming methods. Healthy food restaurants and health-conscious individuals are some target customers regarding healthy organic food.

If you plan to start an organic food store, focus on providing the customers freshest, organically grown produce. Starting an organic food store is a great way to make money while helping the environment. Organic food stores are becoming increasingly popular, especially with people who want to eat healthily but don't have time to cook. If you're looking for a business idea that will allow you to make money and help people simultaneously, starting an organic food store could be the perfect fit for you!

Organic food stores are so popular because they offer fresh produce that has not been treated with chemicals or pesticides, which means they're much safer than the produce found at your local grocery store.

How much you can make: $4,000 — $62,000/month

How long does it take to build: 1 days (?)

How Andrea Slinde Launched Her Own Organic Food Startup

Denver-based founder Andrea Slinde built her own organic food start-up, Golden Root, which sells trendy Turmeric Latte Mix online and now in 50 coffee shops nationwide, with an average monthly revenue of $4K, a long term objective of expanding into traditional grocery sales, and uses Shopify, Recharge, Mailchimp, Shipstation, and QuickBooks to manage e-commerce and finances.

Read by 6,419 founders

30. Start a gift cards selling business

We all love receiving gifts from friends for occasions such as birthdays, weddings, or festival celebrations like Christmas and Easter. As times change, people's tastes and preferences are changing rapidly, and offering variety is the best way to fulfill customers' expectations.

Therefore, if you are looking for a good business idea, you may consider setting up a gift card shop at a convenient location. A strip mall with high traffic of target customers makes a good choice for a gift card business.

How much you can make: $1,000 — $35,000/month

How long does it take to build: 92 days (?)

I Sell Digital Greeting Cards And Make $35K Per Month

30-year-old Val shares how she founded Thankbox, an online group card and gift collection service in Scotland that has been used to send over 40,000 cards, issued over $2 million worth of gift cards, and now pulls around $25k in revenue per month, with plans to expand and offer physical versions of cards.

Read by 6,469 founders

31. Start a wine shop

A wine shop is a brick-and-mortar establishment that sells different wine brands from leading wineries. Starting a wine shop can be a lucrative business opportunity. Ensure a clear business plan detailing your target market and the suppliers you intend to work with.

Before launching the business, have a clear list of startup and ongoing costs. Research the competition, and find an ideal location where you will reach target customers.

32. Sell used appliances

The global second-hand appliances market is flourishing rapidly due to the rise in the income of lower-class consumers. Further, the global market for second-hand appliances is anticipated to achieve a Y-O-Y growth rate of 7.45% in the next few years.

With the growing need for appliances rising, starting a used appliances business can be a way to earn extra cash or even a side hustle.

To get started, target the areas with a growing population or middle-income areas where consumers choose to save money on appliances by opting for gently used or refurbished appliances. Then, register your used appliances business and create a business plan.

Find an ideal location and complement it with an online presence.

You may purchase used appliances from the used appliances stores, social media sales pages, auctions, estate sales, and auction websites such as eBay.

33. Start a bakery

Everyone loves baked goods, be it sweet items like cakes, muffins, and cookies or savory baked food like pizzas, buns, bread, and puff pastry. Baking takes a lot of effort and patience, which is why many people buy baked items from stores or restaurants instead of baking them at home.

Starting a bakery can be a rewarding business opportunity if you have a passion for baking. If you plan to start a bakery, consider that happy customers often become repeat customers. Therefore, always focus on quality and work on customer satisfaction.

To start a bakery , pick an ideal format. Some options include:

  • Counter-style bakery
  • A hybrid bakery with a cafe,
  • Food truck with a bakery
  • Home bakery.

Write a suitable business plan and choose the correct location.

How much you can make: $2,500 — $25,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,250 (?)

How long does it take to build: 75 days (?)

