Best 42 Profitable Retail Business Ideas with Small Investment

Are you interested in starting a retail business in your city, small town, or village? Are you looking for profitable retail business ideas? If yes, read this post and explore the most popular retail business ideas listed here.

The retail industry worldwide is one of the major revenue earners for the economy. Actually, the retail business is one of the most low-cost and profitable startup operations. A report from Forbes suggests the retail market is expected to grow in the coming days. The reasons primarily are income growth, urbanization, and attitudinal shifts.

Availability of better quality products, an improved supply chain, and a one-stop shop for varied choices of brands and products are some of the benefits that accrue to the consumer through a retailer. At least one-third of the new enterprises launched each year worldwide are retail operations.

In general retailing involves buying products or services from a manufacturer, wholesaler, agent, importer, or another big retailer, and selling it to consumers. The retailer charges for the goods or services covering the expenses and profit. Individuals in the present day can start both an online retail store and a physical store.

42 Retail Business Ideas

If you want to start a retail business and looking for retail store business ideas, find below the most profitable retail shop business opportunities as per the current market trend worldwide.

1. Open a Discount Retail Store

Basically, dollar stores or discount stores are very popular throughout the globe. However, there is stiff competition and the business demands huge startup investment. Additionally, you will need to procure quality products from the manufacturers to get a decent profit.

2. Art Supplies Store

Art supplies store is a profitable and lucrative retail opportunity for any individual who is passionate about art and has knowledge about the equipment that is essential for the artists. You can establish an art supplies store by having a small retail location with a flair stock of popular art supplies essentials.

3. Automobile Service Station

One can start an automobile service station business in an urban or semi-urban city with also a stock of spare parts. Also, the business is highly lucrative for automobile engineers.

4. Barber Shop

Generally, opening a barbershop is a lucrative and self-rewarding business for any individual. However, the business demands specific skills, knowledge, and experience. If you are an experienced barber, then only you can think about initiating your own store.

5. Beauty Salon

A beauty salon or beauty parlor provides products and services that enhance the client’s physical appearance and mental relaxation. Selecting the right location, efficient manpower, and proper sales promotional activity is required in starting this business.

6. Boutique Store

The boutique store is one of the most popular retail business ideas, especially for women. Generally, boutique stores sell personalized designer clothing.

7. Brewpub

To be successful in the Brewpub business, one must have adequate knowledge and years of experience in microbreweries. Actually, the brewpub business is a restaurant and microbrewery combination that normally offers craft beer with different customized tastes and flavors to their clients on-premise. Studies have shown that drinking beer in different customized tastes is a trend of today’s phenomena.

8. Cake Shop

Initiating a cake shop business is a perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to start a venture in the food retail industry. The business is easy to start and manage. Additionally, the cake retailing business is perfect for women entrepreneurs. Any individual can start this business by taking a minimum risk (finance).

9. Coffee Shop

Over the past decade, the coffee shop industry is increasing rapidly. An entrepreneur passionate and talented about coffee can initiate a coffee shop business with moderate capital investment. The coffee shop actually treated as a third place outside of work and home to relax. The coffee shop business is one of the best ways to turn your love for coffee into a profit-making business.

10. Cosmetics Store

The demand for cosmetic items is never going to reduce. If you have a good retail space, starting a cosmetic store can fetch you a good return on your investment.

11. Diagnostic Center

An individual having experience in laboratory science can initiate a diagnostic center business with substantial capital investment. The diagnostic center with pathology is one of the most profitable businesses in the medical and pharma industry. Heightened physician awareness and an increasing patient requirement to avail of high-quality care have increased the demand for a good quality diagnostic center.

12. Fitness Center

Are you interested in starting a fitness center business of your own? The fitness center business opportunity demands careful planning and research. It is an industry that continues to be a lucrative market opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs globally. The fitness center industry is considered a largely recession-proof industry.

13. Florist

Floral business demands a lot of dedication, hard work, a flair for creativity, and a true love for flowers. Any individual can start a florist business in two ways. You can initiate it on a home-based and part-time basis. Giving services to local customers for any kind of function’s floral needs including planning, design, delivery, setup, and removing waste.

14. Food Truck

Mobile food truck business opportunity is different from normal restaurant in two major ways. One is you are moving and you don’t have a retail location. Second is you yourself are going to the customers. A person having experience in the food service industry can initiate this venture in the city area.

15. Garment Retail Store

The garment store is perhaps the most popular retail business worldwide. You can open a garment retail store in a specialized niche like men, women, kids, etc.

16. Hookah Bar Lounge

Hookah bar lounge business opportunity demands learning the operational aspects related to the business. A truly passionate entrepreneur can initiate a hookah bar lounge business with strategic planning and substantial capital investment.

17. Hydroponic Retail Store

A person having a passion for plantation technology can start a hydroponic retail store business to turn his hobby into a profit-making venture. Hydroponics is a new plantation technology that has been increasing in demand over the past decades as a soil-free way of plantation both for commercial and home use.

18. Internet Cafe

Nowadays, the internet is one of the most needed things globally. Even a person living in a remote village who doesn’t have a laptop has got the need of using the internet daily basis. Hence, the demand for internet cafes is huge.

19. Juice Bar

The Juice bar business is a billion-dollar industry worldwide and is projected to grow. Nowadays, a lot of people look for healthy food like fresh juice. Fresh fruit juice is a resource of minerals, vitamins, and energy.

20. Kids Store

If you live in a city with a high population density with a young crowd, a retail kids store business is perfect to start. An entrepreneur having knowledge about the retail industry can initiate a retail kid’s store business by focusing on the target niche. The size of the kid population is growing and there is no shortage of potential consumers in this industry ever.

