Investigate Competitors

Well in advance of opening a Salvation Army store in your area, it's worthwhile to find out how strong the competition is. We've provided the link below to help you get a list of local competitors in your area. Just enter your city, state and zip code to get a list of Salvation Army stores in your community.

• Search for Salvation Army Stores Near You

Is the local market large enough to support another Salvation Army store? If not, you had better be sure that you are doing things much better than the competition.

Talk to People Who Are Already in the Business

If you want to open a Salvation Army store it's essential that you learn as much as you can from somebody who is already in the business. If you think your local competitors will give you advice, you're being overoptimistic. What's in it for them?

However, a fellow entrepreneur who has started a Salvation Army store on the other side of the country may be willing to share their entrepreneurial wisdom with you, given that you don't compete with them in their area. In that case, the business owner may be more than happy to discuss the industry with you. It can take a while to find an entrepreneur who is willing to talk, but it's well worth the effort.

What's the process for finding somebody who runs a Salvation Army store in a different locale who can assist you?

Simply, try our helpful link below, type in a random city/state or zipcode, and start calling.

• Find Your Salvation Army Store Mentor

Franchising May Be a Better Way to Go

As an entrepreneur, your chances surviving in business are substantially improved if you become a franchisee and leverage their successful brand and track record.

Before you consider starting a Salvation Army store, you may want to investigate whether there are good franchise opportunities available that might help you avoid common entrepreneurial mistakes.

The link below gives you access to our franchise directory so you can see if there's a franchise opportunity for you. You might even find something that points you in a completely different direction.

• Franchises for Sale