Why Do You Even Drink?

[piercefilmlid]

I would certainly be interested in a book store that has air con - so the book binding does not disintegrate as soon as you start to read it (like I experienced last week)

Edited September 17, 2009 by piercefilmlid

[gennisis]

I often think of things that I really want, that you can't get here and that sell well elsewhere. There are lots of things like that and someday I will probably pick a few that would fit in with bookstores and sell them just to see what happens.

Coffee is out because the market is flooded, but one famous used bookstore in Bangkok has a blog where he complains almost every day about ever starting a "book cafe'" and lists all the problems, and makes me happy that I did not.

How about a place that sells premium chocolates? The Thais are getting into this kind of thing and the ones that have popped up so far, don't seem very premium to me.

I wont argue as to what a "premium" chocolate is...but I have been buying imported Belgium and French chocs for some time from a very nice little shop near the British Council building...Bumrungrad Rd...a fair selection of dark,milk and white chocs...bars of different countries cocoa/chocolate...a little coffee shop and pleasant service.They are running a promotion that will give me a free 300 baht selection of pralines by christmas

There is also a counter at Airport Plaza,by the bakery till at Tops..who seem to sell them too.

[gennisis]

Just open your shop right next to the biggest gecko shop and advertise a far cheaper price!!! hahahahahaha

Something like that's been tried before, it didn't work then, don't mess with the Gecko he knows his business

I have to agree. Gecko Books are first rate as far as I am concerned. I get about 12-15 books each fortnight and have been doing so for 2 years,and I am still finding new authors I had never heard of that are giving me 'good reads'. The stocks he carries is huge. Anyone setting up a new buisness in CM would have to look at Gecko as a model. However setting up a shop out at Mee Chok by the Rimping Store,might get local buisness...although there is a new book/magazine shop in the arcade there.

[vagabond48]

Premium chocolates is out for me because of my weight problem. Someone else should go for that.

What, no self control? No one says you got to eat the delicious stuff you sell.

[Ulysses G.]

I would certainly be interested in a book store that has air con - so the book binding does not disintegrate as soon as you start to read it (like I experienced last week)

That might work if the shop was open 24 hours, but being hot half of the time would be counter productive. Besides, the new books in Asia books and everyone they sell to are in hot warehouses for long periods of time before being shipped out to your local bookshop.

gennisis, thanks for the heads up on the chocolates - just what I need!

Edited September 17, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[Lancelot]

Just wondering if there is a sufficient market in CM for another English used book store?

Yes !! can never be enough..

competition drives down prices.. a good thing for the consumer, Go for it !

I'll just throw this out for what its worth. I'm a pack rat and decided to down size a bit. I selected 10 of my books and advertized them at two online sites, along with a photo of the books and never got one call. I had the books priced to move, at about 50-60% of what the book stores would charge.

My point is that selling used books is probably a labor of love and not a get rich quick venture or every body and his brother would be doing it. If the shops selling used books are making money, good on em; I wouldn't want the hassels invlolved in doing it.

Just my 2 satang.

PS-Seems like CM has a ton of book stores already

[anonymouse]

Just wondering if there is a sufficient market in CM for another English used book store?

Yes !! can never be enough..

competition drives down prices.. a good thing for the consumer, Go for it !

I'll just throw this out for what its worth. I'm a pack rat and decided to down size a bit. I selected 10 of my books and advertized them at two online sites, along with a photo of the books and never got one call. I had the books priced to move, at about 50-60% of what the book stores would charge.

My point is that selling used books is probably a labor of love and not a get rich quick venture or every body and his brother would be doing it. If the shops selling used books are making money, good on em; I wouldn't want the hassels invlolved in doing it.

Just my 2 satang.

PS-Seems like CM has a ton of book stores already

Gecko Books has pretty much a monopoly on the Chiang Mai used books scene, he's been established nearly ten years and know's his business and how to market it inside out to compete with would be very difficult.

As an ex bookshop owner in Thailand I know the difficulties involved, it's not just getting truckloads of books shipped over from farangland and then selling them.

