How to open a liquor store from scratch. Formation of the assortment and display of champagne How to name your wine boutique

Finding yourself in a luxurious hotel with a stunning view from the window, what else can you dream of on your birthday. Is it about the bottle chilled champagne in bed. Such a crazy idea inspired Greg Williams to create his own business.

What started to

In general, the service of delivering champagne to customers is not very expensive, somewhere from forty to seventy pounds sterling. Catering for the party will cost 200 pounds. And for this money, four bottles of champagne, a bouquet of flowers with a congratulatory letter and chocolate will be delivered to all guests.

So, having celebrated his thirtieth birthday in Las Vegas, the city of entertainment, as well as the eternal holiday, Greg was so inspired business idea to deliver chilled champagne to the room that he started organizing his own business immediately upon arrival home, namely in Billerick. He quit his job as an accountant at the well-known Ford company and, together with a friend named Gavin Cooper, started a Champagne Waiter cold champagne delivery company.

Their customers were simply delighted when, upon opening the door, they saw a waiter with magnificent champagne. The Champagne Waiter company offers its unusual services, as a rule, to financially secure residents of Billerick, Shenfield, Brentwood and Hutton, who are interested in something unusual and special.

Friends themselves are big fans of such a sparkling drink and are very well versed in its varieties, as well as the "subtleties of drinking." Friends participate in all tastings organized by wine companies. They also conduct such tastings themselves, trying completely new varieties of champagne also at dinner. Very soon, the stage of development of their business will come when friends will be able to offer their customers the whole variety of this drink. However, while the tastes of friends do not quite match. So Greg Williams prefers Veuve Clicquot, his friend Gavin Cooper prefers Dom Perignon.

Wine has never gone out of fashion, but now there are more and more real connoisseurs of this delicious drink all over the world. With the right organization, retailing alcohol can be an extremely lucrative business. Opening a wine boutique has its own characteristics, which we will consider in this article.

It should be noted that for the full implementation wine boutique business ideas you will need to prepare a business plan, only in this way it will be possible to carry out all the calculations as accurately as possible for your city: .

How to make money selling wine

The difference between a wine boutique and a liquor store:

  • The range of offered alcoholic products from different parts of the world consists of a huge number of names, categories, brands, flavors, prices.
  • The clerk in the specialty store is an expert in high-end spirits and is always ready to give expert advice on every drink.
  • It is impossible to find poor quality alcohol and an unfamiliar manufacturer on the shelves of a wine boutique. The origin of each bottle is carefully checked.

These three differences turn a simple retail space into a luxury liquor store.

The start of any entrepreneurial activity is unacceptable without a clear distribution of invested funds. To do this, you need a business plan - detailed step by step description future enterprise.

Documents for opening a wine boutique

To sell alcohol, a special license is required, which is issued only to legally registered persons. Therefore, you first need to register a law firm, and then obtain a license.

To open an LLC, you can contact an accounting firm - this will significantly reduce your time, or prepare the documents yourself (this is if the deadlines are not critical for you).

Choosing a liquor store

The liquor store seeks to attract high-end customers, so the location of the outlet in the industrial part of the city may not bring the expected profit.

It is advisable to look for a room in the center with an area of ​​​​about 100 square meters, taking into account the warehouse. When choosing, you should take into account the convenience of parking for future customers, the potential for expanding the store in the future, the presence of a basement warehouse.

The place in which you will open a wine boutique can significantly increase the speed of business development, or vice versa, reduce the speed of its promotion if you do not choose it correctly, so you definitely shouldn’t rush here.

Wine storage equipment

Since the store involves the sale of elite spirits, it is necessary to create best conditions for their storage. Best of all, if the room is already with a basement, you can place an excellent cellar there.

To make the wine feel comfortable, the temperature should be around 13-15 degrees, humidity 60-70%. The storage should be well ventilated and dark. Sunlight can have a negative effect on the taste of wine, and stale air can enter through the cork into the bottle. To maintain optimal conditions, there are special air conditioners.

The wine warehouse should be equipped with special racks where the bottles will be at a certain angle. It is best to make such cabinets to order, taking into account the characteristics of the room.

When choosing storage systems, it should be borne in mind that constant vibration is harmful to wine, as sediment can rise from the bottom.

