Since we're all dreaming here. If I was do something like setting up an Audio Salon, I would approach it more as a hobby, and not as something that my livelyhood and retirement would depend on. Basically it would be a retirement business, and would be geared more for social and music enjoyment than to make any kind of real money. IWO, if I could make it break even I would be happy. I would also specialize in used and vintage equipment with good reputations, and somewhat affordable in price. The market I would be after would be less the audiophile crowd, and more the crowd that enjoys music, and wants a good sounding system that's definely a cut above the "same old, same old" Mid-Fi offering but still falls within a Mid-Fi price range. And to do that I would probably have three or four systems put together at any given time that would not only be for sale, but also be systems that I personally could also enjoy. Of course, I would have various other components and speakers available for the music lover who might want to change a thing or two in the system to suit their particular music and listening needs. Of course, carrying used/vintage equipment would also mean that I would have to have the service available to keep these pieces running at their best. In addition I would probably would want to carry some CDs of independent, regional artists (emphasis on more acoustic based artists with genres being bluegrass, old-time, blues, folk and Celtic music) and every once in awhile maybe have some of these artist stop by for an in-store performance.
Good used/vintage equipmet with a good service department in a small college town with a good local arts community somewhere in wertern North Carolina or Virginia, and an appeal to the musicains and music lovers in that area could be a winning combination.
