Renting warehouse space

I envy you. Not all of us have had the chance to meet Don Lancaster in person. I'd visit his warehouse, but my applications for a visa to Arizona keep getting turned down.

Some very good thoughts.

Gunner who is becoming far more ruthless in his weeding out of Stuff

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"

Yeah, also known as "begging w/ dignity". :)

Procto has a good point here.

In the past, I have swung a number of informal deals with businesses where I can use some unused space for "services rendered". Everyone was happy and the tax man went hungry since no cash switched hands.

"Services rendered" can be most anything legal. In several cases, just having my warm body show up saved the owner security service charges and I was happy to have access to thousands of square feet of free space along with a forklift.

As Procto mentioned, you might want to offer free Ebay posting for him and his family up to some limit thereby leveraging your skills into a commodity that you need.

TMT

Proctologically Violated©® wrote:

You said, "When ebay was good...."

Has it changed much, from a seller's pov? Buyers? In what ways, and why?

Don't forget that you also need a transit visa for New Mexico.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

You also have to change vehicles at the border because the tires are a different size and spacing.

I *hate* those routes to Arizona where you have to pass through New Mexico. The currency exchange rate always kills you.

That's because orlando is infested with too many snowbirds. :(

I used to work there, but now I'm about 2 hours north, and I don't miss it. I have almost as much usable electronics stuff stashed away as Skycraft. I haven't been to Orlando in about six years now.

Skycraft is like that brand of potato chips: You can't go there and spend just one hour. I don't think I've ever been to Skycraft and left without something I didn't intend to buy.

Ohhhh, yeahhh!! I was shopping at Skycraft way back in the 70's when they had two 53' trailers and a small quanset hut underneath the overpass at Kaley and Talokas. Those were neat times, but nothing like what they've grown to on Fairbanks!

I just LOVE the junk I HAVE to buy when I go there... (some day, I'm gonna use those two solid 316-SS miniature differentials I bought way back in the

80's )

LLoyd

Think mebbe you could outfit a 3rd shop? :)

The land of Enchantment. Oh wow!

I used to be a commerical real estate agent in the US. At 1000 to 1500 SF you're going to have a few different options.

There will be the large business parks that have warehouse space that size. But they're usually owned by large investment companies and want things like financials and a 3-year lease. It's probably not what you're looking for.

You should be able to find a few mid-range places that are owned by a neighbor or a local. They'll be more willing to work with you and won't require much oversight or credentials. Mostly they'll be one unit in a single building. The rental sign probably won't be with a big name company or might just be the Owner's phone number.

The last option are the lower end rentals in buildings or business parks that allow automotive uses or newer businesses who just want the minimum. That's where a lot of businesses start.

Good luck

You guys should see a REAL surplus store, like Mendelson's in Dayton Ohio. The building is a full city block, with six and a half stories. the last time I was there, three floors were open to the public, and they owned a number of other large buildings they used for bulk surplus. It took all day just to walk through all the isles.

I used to sell stuff to them. You had to watch them like a hawk. They would lie to you, to get you to sell cheap. I had the owner offer me 25 cents each for some 100 amp three phase contactors. He claimed that he could only get $5 each in the store, so I asked, Is that why you price them at $90 each? He tried the same thing with some 240 VAC to

120 VAC transformers that wholesaled for over $400. 50 cents each was his best offer. When he came back the second time to try to haggle 10 more had been sold, and he paid $40 each for the remaining 25. He could have had the 35 transformers for what he paid for 25, but he still sold them for over $100 each.

As far as finding things to buy, I walked out empty handed, about half the time. I miss Electronics Surplus World, and Dave Jones "Electro Express" in Casselberry. The "Electronic Barn" started with industrial surplus, and ended up selling audiophool crap.