You need to source good books that people will buy, you need to deal with shipping and customs, you then have to pay rent, staff, utilites, work permits etc.

Some of the books might not sell or go out of fashion and you might have to sell them at a loss.

I'd agree it is a labour of love I'd also speculate that UG is the only used bookshop owner in CM that is actually making a living out of selling books.

[piercefilmlid]

I would certainly be interested in a book store that has air con - so the book binding does not disintegrate as soon as you start to read it (like I experienced last week)

That might work if the shop was open 24 hours, but being hot half of the time would be counter productive. Besides, the new books in Asia books and everyone they sell to are in hot warehouses for long periods of time before being shipped out to your local bookshop.

gennisis, thanks for the heads up on the chocolates - just what I need!

I was on about humidity being controlled rather than just heat. I was in a book store in Bangkok on Tuesday and their books on sale did not have that "waddy" feel to them that one gets in non-air con, street-open stores.

Edited September 17, 2009 by piercefilmlid

[john b good]

We need 800 more 7-11's, 400 more go-go bars, 124 more wats, more traffic, more red taxis, and 88 stinkin' somtam stands.

You can count on my vote for another 400 go-go bars It might bring the prices down.

I asked a bird in one of the bars on Loi Kroh how much for a short time. She said 1,500 and I told her that I only wanted to rent it "not buy it" She lost all round.

And she told me (whether any thing that they tell you is true, but I guess that some of it is) that they don't get a salary. The only income they get is from lady drinks and what they make from horizontal dancing.

But, back on topic, I believe that CM is well served by the used book stores that are here already.

These guys gotta make a living too.

It's just a pity that parking close to some of these book shops is a real bitch to find.

[anonymouse]

I would certainly be interested in a book store that has air con - so the book binding does not disintegrate as soon as you start to read it (like I experienced last week)

That might work if the shop was open 24 hours, but being hot half of the time would be counter productive. Besides, the new books in Asia books and everyone they sell to are in hot warehouses for long periods of time before being shipped out to your local bookshop.

gennisis, thanks for the heads up on the chocolates - just what I need!

I was on about humidity being controlled rather than just heat. I was in a book store in Bangkok on Tuesday and their books on sale did not have that "waddy" feel to them that one gets in non-air con, street-open stores.

I'd agree this would be nice in theory having a humidity controlled bookstore but I should imagine the books sold would have to reflect the expense. If the owner was selling first editions or rare books I think this could be justified. Is your casual holiday reader going to pay an extra 50 baht for the latest John Grisham because it has been kept at the optimum temperature or is he going to buy it at the bookshop down the street for a more realistic price?

[piercefilmlid]

I would certainly be interested in a book store that has air con - so the book binding does not disintegrate as soon as you start to read it (like I experienced last week)

That might work if the shop was open 24 hours, but being hot half of the time would be counter productive. Besides, the new books in Asia books and everyone they sell to are in hot warehouses for long periods of time before being shipped out to your local bookshop.

gennisis, thanks for the heads up on the chocolates - just what I need!

I was on about humidity being controlled rather than just heat. I was in a book store in Bangkok on Tuesday and their books on sale did not have that "waddy" feel to them that one gets in non-air con, street-open stores.

I'd agree this would be nice in theory having a humidity controlled bookstore but I should imagine the books sold would have to reflect the expense. If the owner was selling first editions or rare books I think this could be justified. Is your casual holiday reader going to pay an extra 50 baht for the latest John Grisham because it has been kept at the optimum temperature or is he going to buy it at the bookshop down the street for a more realistic price?

Maybe, but the casual holiday reader is already well catered for in CM, hence my expression of interest in a different type of store - if such would be viable.

Regards

Edited September 17, 2009 by piercefilmlid

[supergoondu]

Thanks to all replies. Fortunately no one has advised me to open a laundry shop or shoe shop. A 15 minutes short walk from my hotel to Tharin market, you will be greeted by no less than 6 of such shops each. Too bad, none of the laundry shops display their service in English.

