Chapter 83 Renting a Shop

This was her long-held dream, and now the moment had finally come when it could be realized.

She has an important matter to attend to today and must personally go to the city center to inspect the shop situation.

She got up early, washed up, and stood in front of the mirror to carefully examine herself.

She lightly applied a touch of makeup to cover the faint dark circles under her eyes from staying up all night, and then applied a layer of lip balm.

She checked her ID card, bankbook, and notebook.

After confirming that everything was correct, I locked the door and went downstairs with firm steps.

The air was fresh in the early morning. She walked to the entrance of the residential area and waved.

A taxi slowly pulled up in front of her.

She opened the car door and got into the back seat.

"Driver, please go to the department store in the city center, and please hurry."

The destination was the largest department store in the city center.

That was one of the city's most bustling landmarks.

Almost every weekend, people come here specifically to shop.

The streets around the shopping mall were particularly lively.

The place was bustling with noise, and the cries of vendors rose and fell.

Zhou Shufen sat in the car, gazing at the flowing street scene outside the window, and began to make plans in her mind.

After a tour, I found that I had almost everything I needed, from food and clothing to daily necessities.

The high foot traffic and consumer atmosphere here are exactly the criteria she used for choosing a location.

She came today with a clear purpose: to choose a suitable shop.

She had this idea a long time ago and started paying attention to related information several months ago.

However, because they need to attend classes and practice their skills in the early stages.

My schedule is packed, and I haven't had time to conduct on-site inspections.

The car came to a smooth stop in front of the mall's main entrance. Zhou Shufen paid the fare and got out of the car.

She took a deep breath and looked up at the tall glass curtain wall.

She stepped into the mall, feeling both nervous and expectant.

Upon entering the main gate, a high-end atmosphere immediately greets you in the lobby on the first floor.

It's full of well-known brand counters, neatly arranged, with soft and bright lighting.

Zhou Shufen didn't linger; she just glanced at it quickly and headed towards the elevator.

The area she was truly interested in was on the second floor and above.

There are rows of small, independent shops there, mostly selling women's clothing, bags, hats, hair accessories, handmade items, etc.

The rent is relatively moderate, making it suitable for startups like hers.

At that time, there weren't many large shopping malls in the city.

This department store is the largest and has the most complete range of products.

The daily passenger flow is huge, and it is even more crowded on holidays.

Zhou Shufen took a careful stroll around, observing as she went.

She paid attention to the flow of people at each corner, observed how long customers stayed, and analyzed which shops were the most prominent.

Those corners, though remote, still have a steady flow of customers.

She even took out a small notebook and secretly wrote down the numbers of a few potentially suitable berths.

As she looked at the document, she mentally planned out her future.

How should the counters be arranged? How should the lighting be adjusted? How should the merchandise be categorized and displayed?

The more she looked, the more her heart fluttered.

This place has a large flow of people, a wide customer base, standardized management, and adequate security.

Most importantly, the overall atmosphere perfectly matches her handmade jewelry style.

She doesn't waste time.

After making up my mind, I immediately took the elevator straight to the top floor.

The business office is located on the top floor of the shopping mall.

A sign that reads "Investment Promotion and Management Department" hangs at the entrance.

She walked to the door, raised her right hand, and gently knocked three times with her knuckles.

"Knock knock knock".

"Please come in."

A deep, steady male voice came from inside the room.

Zhou Shufen pushed open the door and went inside.

The room was brightly lit, and a middle-aged man in a shirt sat behind a desk.

He looked up and saw a young woman he didn't recognize, and was slightly taken aback.

He then gave a professional smile: "And you are?"

"Hello," Zhou Shufen stopped, "I'm Zhou Shufen. I'd like to rent a shop here, do you have any suitable spaces available right now?"

Upon hearing this, the manager's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up from his chair with a broad smile.

"Oh! That's great! We have a few spaces available right now, all recently vacated and renovated, perfect for new brands. Would you like me to take you to see them?"

"OK."

Zhou Shufen nodded, a faint smile appearing on her face.

"Then I'll trouble you. I'd like to see the situation in person."

With that, she followed the manager out of the office.

Throughout the journey, the manager kept talking, with a warm smile on his face.

"You have an excellent eye! This is the hottest shopping mall in the city! It's incredibly popular, with a huge flow of customers every day. We've just freed up some new spaces, so this is a rare opportunity. If you sign a contract now, you can enjoy a 20% discount—it's definitely the best value choice!"

He walked to a spot, stopped, raised his arm, and pointed to a stall in the corner.

"Look, this is it. The location is a bit out of the way, but it's flexible and the rent is low, making it suitable for friends who are just starting out in business."

The place was on the edge, right next to a gray-white wall.

The space is cramped and poorly lit.

There's a wall on one side, giving it no sense of extension, and two shops in front are blocking the view.

The signboard was large and eye-catching, completely obscuring this corner.

Passersby hurried along, their eyes drawn to the bustling shops ahead.

Zhou Shufen stood there, her brows slightly furrowed, and after carefully examining the area, she shook her head.

She knew perfectly well that she wanted a proper shop.

The kind that has a storefront, a signboard, and can operate for a long time.

"What, is it inappropriate?"

When the manager saw her shake her head, he quickly pressed her for details.

"Take a closer look. I noticed you're a first-time customer, which is why I'm recommending this place to you. The rent is more than half the price of a storefront, saving you a lot of money each month. Plus, you get to use the same resources as a store, like a unified cashier, security, and cleaning services. You can also participate in holiday promotions. It's such a great deal!"

The business manager kept praising how great this place was.

But they only talk about the good things, avoiding the bad and ignoring the unpleasant aspects.

For example, it has very little foot traffic, a hidden location, almost no natural customer flow, and is vulnerable to damage if the mall adjusts its layout.

This stall could be canceled at any time, without even prior notice.

“No way,” Zhou Shufen looked up. “I’ve made up my mind to rent a shop. I’m not even considering this kind of stall. No matter how much I skimp on the renovations, it’s all for nothing if the location is bad. Just tell me how much a shop costs. I want to hear the truth.”

Zhou Shufen shook her head again, her tone quite resolute.

She didn't want to waste time on low-value options and already had a plan in mind.

"Alright."

The manager sighed, and the eagerness on his face subsided slightly.

But he quickly adjusted his expression, his lips curving into a smile as he said, "The minimum rent for a shop here is one year's rent, paid in advance. Plus management fees, utility deposits, and other miscellaneous expenses, it comes to a total of 15,000 yuan. If you pay in full upfront, we'll also give you three months of advertising space to help you attract customers."

The amount sounded substantial, and Zhou Shufen's heart skipped a beat.