What are the steps and costs involved in opening a retail wine business in the Bay Area?

Question

What permits/licenses are required, from whom, and how long does it typically take to acquire them (and for how much)? How much does will it cost to acquire inventory? Any other key hurdles/requirements to get up and running?

Answer 1

Visit CalGold Database http://www.calgold.ca.gov/ for a list of the permits and licenses you will need. Here are some of them:

For alcoholic licenses permit go to http://www.abc.ca.gov/distmap.html

Building Inspection and Alteration Permits: Permits for modifying the physical space of your business.
Contact: City/County of San Francisco
Department of Building Inspection
1660 Mission Street, 1st Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-558-6088

Business Property Statement: Businesses may be required to report all equipment, fixtures, supplies, and leasehold improvements held for business use based on at cost and/or value.
Contact: City of San Francisco
San Francisco Assessors Office
875 Steven Street, Room 320
San Francisco, CA 94103
[phone]

Business Tax Registration: All businesses are required to register for a Business Tax Registration Certificate. Check with this office also if your business requires a Parking Tax Registration or a Hotel Tax Registration form.
Contact: City/County of San Francisco
Treasurer Tax Collector
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 140
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-554-4400

Fictitious Business Name: You must file a fictitious business name, unless you use your own personal name for the business.
Contact: City of San Francisco
San Francisco County Clerk's Office
Treasurer-Tax Collector - City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 168
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-554-4950

Fire Department Permit: For public assemblies, garages, storage, service stations, theaters, hazardous chemicals or gases, etc.
Contact: City/County of San Francisco
Fire Department
698 Second Street, Room 109
San Francisco, CA 94107
415-558-3300

Licenses: Contact each of the following departments to determine if you need a city business license. No license will be issued until a permit is granted by the appropriate regulatory Permit Agency.
Contact: City/County of San Francisco
Tax Collector License Department
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Rm 140
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-554-4400

Zoning and Planning: Your business location must be checked to determine if it is zoned for your type of business. This also applies to businesses operating from a residence.
Contact: City of San Francisco
Planning and Zoning
1660 Mission Street, 1st Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-558-6377

I suggest you subscribe to the magazine Beer Wine & Spirits Beverage Retailer http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006K5GL/002-8324277-2905649?v=glance&n=599858 as this is the magazine for your planned trade.

I also recommend that you check out the resources of the Speciality Wine Retailers Association http://specialtywineretailers.org/ - and even join them.

Answer 2

The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.

I recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.

Associations may be a good avenue to explore as well. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* How to Open a Financially Successful Specialty Retail & Gourmet Foods Shop by Sharon Fullen, Douglas R. Brown
* Gourmet to Go: A Guide to Opening and Operating a Specialty Food Store by Robert Wemischner
* Specialty Shop Retailing: How to Run Your Own Store Revised by Carol L. Schroeder
* The Wrath of Grapes: The Coming Wine Industry Shakeout And How To Take Advantage Of It by Lewis Perdue
* The Business Of Wine: Industry Insiders On The Production & Delivery Of A Premium Product From Vine To Table (Inside the Minds) by Aspatore Books

There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 3

Contact a Winery near you and ask them for a tour. Check it out and observe how they run the place. As you are taking the tour ask these questions. Make friends with someone who either works at or owns a winery. It worked for me. Best info on a business comes from friends who work there and a few glasses of wine.