How to name your wine boutique

At first glance, a simple task, but creating the right name can take a lot of time.

The name should be chosen memorable, so that it is pleasant to the ear, does not cause difficulties in writing and, of course, corresponds to the subject of the product being sold. Names, place names, abbreviations should be avoided.

Design of the future wine store

The best way to attract customers is an unusual design of the room, where you will be pleased to return again and which you will want to tell your friends about.

You should not save on creating a special interior, it is best to entrust this task to professional designers.

Wine assortment and selection of suppliers

How many different bottles there will be on store shelves depends on right choice company supplying the product.

An unreliable supplier may leave the store shelves empty or send goods of dubious quality, which is dangerous not only for further business, but can also harm the health of customers.

It is worth starting your business by choosing large, reputable wholesalers. Ultimately, time is saved and costs incurred are reimbursed. A wide range of wines presented in your boutique, of course, will make your business more successful.

Qualified employees

In a specialty store, there can be no randomly recruited personnel on the basis of an advertisement.

The choice of sellers should be approached responsibly. A person working in a wine store should know as much as possible about the drinks sold, understand aging, grape varieties, years of release, blending, and be able to advise on any product.

For a more qualified selection of personnel, it is worth contacting a recruitment agency.

Wine shop presentation and advertising

When everything is ready for the opening, it is necessary to carry out a wide advertising campaign.

You can invite a sommelier to the opening and arrange a wine tasting, think over a system of discounts and gifts when buying goods, invite local famous people, place banners, print leaflets about the upcoming store opening.

Advertising should be taken care of long before you open your wine business, so that on the opening day you already start to make a profit, the more people know about you at the beginning, the more successful you will be wine shop.

Wine boutique opening costs

To calculate the expected profit, you should take into account all the costs of organizing a business: buying a license, renting and repairing premises, equipment, purchasing the first batch of goods, advertising, recruiting qualified personnel.

The initial capital should be about two hundred thousand dollars. If all goes well, the liquor store will pay off in about 5 years and then become profitable.

You will receive a more accurate figure for opening a wine business in your city only when you prepare a business plan.

That's probably all! If you want to get more business ideas, then contact, and also subscribe to the group.

In a previous article on the sale of alcoholic beverages, we talked about. This is a rather expensive and difficult procedure that novice entrepreneurs may not be able to afford or can afford. But such are the peculiarities of the Russian mentality that before giving up on what was planned, the domestic businessman explores all the so-called workarounds that will allow him to work without directly violating the law.

So is it possible to sell alcohol without a license, and how can this income generation option turn out for an entrepreneur? Read more about this later in the article.

Selling alcohol without a license - myth or reality - what does the law say

To understand the issue of the need for a license for the retail sale of alcohol, one should refer to federal law No. 171-ФЗ “On state regulation of production and turnover ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products<…>».

According to this legal act, activities related to the retail sale of alcohol are subject to mandatory licensing. At the same time, it is possible to obtain permission to carry out this type of activity only by fulfilling a number of requirements:

  • obtaining the status of an organization (find out);
  • formation of the authorized capital established by the regional legislation, which in some cases reaches 1 million rubles;
  • payment of state duty in the amount of 65 thousand rubles;
  • selection of premises for the location of the store in accordance with the established requirements for quadrature, etc.

The law also provides for certain exceptions regarding licensing - not all alcohol-containing products need a permit to sell them. What kind of alcohol can be sold without a license? Exceptions are low-alcohol drinks:

  • beer;
  • mead;
  • cider;
  • poiret (pear cider).

All other products, including wine and spirits, can only be sold with a license for the retail sale of alcohol. This requirement applies not only to shops, but also to catering establishments.

The World of Business website team recommends that all readers take the Lazy Investor Course, where you will learn how to put your personal finances in order and learn how to earn passive income. No enticements, only high-quality information from a practicing investor (from real estate to cryptocurrency). The first week of training is free! Register for a free week of training

What alcohol can be sold without a license - the sale of beer and beer drinks

Despite the fact that the trade in beer does not oblige a businessman to obtain a special permit, nevertheless, the above-mentioned law makes it clear that this type of activity is not possible without observing some individual requirements.