How This Couple Left France To Build Their "American Dream:" A Six-Figure Online French Bakery

French chef and founder of online bakery Pastreez, Anthony Rosemond, shares keys to success including validating ideas with the market, focusing on SEO and organic growth, building customer relationships through email and SMS, never offering discounts but offering freebies, and diversifying the business with new products and content on social media.

Read by 8,073 founders

34. Start a grocery store

A grocery store sells a wide variety of food products, fresh or packaged, and other household & personal care items. The grocery store industry is the largest retail channel that makes $682 billion in the United States.

To start a basic grocery store, you can expect to spend a minimum of $50,000. Ideally, the bigger expense would be the rent, equipment, labor cost, cash registers/POS systems, and software. Some of these are recurring monthly fees. However, the location, size of the store, competitors, and local customers will significantly impact the business. A new grocer should sell more items for a lower price to make a more significant profit.

A new grocer can also save costs by buying the items from local distributors. The distributor is the middleman between the manufacturer and the grocery store selling it. Once the store cost and location are decided, the next step is to obtain a seller license. In most states, a grocer's license is required to run a grocery store.

Thus an average grocery store has a profit margin of 3% to 5%. The profit rates depend on the store's location, size, and popularity. On average, a small to medium grocery store can make a profit of up to $300,000 annually if all the profit factors are considered.

Another way to make your business more profitable is to diversify your store and add amenities like a coffee shop or stocking up the front of the store with magazines, batteries, etc., as these items can cross a margin of up to 70%. As a rule of thumb, offering lower prices on higher purchases will ultimately win more customers and increase profitability.

35. Start a restaurant

If you love cooking and are passionate about entrepreneurship, starting a restaurant can be a fun and lucrative business.

To get started, choose a great location, and hire an excellent support team. You will need a chef to inspect the food and line cooks, waiters, and waitresses to serve the customers. No matter the restaurant type, you need great culinary and business skills to make your dream come true.

If you plan to open a restaurant , gain insight from consumer preferences and focus on serving modern consumers what they need.

How much you can make: $124,998 — $2,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)

Starting A $1.5M Healthy Meals Delivery Business

One Life Meals is a Toronto-based healthy meal delivery service that made 14,500 meals per month and generated $130k in monthly sales in 2018 through their one-on-one consultation, lean protein and seasonal veggies-based meals, and their focus on the client experience.

Read by 22,343 founders

36. Start a retail pharmacy

Starting your retail pharmacy can be a rewarding venture that offers you independence and the opportunity to define your work schedule. If you are considering starting a pharmacy, understand the licensing requirements and comply with the National Council For Prescription Drug Program.

Then, define the business model. You may opt to start an online retail pharmacy or a brick & mortar establishment. For a brick-and-mortar establishment, rent a physical location and take care of staffing costs and inventory keeping.

How much you can make: $515/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 730 days (?)

On Creating Customizable Medical And Allergy Awareness Bag Tags

Medical Bag Tags, LLC creates customizable medical and allergy awareness bag tags for personal items while raising awareness of medical and allergy conditions, all while overcoming personal tragedy and balancing being a single mom of 8 children, and is now in talks with a possible pharmaceutical investor to expand and grow the business.

Read by 4,652 founders

37. Start a vegan ice cream

Vegan ice cream is made using plant-based products. Free of animal-based products, vegan ice cream is healthy food.

Experts expect the demand for vegan ice cream to grow across the globe. Thus, starting your vegan-ice cream business can be a profitable business venture.

To start a vegan ice cream business, access the demand for your product and write a business plan. Then, contact your state's health department for a food handling license and permits before starting any business operations.

38. Start a coffee shop

Starting a coffee shop is an exciting and rewarding venture. It's a business that can be started with relatively little capital, and there are many ways to make it profitable. Coffee shops feature a low-cost stock but are profitable businesses.

If you plan to open a coffee shop, you may purchase a franchise, buy an existing business, or start from scratch. Whichever the decision, ensure a strategic location and renovate the space to create an inviting atmosphere. Develop a fantastic offering and begin marketing the business even before you open.