I went for a field trip to SE-ED book centre in Carrefour Chiang Mai this afternoon. SE-ED is defnitely brighter, larger and roomier than the B2S Book in Central in Kad San Kaew. Despite bigger, I heard the cash register sounded more frequent in B2S. And I saw mostly Thais (and perhaps some Asians like me) in both shops. Where the Farangs? Already in Pub boozing (just kidding, no offence)?

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I probably have yet to travel to many other places in CM. The other 2 bookshops in Kad San Kaew (excluding B2S) on level 3 were in a deplorable state. I left those bookshops in less than 10 minutes. And I had given those shops a miss on my subsequent visits to Kad San Kaew, though I am a book lover. And that triggered me to ponder if the book lovers were well taken care of here in CM.

I have heard of gecko books, and have visited their website. Somehow their website though simple, sounds arrogant (just my opinion) perhaps they have had monopolised the market here. I shall visit one of the gecko shops prior my return, and to understand how it can be successful.

I am a book lover, and my intent for that used bookstore was to make a decent (not obscene) living out of it, and having a place where all book lovers in CM can congregate and meet. And to have a reading club where the members can share and talk about their 'discoveries' about their books. A 'lifely' or 'person-centric' bookstore. Operating 24 x 7 would be great, I yearn for such place too, however I do not have it even in my home country.

Gecko 'returnd used book' policy sounds exorbitant, paying 50% for having the book for a month, isn't it? In Singapore we paid less than 3SGD (75 baht) for a paperpack fiction. Anyway I will check out the price in Gecko tomorow.

If ever I have such book store, the store would be:

a. targeting specific segments of people, for instance having the store carries books on Buddhism, or Handicrafts or Cookbooks, or Languages only.

b. having store selling related items, for instance sellings pre-packed handicrafts items, pre-packed ingredients, buddhist amulets ...

c. having few cosy seats and tables for book lovers to gather and to share their 'discoveries'.

d. invite guests to conduct talks on a regular basis to talk about 'related' topics.

e. have a fruit salad bar ... I strongly recommend all to visit the fruit salad bar in Thanin market, at 30B and you would have a pretty big portions.

Anyway above will probably exist in my dream.

Perhaps we can have a thread on what businesses would be viable in CM.

Edited September 17, 2009 by supergoondu

[anonymouse]

Thanks to all replies. Fortunately no one has advised me to open a laundry shop or shoe shop. A 15 minutes short walk from my hotel to Tharin market, you will be greeted by no less than 6 of such shops each. Too bad, none of the laundry shops display their service in English.

I went for a field trip to SE-ED book centre in Carrefour Chiang Mai this afternoon. SE-ED is defnitely brighter, larger and roomier than the B2S Book in Central in Kad San Kaew. Despite bigger, I heard the cash register sounded more frequent in B2S. And I saw mostly Thais (and perhaps some Asians like me) in both shops. Where the Farangs? Already in Pub boozing (just kidding, no offence)?

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I probably have yet to travel to many other places in CM. The other 2 bookshops in Kad San Kaew (excluding B2S) on level 3 were in a deplorable state. I left those bookshops in less than 10 minutes. And I had given those shops a miss on my subsequent visits to Kad San Kaew, though I am a book lover. And that triggered me to ponder if the book lovers were well taken care of here in CM.

I have heard of gecko books, and have visited their website. Somehow their website though simple, sounds arrogant (just my opinion) perhaps they have had monopolised the market here. I shall visit one of the gecko shops prior my return, and to understand how it can be successful.

I am a book lover, and my intent for that used bookstore was to make a decent (not obscene) living out of it, and having a place where all book lovers in CM can congregate and meet. And to have a reading club where the members can share and talk about their 'discoveries' about their books. A 'lifely' or 'person-centric' bookstore. Operating 24 x 7 would be great, I yearn for such place too, however I do not have it even in my home country.

Gecko 'returnd used book' policy sounds exorbitant, paying 50% for having the book for a month, isn't it? In Singapore we paid less than 3SGD (75 baht) for a paperpack fiction. Anyway I will check out the price in Gecko tomorow.