These include:

  • registration of entrepreneurial activity in the tax service, for example, as an individual entrepreneur (does not take much time and money);
  • availability of documents that confirm the legality of the origin of products (consignment notes (TTN) and certificates to TTN);
  • keeping records and declaring the volume of sales;
  • trading only through stationary facilities with trading and storage facilities;
  • availability of cash registers;
  • compliance with the rules of alcohol trade - a ban on sale at night (with the exception of catering establishments), a ban on sale to minors, etc.

When choosing a place to open a retail outlet, it should be borne in mind that beer and beer drinks cannot be sold in medical, children's and educational institutions and in the territories adjacent to them.

Important! From July 1, 2016, the sale of beer and other low alcohol drinks, listed in the previous chapter, can be carried out only after registration in the EGAIS - a unified state automated information system. Each fact of the purchase of such products for the purpose of subsequent retail sale must be recorded in the system using special software.

To get objective information about what equipment and software will be required to work with EGAIS, we recommend visiting the Rosalkogolregulirovanie information portal dedicated specifically to this system www.egais.ru.

Please note that the facts of the sale of beer and beer drinks are not subject to accounting in the system, unlike the sale of strong alcohol, where each bottle sold must be recorded. Entrepreneurs selling beer only need to keep a Retail Sales Journal and draw up an act of write-off of sold products in EGAIS on a daily basis.

And you can find out how to save on personal income tax and VAT at this address:. All about the features of taxation in the general regime.

Thus, the sale of alcoholic products without a license can be carried out subject to all these requirements if it means the sale of beer and beer drinks, as well as mead, cider and poire.

And if there is a direct reference to this possibility in the law, then the ways of selling alcohol, which will be discussed below, are not mentioned in the regulatory framework, but at the same time they do not contradict the current legislation. These are the "workarounds".

Methods of selling alcohol without a license, encountered in the practice of Russian businessmen

Resourceful domestic entrepreneurs have invented several ways to make money on the sale of alcohol without obtaining any permits, which have taken root in many regions of the country, and many retail outlets and catering enterprises still use them today.

How to sell alcohol without a license? One of the options is the conclusion of a lease (or sublease) agreement between individual entrepreneurs or legal entities. an unlicensed person acting as a landlord and an entity holding an alcohol retail license, which becomes a tenant respectively. When making such a deal, the parties indicate as a rent not a fixed amount, but a percentage of the licensee's revenue.

For example, Ivanov, a businessman who wants to make money selling liquor but is unable to obtain a permit, leases part of his retail space, in which he sells food or beer, for example, to a licensee organization.

The licensee places display cases with alcohol on the provided area, puts up a cash register, formally hires one of the sellers, businessman Ivanov, and starts trading. That is, in fact, entrepreneur Ivanov sells alcohol and he is interested in selling more goods, since his income depends on it - the higher the licensee's revenue, the more he will receive as rent. De jure, all sales go through an organization that has a license to sell alcohol, and the law is not violated in this case.

Such cooperation is beneficial to both parties. However, in order to translate the idea into reality, it is necessary to take into account some nuances:

  • The store premises must have a trading floor and a warehouse with a total area of ​​at least 50 sq. m;
  • the location of the store must comply with the requirements of Law No. 171-FZ: trade should not be carried out on the territory of children's, educational, medical institutions and in close proximity to them, etc.;
  • alcohol trade rules must be observed, for example, products cannot be sold from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., etc.

How profitable this scheme can be for an entrepreneur depends on what percentage of the proceeds will be specified in the contract. As a rule, it is about 15-20%, while the mark-up for alcoholic products used by licensees varies from 35% and higher.

How to sell alcohol without a license in a catering establishment? The owners of clubs, bars and cafes have also succeeded in this task. However, unlike retailers, they do not involve outsiders. They work on the principle of "you can not sell, but you can treat."

After all, in fact, the law does not prohibit treating, giving alcohol, the ban applies only to sale without a license.

So, the owners of such establishments include in their menu any dish hinting at alcohol. For example - "snack for vodka." An intrigued client orders a dish, he is served an inexpensive snack and a gift from the establishment - 100 g of vodka. At the same time, the cost of the dish includes the cost of snacks, alcohol and a good margin.

