Best location for small retail business? Allen/Plano or NRH/Hurst (Dallas: leasing, how much)

[sun_dance]

Hello all,
Looking to open up a small full service tennis shop in the Metroplex. I am from out of the area. I need your help with comparing two very different areas (even if you don't play tennis I would like your input). Currently I am thinking Allen/Plano or North Richland Hills. The shop would be opened 10 am-7 pm, mon-sat. One of the most important factors is the ease/ability for customers to drive to my shop during hours of operation within an approx. 15-20 mile radius. Being in the business currently, I have found that a tennis shop is a destination-type retail store that customers will drive up to 20 miles depending on traffic.

I like Allen and West Plano because of the proximity of Frisco and Mckinney.

I like North Richland Hills and Hurst because of the central location to Euless, Bedford, Colleyville, Southlake, Arlington, Irving, and Fort Worth etc.

That being said...which location would be better and why?

Thank you!

[TurtleCreek80]

I think you would do better in Plano/ Allen. More master-planned communities in Allen / Frisco / McKinney with courts and probably more private tennis & country clubs, too.

People who live in the affluent NW burbs (Southlake / Westlake / etc) aren't driving to NRH/ Hurst for tennis gear. They're buying it at the pro shop at their club, looking in Southlake Town Center, or driving into Dallas, IMO.

[sun_dance]

Thank you for the response. Location is most important. Will people who live in Plano, Frisco, and Mckinney drive to West Allen if the shop provides them with better selection and service than they are accustomed to in their areas? This type of business needs to have a loyal customer base who shops there at least 1-2 times per month on average.

How would traffic be during non-rush hours?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by sun_dance

Thank you for the response. Location is most important. Will people who live in Plano, Frisco, and Mckinney drive to West Allen if the shop provides them with better selection and service than they are accustomed to in their areas? This type of business needs to have a loyal customer base who shops there at least 1-2 times per month on average.

How would traffic be during non-rush hours?

I think the key would be to sign a lease in one of the "destination" centers in Allen like Watter's Creek or Shops @ Fairview and not a random smaller strip center. Both are on 75 and offer pretty easy access to 121 as well. They are in the "corner" where Allen / NE Plano/ McKinney/ Fairview/ Lucas all come together. About 15 minute straight shot on 121 from Frisco.

You can get to most points in Collin County within 20-25 minutes when it's not rush hour. AM rush hour is prior to your store opening and PM rush hour is from about 4:30-6:15/30.

[PlanoGirl]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

I think the key would be to sign a lease in one of the "destination" centers in Allen like Watter's Creek or Shops @ Fairview and not a random smaller strip center. Both are on 75 and offer pretty easy access to 121 as well. They are in the "corner" where Allen / NE Plano/ McKinney/ Fairview/ Lucas all come together. About 15 minute straight shot on 121 from Frisco.

You can get to most points in Collin County within 20-25 minutes when it's not rush hour. AM rush hour is prior to your store opening and PM rush hour is from about 4:30-6:15/30.

Agree with TC...if you are at one of these centers you would have lots of traffic from, and both these shopping centers pull from all over Collin County and often outside of it (to clarify Shops at Fairview/Allen are at Stacy & 75, and Watters Creek is at Bethany and 75). Though anywhere on 75 between these locations would also be good too....I could still easily stop at my usual places at these centers after visiting your shop, if it was still in the general area. Not sure how much you would pull from Frisco, as for the most part, many of the stores you find in the Allen shopping center you will find in Frisco Stonebriar Center and surrounding area....so I am not sure how often Frisconians frequent the Allen stores. But you would definitely get a good pull from Mckinney, though there IS a pro shop at the new Gabe Nesbitt Tennis Complex in west Mckinney.

[sun_dance]

Thanks for the info...a lease in a prime location is always expensive. Being that it is mostly destination (word or mouth, web search) and not foot traffic so much, I think the idea of being close to these busy shopping centers may work nicely.

Question: what about being near the Northeast mall in Hurst Texas? It seems very centrally located to many surrounding citie with in a 20 min drive.

[Handsome Stranger]

There's some open storefronts in the Village/Shops at Allen, there is a Dicks and a Cabela's in that shopping center, I don't know if that's a problem with leasing. There are several openings on 75 in Plano. Watters Creek is a destination shopping area, probably expensive?? I live in Allen, but think McKinney might be a better choice. Hurst isn't close at all.

[sun_dance]

Thanks for the response. Why do you think Mckinney would be a better choice? Seems less people would come up from Plano if the shop was in Mckinney. Dick's is not direct competition for a Pro tennis shop. There maybe an issue if I wanted to open in the same retail location however (Dick's could have exclusive location rights). I just need to be within a few miles of these busy malls

As for Hurst, I should probably post the question on the Ft. Worth forum.

[Johnhw2]

West Plano near North Dallas Tollroad and 121 or the President George Bush Toll (PGBT) road. Proximity to the area these roads cross would give your destintation clients easy access from Far North Dallas and North Dallas to Plano of course, Frisco, Allen, Richardson and you wouldnt be more than 30 minutes from Irving and Coppell off rush hour.

Near but not in the malls might work....Stonebridge is on 121 and The shops at Willow Bend is mid way between 121 and PGBT. I am suggesting within a short drive to these two malls not in or right next to them.

Good luck

[sun_dance]

Thanks John! Do you think people from Mckinney and Allen travel to stores they like near Willow Bend at least every 2 weeks or at least once per month? My fear is if I go after too much population I will miss out on having a shop conveniently located for Mckinney/Allen. Any thoughts?