How much you can make: $3,000 — $15,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

On Starting A Coffee Subscription Service As A Side Hustle

New Zealand-based Fernweh is a subscription service that offers subscribers a new coffee roaster featured in the country each month, delivering coffee, tasting notes, and a story about the producer in a unique package for around $40 a month.

Read by 9,269 founders

39. Start a gift shop kiosk

The gifting culture is a trend that will not end anytime soon. People will look for customized or surprise gifts for their friends, parents, relatives, and colleagues.

Do you love the gifting tradition and looking for a chance to help others improve their gifting experiences? Maybe you can start a gift kiosk in your neighborhood.

A Gift kiosk sells greeting cards, books, candy, jewelry, fragrance, inspirational gifts, and baby and fashion items. To start, identify the niche, and set up the shop at a strategic location. It would be best to have high-quality suppliers so your business stands out and attracts return customers.

How much you can make: $800,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How I Started A $500K/Month Stuffed Animal Care Packages Ecommerce Brand

Meet Tyler Macke, the 21-year-old founder of SendAFriend, an e-commerce brand that sells stuffed animal care packages, which began with $50k in revenue in 2019 and is now on track to make $5M in revenue this year, while donating 10% of revenue to children's hospitals throughout the United States.

Read by 18,061 founders

40. Start a mobile phone cases & accessories kiosk

The increasing adoption of mobile phones and other handheld devices has created a secondary demand for phone accessories. Experts project the mobile phone accessories market will reach $166 Billion in the next decade.

High-demand mobile phone accessories include phone cases, batteries, headphones, portable speakers, etc.

Opening a mobile phone accessories kiosk can be a profitable way to make money. Do you plan to start a mobile phone accessories kiosk? Find a busy shopping mall where people buy phones. You can sell mobile phone accessories in retail or wholesale only.

How much you can make: $125,000/month

Selling One Million Phone Accessories

Phone Loops founder Jean-Philippe Brousseau developed and launched his first product after realizing how often he dropped his phone and caused costly repairs, and to date, the company has sold over one million Loops in 66 countries.

Read by 9,207 founders

41. Start a chocolate kiosk

Do you love crafting fine chocolate and other candies? Then starting a chocolate kiosk can be a fun and rewarding business opportunity.

To start, define the target customers and find an ideal location. Then, determine the type of chocolate you will sell and decorate your chocolate kiosk appropriately.

Finally, focus on serving quality and tasty chocolate to acquire customer loyalty.

42. Start a 3D Printing Business

3D printing is a process that assembles objects layer by layer and starting a business in this industry can be a very creative venture.

You will need investment in the right equipment and materials, and the acquisition of 3D modeling and design skills. You will also need to regularly calibrate and maintain your 3D printers to deliver consistent results.

Plan how you'll handle shipping and logistics, and leverage technology to find new applications of 3D printing in all industries.

How much you can make: $8,000 — $330,000/month

How long does it take to build: 270 days (?)

How I Started A $330K/Month Ecommerce Specialized In 3D Printing

Founder Roy Kirchner shares how he started an eCommerce business specializing in 3D printing with an initial investment of $65,000, which now averages monthly gross sales of $330,000 and has partnered with international manufacturers and local businesses while offering technical support and education.

Read by 29,962 founders

43. Become a massage therapist

Massage is a growing industry, and as such, many business options exist for those who want to enter this field. The most typical form of massage therapist business is an independent operation. This can be either out of one's home or a massage studio rented on an hourly basis.

Building a successful massage therapy business is not as difficult as you might think. Massage therapists offer much-needed services to communities and clientele. If you are looking for a new career or want to increase your income while delivering an important service, then starting a new massage therapist business can be an excellent choice.

Turn your massage therapy practice into a successful business by applying core business skills that lead to success.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $275,000/month

How long does it take to build: 100 days (?)

