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Need Advice for opening Party Business?

would love to have my own small dress up rental business for children to experience an extra special birthday. I imagine I would target more girls then boys with this idea but will also include boys items. What I would like to do is have the business from my home as in I would store the costumes, accessories and party supplies in my extra room. Then when people would like to rent a package I would either have them pick it up at my home or deliver it to them. For an extra fee I would deliver everything set it up and then after the party take everything down and back home. In this package I would include -Costumes (In the theme they choose) -Accessories (Feather Boas, Fairy Wings, Necklaces, Crowns...) -Invitations (Optional add on) -Games to Play -Craft Activity -Party Guide -Favors (Optional add on) -Table Wear (Tea Cups or Paper Goods, Table Cloth, Napkins....) -Decorations This would be a complete package but I would also set up individual packages if they only choose to have the costumes and tea cups for example. So the parents would be the ones to host this party but it would be easy as I would include lots to do and a guide. So this is my idea and I would love to start it out with just a few themes. But there are a few things I am still not sure about. I live in a small town in PA the population is 5,960 I would be willing to travel to houses out of my town but I would love to get business locally. I plan on moving down the road but this is where I will be living for several years. In this area there are no party things to do the only thing we have is a bowling alley. We do have a community center and places to hold parties at if parents didn't want to have the party in their home. I also don't plan to get rich off of this business either just want to do it part time and make some money doing something I love! I also know that I would need to get a business license but what else would I need to rent out these packages? I don't really know the nuts and bolts of what to do or how to find out more information about this. I am also going to be attending Penn State in Fall to get my education for a real career so not sure if I will be able to open my business until after I graduate which will be two years after this fall. But if I some how was able to open up while attending school the extra money would help out. Here is a link to basically exactly what I want to do only in a smaller scale http://www.simplypretend.com/

Public Comments

1. Go to http://www.score.org/index.html and in the upper left hand corner, enter your zip code. On the next screen, you will find the SCORE chapter nearest you. Call them and arrange for a free meeting with a SCORE counselor. SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SCORE was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Herndon, VA and Washington, DC and has 389 chapters throughout the United States and its territories, with 11,500 volunteers nationwide. Both working and retired executives and business owners donate time and expertise as business counselors. SCORE is America's premier source of free and confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs.
2. Our business is wholesale fashion accessories and party items so I have experience with entrepreneurs with a business plan similar to yours. I have seen it work best in fixed locations where kids could come in with their parents and pay an hourly fee to play, but the same facility is rented out in blocks of time for birthday parties, etc. They have costumes, but also play houses, children’s furniture, and inflated equipment to play on. This is a steady overhead and bigger investment, so I would recommend starting your way. Hats are a great item for these make-believe, dress-up parties and we sell all sorts of hats including novelty hats. But notice the hats on the kids in the site you referred—they are mostly fashion hats trimmed. Party planners are buying these hats constantly for children’s tea parties, birthday parties, etc. The population of your town seems small to support the business, but your area often has many towns of similar size within 25 miles. I would recommend putting brochures in all these towns with pictures of kids having fun in costumes. It is better that you be part of the party set-up to insure they have fun because disappointment travels fast in small towns.