Inventory
The Doins purchased an inventory from the discount store they annexed for about $150,000. As the character of the shop and its customers has evolved from Sutter Home to Chateau D’Yquem, the value of its inventory has swelled to about $250,000. Tina says they spend about $60,000 per month to replenish stocks of popular wines and liquors, and to snag those rare bottlings and exceptional values that they know their customers will appreciate.
Payroll
The shop has two part-time and two full-time employees. Tina prepares the payroll, which she says adds up to about $2,000 per week, plus 20% to 25% for worker’s compensation insurance and Social Security contributions. The employer’s portion of the health-insurance premium for eligible employees totals $250 per month.
Marketing
Rob compares the Doins’ retail shop to a restaurant. “To set ourselves apart from the competition, we needed to offer a menu that was extremely diverse and different,” he says.
But the first order of business was to get the word out. To do so, the Doins paid $600 to have a television commercial produced. It costs $300 per month to air the spots, which are aimed at customers who match the store’s target demographics. Arrangements for the taping were made by the local cable company, which sent a producer and cameraman to work with Rob and Tina.