How I Make A Living As A Professional Cuddler

Professional cuddler, Sam Varnerin, developed her successful one-to-one cuddle service, Snuggle with Sam, as a result of recognising the universal human need for connection and touch, which also led to her opening Sam’s Snuggle School, a course for aspiring professional cuddlers.

Read by 16,833 founders

44. Start a smoothie business

Smoothie is a blend of whole fruits containing bananas, yogurt, honey, ice cream, and other ingredients.

Smoothie businesses attract health-conscious consumers, and their mass appeal has grown tremendously.

In the US alone, smoothie bars are a 3-billion-dollar industry. Therefore, starting your smoothie business can be a great idea from an entrepreneur’s standpoint. To start your smoothie bar, consider an ideal location, and ensure a proper shop format. The alternative smoothie shop formats include:

  • Dine in Plenty of seating space: customers order and pay at the counter.
  • Window only: Serves takeaway smoothies with customers ordering and paying at the counter
  • Food truck: Mobile smoothie shop allowing you to connect with a more extensive customer

The rising popularity of healthy juices and the low startup cost makes the smoothie industry an appealing frozen food business idea.

How much you can make: $30,000/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How One Woman Went From WIC To CEO Of Her Own Smoothie Empire

Simple Green Smoothies boasts a free 7-day smoothie challenge that has helped over 2 million people take control of their health and generates revenue with programs ranging from a 21-day cleanse to a plant-based meal planner, bringing in as much as $30k a month and also working to help women farmers in Cambodia build mushroom farms through World Hope International.

Read by 11,434 founders

45. Start an artwork kiosk

Artwork kiosks sell traditional landscape paintings, abstract paintings, pop art, graffiti, nude paintings, etc. According to statistics, the global art market is snowballing. Homeowners and business owners are among the largest consumers of artwork.

Thus, starting an artwork kiosk can be profitable. Getting started is easy. Make sure you find an ideal location where you can display the artwork and catch the customer’s attention. To boost sales, ensure you have an active online presence and share the artwork in online galleries.

46. Start a bedding & pillow kiosk

A bedding & pillow sales kiosk business sells mattress covers, fitted sheets, flat sheets, pillowcases, comforters, shams, quilts, and bed skirts.

Research has shown that the global home bedding market size will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 7.9% in the next decade.

The growth in demand attributes to the boom in the housing sector and the growing consumer spending on home furnishings, which have expanded the growth scenario for the market.

Therefore, a sales professional looking for the best sales business idea stands a chance to increase their income if they start the bedding & pillow sales kiosk business. To start your bedding & pillow sales kiosk business you need skills and the knowledge of sourcing good designs and high-quality materials. Also, you need proper negotiation skills so you can maximize your profit margins.

Follow these steps to start your bedding & pillow sales kiosk business.

  • Decide how much you are willing to invest
  • Research the market
  • Come up a name for your bedding kiosk
  • Choose a strategic location
  • Acquire business licenses
  • Get the required insurance for your business
  • Obtain inventory for your kiosk

When you have your bedding & pillow sales kiosk business running, you can scale your sales by showcasing your beddings with professionally edited photos. In addition, sell your bedding online, in-person, and in whatever channel your target consumers feel convenient to use.

How much you can make: $10,000 — $200,000/month

Starting A Bed Sheet Business Making $600K In First 8 Months

Sheets & Giggles, an eco-friendly bedding brand, earned nearly $500,000 and 6,000 orders in the first 6 months of business through Indiegogo, and utilizes pun-based marketing and a DTC model to tap into a fragmented, low brand loyalty market.

Read by 62,964 founders

47. Start a jewelry retail kiosk

Starting a jewelry retail kiosk can be a lucrative and engaging business. Jewelry kiosks across the country have been growing rapidly. Jewelry retailers buy stocks online at cheaper prices and sell locally at a profit. Besides, the online jewelry wholesalers offer a unique and much larger jewelry selection.