If ever I have such book store, the store would be:

a. targeting specific segments of people, for instance having the store carries books on Buddhism, or Handicrafts or Cookbooks, or Languages only.

b. having store selling related items, for instance sellings pre-packed handicrafts items, pre-packed ingredients, buddhist amulets ...

c. having few cosy seats and tables for book lovers to gather and to share their 'discoveries'.

d. invite guests to conduct talks on a regular basis to talk about 'related' topics.

e. have a fruit salad bar ... I strongly recommend all to visit the fruit salad bar in Thanin market, at 30B and you would have a pretty big portions.

Anyway above will probably exist in my dream.

Perhaps we can have a thread on what businesses would be viable in CM.

Trying not to sound harsh but... find your way out of kad suan kaew, take a look at the used bookshops in CM, do your maths and then see if your business plan is competitive

Edited September 17, 2009 by anonymouse

[supergoondu]

Trying not to sound harsh but... find your way out of kad suan kaew, take a look at the used bookshops in CM, do your maths and then see if your business plan is competitive

It only demonstrates I am really a book lover and not a businessman. Anyway I have earlier mentioned my store shall most probably exist only in my dream...

Edited September 17, 2009 by supergoondu

[dave2]

anonymouse .

re .... Gecko Books has pretty much a monopoly on the Chiang Mai used books scene, he's been established nearly ten years and know's his business and how to market it inside out to compete with would be very difficult.

As an ex bookshop owner in Thailand I know the difficulties involved, it's not just getting truckloads of books shipped over from farangland and then selling them.

You need to source good books that people will buy, you need to deal with shipping and customs, you then have to pay rent, staff, utilites, work permits etc.

Some of the books might not sell or go out of fashion and you might have to sell them at a loss.

I'd agree it is a labour of love I'd also speculate that UG is the only used bookshop owner in CM that is actually making a living out of selling books.

thats a good honest post from someone who obviously knows what hes talking about

respect

dave 2 .... who hasnt read a book for 45 years

[getgoin]

Thanks to all replies. Fortunately no one has advised me to open a laundry shop or shoe shop. A 15 minutes short walk from my hotel to Tharin market, you will be greeted by no less than 6 of such shops each. Too bad, none of the laundry shops display their service in English.

I went for a field trip to SE-ED book centre in Carrefour Chiang Mai this afternoon. SE-ED is defnitely brighter, larger and roomier than the B2S Book in Central in Kad San Kaew. Despite bigger, I heard the cash register sounded more frequent in B2S. And I saw mostly Thais (and perhaps some Asians like me) in both shops. Where the Farangs? Already in Pub boozing (just kidding, no offence)?

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I probably have yet to travel to many other places in CM. The other 2 bookshops in Kad San Kaew (excluding B2S) on level 3 were in a deplorable state. I left those bookshops in less than 10 minutes. And I had given those shops a miss on my subsequent visits to Kad San Kaew, though I am a book lover. And that triggered me to ponder if the book lovers were well taken care of here in CM.

I have heard of gecko books, and have visited their website. Somehow their website though simple, sounds arrogant (just my opinion) perhaps they have had monopolised the market here. I shall visit one of the gecko shops prior my return, and to understand how it can be successful.

I am a book lover, and my intent for that used bookstore was to make a decent (not obscene) living out of it, and having a place where all book lovers in CM can congregate and meet. And to have a reading club where the members can share and talk about their 'discoveries' about their books. A 'lifely' or 'person-centric' bookstore. Operating 24 x 7 would be great, I yearn for such place too, however I do not have it even in my home country.

Gecko 'returnd used book' policy sounds exorbitant, paying 50% for having the book for a month, isn't it? In Singapore we paid less than 3SGD (75 baht) for a paperpack fiction. Anyway I will check out the price in Gecko tomorow.