Responsibility of an entrepreneur selling alcohol without a license

This is not to say that these schemes are completely transparent. Such activities may attract the attention of law enforcement and supervisory authorities, and further developments will depend on very many circumstances. In judicial practice, there are cases when entrepreneurs resorting to such trading schemes managed to justify themselves. But there have also been cases where unlicensed businessmen selling alcohol in similar ways have had to be held accountable.

In the event that a controlling, supervisory or licensing body reveals a violation of the law, namely, the sale of alcohol without a license, the following measures may be applied to the violator:

  • confiscation of goods;
  • seizure of technological equipment for the sale of alcohol;
  • a fine of up to 300 thousand rubles, and if such activity is associated with causing damage to the state or generating income on an especially large scale - from 100 thousand to 500 thousand rubles;
  • imprisonment for a term of 6 months to 5 years;
  • forced labor for up to 5 years.

The last three points are relevant for cases where the sale of alcohol without a license is equated with illegal business in accordance with Art. 171 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Wake up in a luxurious Las Vegas hotel with a view of the famous Strip, what else you can dream about on your birthday. About a bottle of cold champagne in bed! This crazy thought inspired Greg Williams ( Greg Williams) to start your own business.

After celebrating his 30th birthday in Las Vegas, the city of entertainment and perpetual celebration, Greg was so inspired by the champagne room service business idea that he set up his own business as soon as he arrived home in Billerick. After quitting his job as an accountant at Ford, Greg and his friend Gavin Cooper ( Gavin Cooper) organized a Champagne Waiter champagne delivery company.

“Our customers were truly delighted when they saw a waiter with champagne at their door. Despite the economic crisis, our business is booming. People love to give gifts, especially unusual, unique gifts,” beginner entrepreneurs say. The fact is that Champagne Waiter offers its unusual services to wealthy residents of Billerick, Brentwood, Shenfield and Hatton who are interested in something unusual, special. “Delivery of cold champagne to your doorstep on your birthday is what you need,” friends are sure.

The friends themselves are big fans of the sparkling drink and are well versed in its many varieties and "subtleties of drinking". They participate in all tastings conducted by wine companies. They hold such tastings themselves, trying new varieties of champagne at dinner. “The stage of development of our business will soon come when we will be able to offer our customers all the variety of this drink,” friends say. In the meantime, the tastes of friends do not match - Greg Williams prefers Veuve Clicquot, and his friend Gavin Cooper prefers Dom Perignon. But both would be absolutely happy to get a bottle of cold sparkling champagne of any brand in their bed.

By the way, the champagne home delivery service is not very expensive for customers - from 40 to 75 pounds, depending on the set of included gifts (chocolate, flowers, etc.). Catering a party costs 200 pounds. For this money, guests will receive 4 bottles of champagne, chocolate and a bouquet of flowers with a greeting card.


No matter how hackneyed it may sound, the main trend of modern business is creativity. And the basis of this phenomenon is not the ability to “give out something like that”, but the ability to ask. The ability to ask questions.

Everyone knows that alcoholic beverages are in high demand. If you build your business on the alcohol trade, you can make a good profit and quickly return the funds invested in the business. How to open a wine store, you will learn from this article.

Activity registration

It is not easy to organize such a business, since a license is required to trade in alcoholic beverages. It is issued at the regional Ministry of the Consumer Market, but only to organizations, so it will not work as an individual entrepreneur. You will have to open an LLC. In addition, you need to obtain permission to trade from the sanitary and epidemiological supervision.

Pay the state fee and submit documents for official registration to the relevant authorities. In order not to waste your time standing in line, you can seek help from specialists. They will issue all the necessary permits in a short time so that you can quickly start your business.

Shop space

If you decide to open a wine boutique or, first of all, you should choose a suitable room for it. This largely depends on the volume of sales. It is desirable that it be located in a crowded place, for example, in the center or in a densely populated residential area. You can also open an online wine store. In this case, you can significantly save on renting a room. Online shopping is very popular. Thanks to this, you can quickly return on investment.

The area of ​​a wine shop must not be less than 52 sq. meters. We are talking about a trading floor along with storage facilities.

If we are talking specifically about the wine business, you need to worry about the special conditions for storing products. To protect the wine from cold, heat and light, it is necessary to equip a separate room, the so-called wine cellar.