The United States jewelry market was valued at about $76B in 2020. Diamond jewelry is the most valuable jewelry market in the United States. Starting a jewelry kiosk can be extremely profitable. But to do this, you need a great e-commerce platform.

How much you can make: $5,000 — $287,000/month

Launching A Jewelry Brand By Focusing On An Unattended Niche

Mazi + Zo offers high-quality and modern jewelry for sorority sisters and other women, developed by founder Lizzy Klein after discovering a lack of stylish options in the market, and is now expanding into the broader market with organic social media being the most successful channel.

Read by 9,274 founders

48. Start a movie posters kiosk

Do you have a passion for movies and looking to turn your passion into a business but are not sure of the idea? How about printing movie-themed posters and selling them to other movie fans near you? Starting a movie posters business can be a fun and a great way to earn money.

To start, find trending movies and print images of the movie characters and scenes from the movie. You can sell the movie posters outside movie theaters or online.

49. Start a perfume retail kiosk

The global perfume market is growing rapidly, a trend attributed to increased awareness of luxury and exotic fragrances. Among the end users, the fragrance market is segmented into male, female, and unisex. However, the females account for a higher value luxury perfume market share.

To start a perfume kiosk, understand the market potential and conduct proper research. Select a niche and an ideal location for your perfume business. To keep the business running, create a sourcing plan and scout the competition.

How much you can make: $19,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How I Started A $19K/Month Personal And Home Fragrances Brand

Founder Rafael Hernandez launched Alfred Lane, a line of handcrafted personal and home fragrances, generating $19k in monthly revenue with 50% attributed to online and wholesale sales, while expanding to 65 stores across 6 countries and expanding to Europe and South America.

Read by 8,413 founders

50. Start a vegan ice cream

Vegan ice cream is made using plant-based products. Free of animal-based products, vegan ice cream is healthy food.

Experts expect the demand for vegan ice cream to grow across the globe. Thus, starting your vegan-ice cream business can be a profitable business venture.

To start a vegan ice cream business, access the demand for your product and write a business plan. Then, contact your state's health department for a food handling license and permits before starting any business operations.

51. Start a sports bar

People drink when they are happy or depressed. Opening a sports bar can be an excellent opportunity to earn money no matter their mood.

Are you looking for a strip mall business idea? You can start a sports bar at your nearest strip mall. You can sell take-away wines, spirits, whiskey, or beers and have a sitting place for customers who enjoy drinks at the bar.

52. Start a home improvement service kiosk business

Do you have a passion for home improvement? You can start a space improvement kiosk that sells various décor products for either office or residential spaces. Setting up a home improvement kiosk at the strip mall will allow you to speak with customers and show them samples of your products.

To start a home improvement kiosk, find an ideal location, probably within busy streets. Ensure unique space décor to attract many customers to your business.

53. Start a car wash

As more people purchase vehicles, the demand for carwash services will keep increasing. Starting a car wash can be the ticket for the budding entrepreneur looking for an innovative business idea with low startup costs.

You must choose an ideal location and invest in quality car wash equipment to operate a successful car wash. Proper advertising and marketing are critical to running a successful car wash business.

How much you can make: $3,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How I Started A $36K/Year Auto Detailing Business Working 3 Days Per Week

Joey Sanchez turned his love for car detailing and buying and selling cars into a successful mobile auto detailing business in Phoenix, Arizona, making $3K a month working only 3 days a week, with plans to eventually open a shop location.

Read by 3,591 founders

54. Start a convenience store business

A convenience store is a shop with extended opening hours and stocks different household goods and groceries.

These stores are located conveniently, such as strip malls or residential areas, where people can access them easily.

Here are three options to consider:

  • Buying an existing store
  • Opening a franchise
  • Starting a convenience store from scratch

Buying an existing convenience store comes with the advantage of inheriting the existing customer base so long as you keep up the excellent service. For the franchise, it means the parent company will provide you with the guidelines and procedures, inventory lists, and pay for national marketing and advertising.