If ever I have such book store, the store would be:

a. targeting specific segments of people, for instance having the store carries books on Buddhism, or Handicrafts or Cookbooks, or Languages only.

b. having store selling related items, for instance sellings pre-packed handicrafts items, pre-packed ingredients, buddhist amulets ...

c. having few cosy seats and tables for book lovers to gather and to share their 'discoveries'.

d. invite guests to conduct talks on a regular basis to talk about 'related' topics.

e. have a fruit salad bar ... I strongly recommend all to visit the fruit salad bar in Thanin market, at 30B and you would have a pretty big portions.

Anyway above will probably exist in my dream.

Perhaps we can have a thread on what businesses would be viable in CM.

I think that a comfortable shop with Lazy Boy seating where one could sit, read, and enjoy their books before purchasing would be great. Free Wifi is also good and a coffee pot when the patrons who are discussing their books can have a coffee and maybe also have a tea pot with a selection of flavored black and green teas. Coffee and tea are cheap and it would be a good way to get the locals and the budget tourists inside the shop. Have the free fruit salad bar on certain days. Fruit is also cheap. Maybe once or twice a month fresh muffins would be nice.

Then when a customer buys a book let them resell it back for 80 % to 90% of the purchase price. This will keep them coming back.

And don't forget the free water, if fact, have free bottles of water for takeout. Buy a book and get a water.

Now that would be a successful shop.

[getgoin]

Did someone mention premium chocolates?

[Macx]

Hey, that's the sort of bookshop I like

Not that I'd want to run one--I'd love to be in there everyday, just browsing, reading, working.

I used to live in Portland, OR (USA) and that's one book-friendly city with lots good cafes and bookshop.

I don't live in CM, but do love it for the used bookshops. It's my favorite thing to do in CM. So, yes, there are many, many bookshops in CM.

My suggestion would be to do whatever Gecko or the other major shops aren't doing and that sounds a lot like what you are thinking. There is no reason why you couldn't use their existence to your advantage, even, perhaps, partnering with a few of these shops to provide you with books to sell for them at a small commission (that way you don't have to have your own inventory).

Frankly, you could even offer a service to locate a customer's desired book from all these shops. And free wi-fi an a place that's comfortable to sit for hours to read, eat, drink, read books. In most places, even some coffee shops, I feel that customers aren't encourage to spend more than an hour in the store. Also many bookstores don't have comfortable seats to browse books.

In my experience, I buy lots of books but I spend even more on coffees, beers, wine, and food while I browse/read books.

Dreams, by definition, are challenging, otherwise they would not be dreams. They would be easy ordinary things anyone could achieve with little efforts.

Dreams are what they are, dreams. Everyone is entitled to have one. Pursuing a dream is, however, a rarely exercised privilege. Tragic, ain't it?

Good luck with yours

[wolf5370]

5 or 6 branches of Gecko books, On the Road, Backstreet, Shamen, Lost, 99baht, Star, sure I've missed a couple, New English books in the fairly large bookstore B2B? in Airport Plaza, as well as Suriwong and DK books.

One more wouldn't go a miss

Mango Books?

I agree that second hand books is a pretty flooded market in CM and no one would know better about how economically viable it is than George (UG). How about outsize men's clothing and shoes - the amount of farrang here, many over weight as well as the new breed of fatty Thais, and finding anything over a 38 is not an easy task - shoes over 11(UK)/11.5(US)/45(EU) would be a boon too. Bulk from a factory rather than tailored (you can't beat the Indian's for price on that count - or lack of quality too it seems ) to keep the prices down - everything from suits to t-shirts and undies that don't squish your family bits!!! I'd be your first customer for the pants that's for sure!

[anonymouse]

5 or 6 branches of Gecko books, On the Road, Backstreet, Shamen, Lost, 99baht, Star, sure I've missed a couple, New English books in the fairly large bookstore B2B? in Airport Plaza, as well as Suriwong and DK books.

One more wouldn't go a miss

Mango Books?

