Store Launch Planning for Your First Shop

Store Launch Planning is for founders opening their first physical store who want support from the location search through to an early store concept and landlord approval, where required.

I help you search for suitable locations and review up to three potential sites against your store concept, target customer, operational needs and commercial fit. For one preferred location, I provide a detailed commercial review of the Heads of Terms and support negotiations with the agent or landlord. This includes looking at rent, lease term, break options, rent-free periods, service charge exposure and repair obligations, alongside any early commercial or operational risks.

I then develop a commercial and operational brief for your appointed designer, setting out what the store needs to achieve for your customers, team and business. During early concept design, I review proposals against that brief, help keep information and decisions moving between you, the designer, landlord and relevant advisers, and guide you through the landlord’s design submission and comments where required.

You appoint and contract with your designer separately. The designer is responsible for the layouts, drawings, technical design and compliance. Retail Growth provides client-side commercial and operational advice and does not create or certify the design.

The service fee is £15,000. £7,500 is payable before work begins, £3,750 at the property and design brief milestone, and £3,750 at the concept design milestone. The precise scope and payment triggers are confirmed in the proposal, Consultancy Agreement and Statement of Work before we begin.

If you are planning your first store, send an enquiry with a brief outline of your business and how far you have progressed.