21. Medical Store

The Medical Store business is perfect for those who are a chemist or has years of experience as a pharmacist. In this retail business, there are so many types of commercial options available apart from only medicine selling.  It is only for increasing the demand for medicine and related health care products and supplements.

22. Mobile Store

A mobile store with allied accessories is one of the most trending and profitable retail business ideas in India. The smartphone market is growing very fast worldwide. Additionally, the companies are also providing more upgraded phones in every model launch.

23. Pet Store

Are you a pet lover? The Pet store business is perfect for pet lovers. People who have knowledge and experience in retail merchandising. A one-stop pet store with allied services is a profitable and self-rewarding business. You have two options here. One is you can initiate o your own store. Otherwise, you can start the business by buying a franchisee of a reputed brand. In y own business the entire retail management, sourcing, and marketing are your responsibility.

24. Photography Studio

Photography is actually catching beautiful moments or events for your clients. And people love to get beautiful photos of the memorable incidents of their life. Therefore, photography is a multi-million dollar industry worldwide. Any individual can open a photography studio business with or without any experience.

25. Restaurant

The restaurant is one of the most profitable retail business ideas across the globe. If you have a retail space in a commercial location, starting a restaurant will surely fetch you good returns.

26. Retail Distribution

Actually, retail distribution is one of the most lucrative opportunities in both developed and developing countries. Also, the business is easy to start. However, it demands proper planning and moderate capital investment.

27. Organic Food Store

In starting an organic food store business most important consideration is the store location. Like any other retail business, the right location is the main parameter to get success in the business.

With the increasing awareness of healthy living, people are more interested in taking organic food though they are more expensive than non-organic food. The retail organic food market is an emerging trend and it is growing by 20% every year.

28. Shoe Shine Store

If you want to start a leather-related retail business with little money, you can consider starting a shoeshine stand or shop. However, this business is perfect for metro city areas where the population density is very high.

29. Tattoo Parlor

The tattoo parlor business is perfect for those aspiring tattoo artists and passionate about tattoo art. Basically, the tattoo parlor business demands a certain level of professionalism. Additionally, to make the tattoo parlor business a successful venture tattoo artists of your shop are the key factor.30. Tyre Store

30. Tire Store

The tire store business demands full control of inventory and some adequate knowledge about different types of tire that comes with a different unique number. One can start this business in a metropolitan city or in a small town. You only need to evaluate the car density of that particular location. This is one of the most lucrative retail business ideas in India in the automobile segment.

31. Used Car Dealer

The used car dealership business is a profitable business worldwide. In the United States, less than 30% of car purchases are for new vehicles. More than 70% of people prefer to buy used cars. The reason for selling a used car is primarily because of the too-high purchase cost of new vehicles.

32. Vending Machine

Nowadays, upgraded vending machines are eligible to take not only money but also credit and debit cards. You can operate this business part-time also with your current job. The vending machine business is simply procuring vending machines, making stocks available, and putting the machine in a perfect location.

33. Home Appliances Store

This is one of the most trending businesses in the large retail segment. Definitely, the business demands large capital investment for procuring stocks, manpower, and space. Basically, home appliances stores sell, TV, refrigerators, oven, kitchen appliances, etc.

34. Home Furnishing Store

These days, home furnishing is a multi-million dollar industry. And if you have knowledge about different fabrics, colors, and patterns, you can start a home furnishing store of your own. Basically, home furnishing stores sell different types of bed sheets, bed covers, curtains, pillows, cushions, mats, carpets, etc.

35. Laundry with Dry Cleaning Facility

Laundry with dry cleaning is a recession-proof business. And if you want to start the business on a small scale, concentrate on marketing and promotion. Even, you can outsource the cleaning work. Also, you can consider starting the business as a dry-cleaning franchise of a reputed brand.

Read: How To Start a Laundry & Dry Cleaning Business

36. Live Bakery

Basically, the live bakery is a new concept of the traditional bakery. Here, you will operate the entire operation live in front of the customers. The customer can see the cake baking and packaging system live. However, the business demands adequate retail space and substantial capital investment.

37. Maternity Clothing Store

This is also a great retail business that attracts a specific niche audience. Additionally, if you want to tap into an existing brand name and a proven system, you can consider a franchise. It is advisable that you conduct market research and craft a detailed business plan before commencing the business.

38. Thrift Store

Basically, the thrift store sells second-hand and used materials. The location is a very crucial aspect of starting a thrift store business. You must select a location that enjoys huge footfalls. Additionally, the procurement of the right product at the right price is highly important.

39. Vape Shop

If you stay in a tourist location or metro city, you can open a vape shop there. However, the business demands licenses and permissions from the Govt. authority. Before you start a vapor shop, there are two things you absolutely must know about your local market. First, you need an intimate understanding of what people pay for tobacco cigarettes. Second, you need to know whether any dedicated vapor shops already exist in your area.

40. Sports Shop

If you are passionate about games and sports, you can start a sports shop business with moderate capital investment. However, identifying the specific niche is one of the most crucial aspects when you are starting small. It is better to conduct market research prior to understanding the specific demand in your locality.

41. Baby Clothing Retail Shop

The kid clothing industry is growing worldwide. Unlike in the past, present-day kids are fashion-conscious and so are their parents. Hence, opening a baby clothing store is a profitable retail business for young entrepreneurs. However, you must have a good funding capacity to start this retail venture.

42. Farm Equipment Selling

If you live in a place where farm-related activities are carried out nearby, farm equipment selling retail shop can be an ideal business to launch. However, you will need to invest a significant sum of money to start this business by buying inventories and paying rent for a good retail space.