I agree that second hand books is a pretty flooded market in CM and no one would know better about how economically viable it is than George (UG). How about outsize men's clothing and shoes - the amount of farrang here, many over weight as well as the new breed of fatty Thais, and finding anything over a 38 is not an easy task - shoes over 11(UK)/11.5(U, S)/45(EU) would be a boon too. Bulk from a factory rather than tailored (you can't beat the Indian's for price on that count - or lack of quality too it seems ) to keep the prices down - everything from suits to t-shirts and undies that don't squish your family bits!!! I'd be your first customer for the pants that's for sure!

Mango books is part of the Gecko empire I'm not sure the op would garner the same enthusiasm for a shop for fat blokes,

no offence to the larger blokes on TV intented

[Ulysses G.]

I am a book lover, and my intent for that used bookstore was to make a decent (not obscene) living out of it, and having a place where all book lovers in CM can congregate and meet. And to have a reading club where the members can share and talk about their 'discoveries' about their books. A 'lifely' or 'person-centric' bookstore. Operating 24 x 7 would be great...

I think that a comfortable shop with Lazy Boy seating where one could sit, read, and enjoy their books before purchasing would be great. Free Wifi is also good and a coffee pot when the patrons who are discussing their books can have a coffee and maybe also have a tea pot with a selection of flavored black and green teas. Coffee and tea are cheap and it would be a good way to get the locals and the budget tourists inside the shop. Have the free fruit salad bar on certain days. Fruit is also cheap. Maybe once or twice a month fresh muffins would be nice.

Then when a customer buys a book let them resell it back for 80 % to 90% of the purchase price. This will keep them coming back.

And don't forget the free water, if fact, have free bottles of water for takeout. Buy a book and get a water.

Now that would be a successful shop.

I do not think that supergoondu is for real, but lots of his supposed ideas have been tried over the years and rejected by people who are actually in the business. I used to rent out books quite cheaply myself until I realized that customers were only renting the popular books for a pittance - not trying anything else - and often breaking them before I could even get my money back.

Check out the Dasa Books in Bangkok website and look at his blog and see how dreams in business are often changed by reality.

[Ulysses G.]

ow about outsize men's clothing and shoes - the amount of farrang here, many over weight as well as the new breed of fatty Thais, and finding anything over a 38 is not an easy task - shoes over 11(UK)/11.5(US)/45(EU) would be a boon too. Bulk from a factory rather than tailored (you can't beat the Indian's for price on that count - or lack of quality too it seems ) to keep the prices down - everything from suits to t-shirts and undies that don't squish your family bits!!! I'd be your first customer for the pants that's for sure!

This is an excellent idea and one that I know about personally. I would also sell clothes for skinny folks to broaden the market, but having an easy to find store where overweight people could find reasonably nice looking clothes that would fit would guarantee a certain market.

See how easy it is, if you think about it a little?

[SomchaiCNX]

I often think of things that I really want, that you can't get here and that sell well elsewhere. There are lots of things like that and someday I will probably pick a few that would fit in with bookstores and sell them just to see what happens.

Coffee is out because the market is flooded, but one famous used bookstore in Bangkok has a blog where he complains almost every day about ever starting a "book cafe'" and lists all the problems, and makes me happy that I did not.

How about a place that sells premium chocolates? The Thais are getting into this kind of thing and the ones that have popped up so far, don't seem very premium to me.

Well, if you sold premium chocolates - you should invest in a recumbent exercise bike too and rent it out.

Reading a book on a recumbent bike whilst eating premium chocolates....I'd go for that.

That would be only possible on a Dutch Flevo Bike.

On my recumbant (Orca) you would kill yourself.

[PeaceBlondie]

Half price for returned books was standard in Mexico.

[harrry]

I would also sell clothes for skinny folks to broaden the market,

Actually right sized people like us could look at selling skinny clowes as being a narrow market segment. Of course all your clothes would have to have a very large pocket to carry books in.l

[uptheos]

ow about outsize men's clothing and shoes - the amount of farrang here, many over weight as well as the new breed of fatty Thais, and finding anything over a 38 is not an easy task - shoes over 11(UK)/11.5(US)/45(EU) would be a boon too. Bulk from a factory rather than tailored (you can't beat the Indian's for price on that count - or lack of quality too it seems ) to keep the prices down - everything from suits to t-shirts and undies that don't squish your family bits!!! I'd be your first customer for the pants that's for sure!

