What are appropriate demographics to succeed?

Shane Deubell

Supportive Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
4,052
Would say rugs exist in every market.

But you definitely have to adjust your skill level depending on the market.
Cleaning $10k rugs is completely different from pottery barn $500 types.
 

rhyde

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Oct 12, 2006
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4,253
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Portland, Oregon
Name
rhyde
"Having clubs for people that have an appetite for art seems to spill over to having fine rugs on their floors. "

My observations./...

I was a founding member of PARS ( Portland Area Rug Society 1994 ) most of the people involved (except those in the trade) were dilettantes with few rugs of quality and little knowledge. We had a show and tell at an attorney's home as luck would have it I had a very nice and collectable/valuable pinwheel Kazak and a late 18-early 19th century Ottoman embroidery I brought along. I laid them out on his tennis court while the attorney laid out his 10 year old market quality Nain rug with pee stains & color run from him trying to clean it at home. As one of the dealer was talking about his shitty rug he wanted photos and was stepping all over the ottoman embroidery to get them.

Don't get me wrong I have a few really good rug nut people I clean for but percentage and dollar for dollar Non-ruggie people are way better to clean for they spend more money, more often and don't want to sit around for hours talking about it. There are several "rug nuts" that bounce between us and Atiyeh's we compare notes and neither of us do much cleaning for them. ...typically spending lot's of our time and little of their money. I had one guy ask if he could hang out at my shop and learn to wash rugs with me so he wouldn't have to pay me to wash his rugs.
 

Mikey P

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Oct 6, 2006
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112,315
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The High Chapperal
My new area has a very diverse demographic.

Even the homeless have homes here and at the same time the skiers and horse lovers have estates as nice as they get. very few condos, apartments and trailer parks as compared to Scruz.



A brother just stopped by to meet me. His business installs all sort of home theater, vacuum systems, phone, lighting etc for the rich folks. He say's there is a big need for ME.
 

Ron K

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Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
2,371
I had one guy ask if he could hang out at my shop and learn to wash rugs with me so he wouldn't have to pay me to wash his rugs.

Hey you told me you'd never tell anyone about that!
 

LisaWagnerCRS

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Joined
Jan 30, 2007
Messages
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Location
San Diego
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Lisa Wagner
Free pickup and delivery if $250, with two men on the truck, is costing the company wages/insurance/van cost/fuel - conservatively $50 at least for one trip. With a 40% hard cost of the job (again conservatively speaking), that is a big hit to chop away at the net profit of the job. So in that case, the demographics are not helping or harming, the policy is. He might consider a trip fee to "encourage" some to bring their rugs in and make the jobs even more profitable.
 

rick imby

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Jun 5, 2009
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2,206
Location
Montana
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Rick
Mikey

Anecdotally I knew you were making a change but why the move to Nevada? Mini Carpet/uphol service?

Three times the house for 1/2 the price have anything to do with it?

Probably covered somewhere that I missed...
 

WillS

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Joined
Feb 21, 2013
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1,258
Location
Las Vegas NV
Name
Will
G-ville has one of the most amazing locations. 20-25 minutes from Tahoe, 30 minutes from Reno. Skiing, Beach, Quietness.

I'd be interested in what market your targeting down there? G-ville/Carson/Minden/Tahoe? Are you planning on driving up to Reno?

And this....

gville.jpg
 

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