How would you run an audio salon?

I am lucky enough to have 2 local hi-end stores. Both are very good. One specializes in HT installs but has a thriving business in Hi-end. Everything from Pass Labs and Mac on down to some NAD and Cambridge Audio. I nearly bought a McCormack DNA from these guys.
The other store has about 7 or 8 listening areas and easily 7 digits in inventory. I bought my Maggies from them...he went in back and dollied them out, after a good Demo with the same amp as I use at home.
I've always been treated well and been left alone to listen or kept company to chat, no problem.
What's the problem?
Yeah, hi-end sure looks like a fine way to go broke. I would think the path to success would be a combination of lots of ingredients.
background in both hi-end and sales experience. Deep pockets, great location and a good network of friends to get things moving. Keep it professional. I would suspect that a being a good judge of character is important, too, to choose sales and service help.
Don't expect to get rich...quick or otherwise.

I think a good place to start trying a business in audio would begin with www.

Shadorne

very good.... Nuts? Most likely. It did seem a good plan at the time though. Maybe then, just the pool hall.

Blindjim,

"scantily clad girls" and a "pool table" - it is quite obvious where your subconscious is going with this...

You don't sound like a typical audiophile - so you probably aren't "nuts"! ;-)

How would I run an audio salon? At a loss. I would only enter that business as a retirement venture for the enjoyment. And I would enter it expecting to lose money - which is not all that unusual in retirement ventures. Given the trends with a lot of shops I suspect that in order to make a profit one must sell high markup products of questionable value. I would sell hi end audio components, that't it. Other than a couple thousand foot rolls of inexpensive cable and some decent quality connectors, I would suggest to customers that if they were looking for those products there were plenty of other places to but them but I would be happy to sell them a set of cables for a small stated markup so they could get their systems hooked up. The components - a few high end manufacturers of each general type of equipment. In home setups and demos would be a standard service. Who would buy at such a shop? People who had a pretty good idea of what they were looking for and did not want to listen to the equivalent of a used car salesman insulting their intelligence. Would I make any money at it? Nope. Would I have fun talking to music lovers and techno types ? Yep. But hey, why do you think people own professional sports teams?