This is an excellent idea and one that I know about personally. I would also sell clothes for skinny folks to broaden the market, but having an easy to find store where overweight people could find reasonably nice looking clothes that would fit would guarantee a certain market.

See how easy it is, if you think about it a little?

There are a few 'export' clothing shops that have sprung up around the malls. I don't need particularly large size (34-36) but it's usually the crotch area that's too small (and I'm not bragging ).

I have found some nice Tomy Hilfiger trousers in one of the export shops, plus shorts, long sleeved shirts and T shirts. A couple of friends who are quite large have also found stuff they need. I haven't yet found any major faults on any of the stuff and the prices are really quite cheap. You need to look through all the stuff carefully.

They have a massive stock and this seems to be the secret of success. If a new business carried just a small selection of shoes and clothing that they think others will like, then they are sure to go broke quickly.

[Ulysses G.]

Half price for returned books was standard in Mexico.

It is standard pretty much standard everywhere, but most places will only give credit, rather than cash.

Edited September 18, 2009 by Ulysses G.

[piercefilmlid]

ow about outsize men's clothing and shoes - the amount of farrang here, many over weight as well as the new breed of fatty Thais, and finding anything over a 38 is not an easy task - shoes over 11(UK)/11.5(US)/45(EU) would be a boon too. Bulk from a factory rather than tailored (you can't beat the Indian's for price on that count - or lack of quality too it seems ) to keep the prices down - everything from suits to t-shirts and undies that don't squish your family bits!!! I'd be your first customer for the pants that's for sure!

This is an excellent idea and one that I know about personally. I would also sell clothes for skinny folks to broaden the market, but having an easy to find store where overweight people could find reasonably nice looking clothes that would fit would guarantee a certain market.

See how easy it is, if you think about it a little?

If you need larger sized clothing try 71 Export on Huay Kaew Road.

Regards

[wolf5370]

ow about outsize men's clothing and shoes - the amount of farrang here, many over weight as well as the new breed of fatty Thais, and finding anything over a 38 is not an easy task - shoes over 11(UK)/11.5(US)/45(EU) would be a boon too. Bulk from a factory rather than tailored (you can't beat the Indian's for price on that count - or lack of quality too it seems ) to keep the prices down - everything from suits to t-shirts and undies that don't squish your family bits!!! I'd be your first customer for the pants that's for sure!

This is an excellent idea and one that I know about personally. I would also sell clothes for skinny folks to broaden the market, but having an easy to find store where overweight people could find reasonably nice looking clothes that would fit would guarantee a certain market.

See how easy it is, if you think about it a little?

If you need larger sized clothing try 71 Export on Huay Kaew Road.

Regards

Do they sell Solomons (underpants) - my last supply is a kind of torture (and I can't go camo in my work trousers like I can in shorts).

Nuts in a vice!

Edited September 18, 2009 by wolf5370

[anonymouse]

I'd agree this would be nice in theory having a humidity controlled bookstore but I should imagine the books sold would have to reflect the expense. If the owner was selling first editions or rare books I think this could be justified. Is your casual holiday reader going to pay an extra 50 baht for the latest John Grisham because it has been kept at the optimum temperature or is he going to buy it at the bookshop down the street for a more realistic price?

Maybe, but the casual holiday reader is already well catered for in CM, hence my expression of interest in a different type of store - if such would be viable.

Regards

The nearest I could see to this working would be a concession shop in one of the 5 star hotels selling 1st Ed's, rare books and expensive coffee table books.

I'd also add South East Asian Stamps and coins and banknotes, combined with a good online site this might work, as long as you had the capital for it and could take the losses while you got a name for yourself.

A friend has pointed out to me that it's much cheaper to buy rare Thai stamps in the UK than it is to buy them in Thailand this good be a good earner for someone with good knowledge of the subject and the right contacts in Thailand.