Range

Some aspiring entrepreneurs are wondering how to start a wine business? After you choose a room, you should take up the formation of the assortment. The wider it is, the more customers you will have.

There should be more than two hundred wines from different manufacturers on the showcase. Do not copy the assortment of competitors. Matches should not exceed 30%. In addition, you should keep the brand, that is, sell only high-quality products from the best manufacturers. This is sure to be appreciated by lovers of noble gourmet drinks. Soon they will become your regular customers.

Scheme: wine production

To sell expensive wine, you need to hire an experienced specialist. He will be able to answer all the questions of buyers and help them make the right choice. Some high-end boutiques send their employees to sommelier courses. In an ordinary wine store, such a specialist is not needed.

If your outlet is located in a residential area, you should focus on inexpensive quality wines. In a store located near a hotel, train station or some representative institution, you should sell elite alcohol. The assortment is formed depending on the contingent of buyers. Before big holidays like New Year or March 8, should expand the range of champagne and liqueurs.

Buy goods only from trusted suppliers. Unscrupulous firms may delay deliveries or offer poor quality goods, which negatively affects the profits and credibility of the store.

Wine production

Homemade wine is always in high demand because it does not contain stabilizers or preservatives. If you start making wine at home, you can make good money on it. Such products always sell well, so there will be more than enough buyers.

In Western countries, in particular in Spain, home winemaking supported at the state level, so many entrepreneurs are engaged in this business. Unfortunately, things are not so optimistic in our country. The fact is that the production of wine at home can be equated with moonshine and fined a large amount. Therefore, before doing this business, you need to obtain all licenses and permits.

Making wine from a family recipe

You can set up wine production as a business using traditional technology, or according to an old family recipe that is passed down from generation to generation. finished products better to sell in local markets. Best selling house wine own production to engage in resort towns. People who come to rest are happy to buy alcoholic drinks made from natural products.

Staff

When hiring sales assistants in a wine store, you should remember that the number of regular customers largely depends on them. Usually people go to wine boutiques purposefully. They want to purchase a drink that will be suitable for a particular occasion. A qualified sales assistant must take into account the taste preferences of the client and select the appropriate wine for him. With the recruitment of other employees usually there are no problems.

You need to hire:

  • manager;
  • accountant;
  • two sellers;
  • two guards;
  • loader;
  • Cleaning lady.

Store equipment

For the demonstration and storage of wines, it is necessary to purchase special equipment. In addition, the premises need to create a special interior that encourages visitors to buy.

To equip a liquor store, you will need:

  • counters;
  • Shelving;
  • Demonstration stands.

Equipment for the wine trade can be made to order. This will help you create an extraordinary individual atmosphere. You can also purchase special wine cabinets with the ability to adjust the temperature.

Some entrepreneurs are interested in how to open a liquor store on tap. In this case, you will have to purchase special equipment:

  • Refrigerators for storing goods;
  • Barrels with dispensers and taps;
  • Container for spill.

In such an institution, several tables and chairs should be placed for visitors.

Related videos

Costs

When compiling a business plan for a liquor store, first of all, calculate all the costs. This is a fairly expensive project, which will have to invest a decent amount. Its main part will be spent on paperwork and the purchase of goods. In order to form an assortment, you will have to spend at least 1 million rubles. Renting a room will cost 15-20 thousand rubles (depending on the place of residence and area, the condition of the room).

The cost of registering a company will cost 15 thousand. But the costs don't end there. The license is issued on the condition that the authorized capital of the company is at least 1 million rubles. The document itself costs 70 thousand rubles. It is issued by the regional Ministry of the Consumer Market.

In addition, the money will be needed to purchase equipment for the liquor store and renovate the premises. Do not forget to calculate the monthly expenses - salaries to employees, utility bills, taxes. As a result, the project costs about 3 million rubles.

It should be noted that the profitability of the wine business is quite high. It pays off in just one year, with success.

Summing up

Before you start a wine business, try to objectively assess your capabilities. If you have a large start-up capital on hand and are ready to invest it in, feel free to get to work. The liquor store is a promising and highly profitable line of business, which is suitable for both experienced and beginner entrepreneurs. We wish you inspiration and success in all your endeavors.