However, opening your convenience store means you have the freedom to choose vendors and product selection. You can select the location and negotiate the lease.

Regardless of your choice, ensure your convenience store is within a strategic location.

55. Start a vape shop business

The global e-cigarette and vape market is expected to keep rising over the next years. Vapers are attracted to the marketable technology and flavorings seen in vaping devices.

According to statistics, around 7% of adults vape, and up to 20% of existing smokers vape.

If you are looking for a business idea you can launch at the strip mall, starting a vape shop is an irresistible opportunity.

To open a vape shop, partner with an experienced and reliable e-liquid wholesaler. Then research the market, so you understand your target market and have a clear picture of what they expect. Finding a good location for your vape shop will help you maximize sales.

How much you can make: $120,000 — $300,000/month

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Prison to Profit - How I Started With $5K And Built A 7-Figure Vaping Company

A former ex-con launched Vape and Juice with just £5,000 and has since built a seven-figure vaping company with online sales increasing 800% during lockdown, by offering exceptional customer service and investing in talent.

Read by 9,317 founders

56. Start a yard art business

Yard art enhances the outdoor space by creating stunning focal points. Landscape and home décor experts use metal art as an easy-to-install and maintain yard enhancement method. Thus, if you are a metal fabricator looking for home improvement ideas, consider the metal art business. You can make metal yard art for indoor and outdoor installation.

To start the business, register a brand and ensure you meet all the legal formalities. You can do a sample yard art in your compound and use it as a reference site. Alternatively, you can start mass production of metal yard art and sell them online or at a brick & mortar establishment.

57. Start a nail salon

A nail salon is a specialty beauty salon that offers nail beautification solutions for men and women. The services available at nail salons include manicures, pedicures, and other nail enhancements. Nail technicians at the nail salon also check for signs of fungus or sores that need special treatment.

To start a nail salon business, find an ideal location and register a unique brand name. Apply for the business plan and ensure you have the permit to operate a nail salon in your city.

How much does it cost to start: $3,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)

58. Start a stationery business

A stationery business sells stationery products such as paper goods, notebooks, greeting cards, and envelopes.

The best part about starting a stationery business is that it's relatively easy and inexpensive to get started.

Since there are so many different types of products available in this industry, there are endless opportunities for creativity, customization, and expansion.

You could even start out small by selling your products on Etsy or eBay before opening up an actual storefront.

How much you can make: $200 — $260,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,250 (?)

How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)

How I Started A $12K/Month Business Selling Productivity Planners Online

Chasing Planner Peace is a planner company that has expanded from selling planner inserts on Etsy, to offering a one-stop shop customizable planner experience with over 300 inserts, a planner line, and various other related products, gaining a monthly revenue of around $25,000 at its busiest time of year.

Read by 64,289 founders

59. Start a kids store

The kid's store business is a large market attracting millions of annual global sales and steady growth. If you plan to start a kids store business, you can specialize in clothing, toys, and accessories or sell all of these in one store.

Research the local market to discover what is appealing, and find the best suppliers. Define a business model and apply for applicable licensing. For kids apparel stores, a physical storefront acts as an anchor and helps build a local customer base. An online store will help you reach a wider market as you supply to those outside your locality.

How much you can make: $1,250 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How I Started A 1.6K/Month LEGO Reselling Business At The Age Of 14

A high school student turned his love for LEGO into a $1.6k/month business, Summerfield's Toys, by reselling sets online through eBay, BrickLink, and Facebook Marketplace, in addition to buying and reselling brand new sets.

Read by 27,915 founders

60. Start a Garment Retail Store

While garment retail stores are getting a lot tougher because of huge discount department store chains, they are still a viable business idea for entrepreneurs who are willing to commit extra time and effort to make a sale.

If you are planning to start a garments retail store, develop a strong business strategy that clearly differentiates you and gives shoppers a reason to walk into your store. You will need capital for funding the inventory, paying rent, and some cash reserve to market your business.

meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.