Shop makeovers: 3 steps to finding the perfect blank canvas

If you haven’t given your shop a makeover for a few years, it’s probably starting to look a little tired. Revitalising its appearance is important, but if a lick of paint and a new rug doesn’t go far enough then a fresh start is the only way forward.

Relocating your business could be the perfect strategy to get the tills ringing again. The sticking point is that finding the perfect new shop to put your stamp on is much easier said than done.

Chances are, your dream property with oodles of storage and miles of floor space doesn’t exist. So you’re going to have to compromise.

We won’t be able to decide what you can and can’t live without, but we can offer some advice for having a smooth and successful property search. Take a look at our top three steps to get you started.

Step one: figure out what you need

Fans of colour coordinated to-do lists and Excel spreadsheets will love the planning stage of finding a new property. For everyone else, it’s the least fun but most essential part.

So pour yourself a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, whatever you need to see you through a marathon brainstorming session. Write down everything you’re looking for, from budget and location to personal preferences like window styles or original features. Don’t miss anything out.

Then divide these into two checklists, ‘Things I Need’ and ‘Things I Want’. Go through each list during every viewing, and your winner will be the one that manages to tick the most boxes from both categories.

Step two: whittle down the search online

If you aren’t careful you’ll end up trudging through countless high street viewings, despair growing with each one. Before you get started, whittle down the search online.

An online database of available shops to let allows you to narrow your search according to budget, size or location – whatever factor is most important to you.

It’s the best way of separating the winners from the losers, leaving you with a much smaller viewing list and a whole load of spare time you’d otherwise have wasted.

Step three: use your imagination

Chances are the shop you find is going to need some work, and even if by some miracle you manage to secure a newly renovated gem, you’re still going to want to put your own stamp on it.

There are lots of creative ways of adding warmth and style, so don’t be put off by how it currently looks. Instead, try to imagine how it’ll work and feel with you at the helm.

If that’s a struggle you can always use a free online virtual programme to create mock-ups of different design ideas to give you some inspiration.

There you have it, three steps to get your property search going in the right direction. If you have any other suggestions of things to keep an eye out for during viewings, you can always share them in a comment!