Are you planning on opening a liquor store in Texas? Unsure where to start?
You’re not alone! Each year, thousands of first-time business owners open up shop in Texas. However, you might be surprised to learn that most business owners fail within the first year of business!
To succeed as a new liquor store business owner or manager, we recommend following those who have come before you. Fortunately, as an industry-leading liquor store point of sale (POS) system vendor, we’ve worked hand-in-hand with plenty of high-growth liquor stores in the Lone Star State.
And we’re here to share all the expert tips you need to build, launch, and manage a successful liquor store in Texas.
How to Open a Liquor Store in Texas: 5 Expert Tips
Before we begin, you should know that the most successful liquor store business owners invest in the right tools from the outset.
In fact, a liquor store POS system is one of the most important tools that you need to launch and grow your business. However, when selecting a POS system for your liquor store, it’s important to prioritize the service providers that offer industry-specific features, including mix and match bottle pricing, case break inventory tracking, age verification, and more.
The benefits of a liquor store POS system are virtually boundless!
Beyond investing in a liquor store POS system, here are the five mission-critical steps you must follow to open a liquor store in Texas.
1. Secure a Liquor Store License
Start by securing a liquor store license. If you plan on opening a liquor store in Texas, a liquor license is a requirement. Unfortunately, obtaining a liquor license in the Lone Star State is easier said than done…
Most cities and municipalities limit the number of distributed liquor licenses. To make matters worse, the cost of a liquor license can amount to hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. For this reason, we recommend starting the application process early.
Refer to the Alcohol Beverage Control Board’s statewide directory for links to the liquor authority in your state. Contact state and local governing agencies to identify the type of liquor license you need and detailed information related to the liquor license application process in Texas.
RELATED READING: How to Apply for a Liquor License in 5 Easy Steps
2. Obtain a Small Business Loan
Kickstart the success of your new liquor store by obtaining a small business loan. The right small business loan can set your business up for a successful and profitable future. Additionally, applying for a loan is relatively easy.
Here are a few funding options for your Texas-based liquor store:
RELATED READING: 5 Amazing Retail Business Loans for New Owners
3. Hire and Train Staff
Next, hire and train your growing staff.
Getting your team “up to speed” is critically important to the success of your new liquor store — and when it comes to learning the ins and outs of your liquor store POS system, POS Nation offers an amazing assortment of free resources.
Additionally, our team of experts will work with you to make sure that you’re making the most of your new system. From system training and onboarding to management, discover how easy it is to utilize our modern POS system.
RELATED READING: 5 POS Training Tips to Help Your Workforce
4. Build and Execute a Marketing Plan
A successful liquor store is built behind a high-value marketing plan.
If committing to a marketing plan keeps you up at night, know that there are plenty of easy ways to drum up business for your new liquor store.
The best part is that many of these marketing tactics can be paired with your POS Nation point of sale system. For example, we recommend launching a promotional campaign. Simply generate a discount code without the POS system, distribute the code, and watch your sales start to climb!
Our system makes it easy to manage several other aspects of your liquor store marketing, including email campaigns, customer loyalty promotions, gift cards, online ordering, and more.
RELATED READING: 5 Top Digital Marketing Solutions for Small Businesses
5. Select a Point of Sale System Partner
Finally, invest in a modern POS system.
The “best” liquor store POS system for your business is the one that offers the unique features that your growing liquor store business needs. In your search for the right POS system, we recommend consulting third-party resources, including Capterra and Consumer Affairs. This is a great way to hear directly from the people who are using the system.
Additionally, we recommend scheduling a product demonstration. In most cases, vendors are more than willing to meet with you to discuss your unique needs. This is a great opportunity for you to ask specific questions related to the product’s features and capabilities.
POS Nation Powers Liquor Stores in Texas
There’s a reason why more liquor store business owners choose to partner with POS Nation to power their business. To date, we’ve helped thousands of business owners just like you launch and manage a successful business.
It starts with investing in the right POS software and hardware.
How does your POS system stack up against the industry’s best? Perhaps you’re investing in a point of sale system for the very first time?
As a suggested next step, we recommend downloading our free guide: The Guide to Liquor Store Inventory Management.
In this guide, we’ll give you rich insights into the latest inventory management best practices. Use this expert guide to better understand the features that you need to prioritize in a prospective liquor store POS system.
