Hello Everybody

I want to open a stationery shop selling everyday use items suchs as pens' pencils, etc., fancy stationery items for kids and craft kits.

This has always been my dream - I have drawings of my shop from when I was 10.

My focus will be on reaching out to my customers. Therefore, I am considering the following alternatives:
  • Vending Machines
  • Shop on Wheels-which can be taken to various residential areas
  • Shop in a mall frequented by young mothers with small kids

I envisage that my products will be mainly used as gifts for birthday parties.

Also, I may have to import some of the stuff as the kind of products I am looking at are not available here ( I live in India).

I would love to have inputs from all of you specially on the followingg points:
  • Viability and Profitability of a stationery shop
  • How to "brand" my shop to set it apart from others
  • Whether it should be a "Everything under one roof" or focus on a specialized area

I am also open to the idea of taking a franchise from an international stationery chain.