[clintonsjoy]

Help all I am new to the prepper community, and have just recently started prepping. I have found a lot of satisfaction in the little my wife and I have accomplished. In that spirit we have decided to open a store in our local area dedicated to preppers. We hope to use the store as a way to raise awareness, network, and help other.
What I need from you is ideas on items to carry in the store. I know the basic food, water, power, security, and shelter. If we can get specific items you have found essential, helpful, or otherwise important I would greatly appreciate it.
While none of us know exactly what is going to happen, we know something Is going to happen.

 

[WoadWarrior]

Spend a bit of time scanning the previous threads.... you'll find plenty of your answers there.

 

[clintonsjoy]

Thank-you

 

[whoppo]

Basic medical supplies, communications, literature / books, etc.
If this is focused on your local community, it might be useful to put together a list of available skills and resources in order to make better use of what your community has, or more importantly, what it lacks.

 

[inceptor]

Also gear your focus on what type of disaster your area is common. Here it's tornado's. This will also help take off an edge that could cause some trouble from people who could cause you some grief.

 

[Fuzzee]

As said focusing on your local area is the place to start. Taking in mind the basics for your area in a local shop for example, you don't need to stock heavy blankets and clothes if your down south where it's very hot and humid most of the time and you don't need mess with bug nesting if your in a frigid climate as much. I've considered opening a store myself. Opening a business is a large investment of both time and money of course. You can't cover it all too. Like security. Real security of serious threats is going to end up at firearms and being an FFL is a whole other level which you're probably not interested in and have enough competition in your area already of. A lot of businesses are both local and online as you pretty much have to be these days. Think about what your image of prepared is too. If you're just getting into it, I think you may be jumping the gun as you only know so much of what's out there which is why you're asking the question. Research is definitely your friend and reading the various threads of what people are doing, looking for, buying any books on the subject you can get your hands on and picking peoples minds of what they have and don't have can be a major help.

 

[Alaska]

Portable water filters and solar set ups

 

[Leon]

water distillers

 

[cannon]

Tools, storage containers and internet sales.

 

[RaigenB]

What a great idea! Good luck with your business!

 

[Desert Marine]

Clintonjoy,

Welcome aboard. Here is what works for me. "Hope for the best and prepare the worst!". Now understanding that I would analyze my local community needs and circumstance and how that will impact my family. That means, what are the majors issues that commonly affect you and your local community? For example: If the power went out for an extended period of time due to weather what will you do for food, heat, power supply, communications, water, etc.

I would be thinking long term as this cover the short term as well. How are your gardening and farming skills? Most people think they can just plant a seed in the grown and it's going to grow. Wrong answer! It might grow, but do you have the skills to make seeds grow so that your family doesn't starve? For me survival gardening is a HUGE topic within itself. I had a nice garden going once and my sheep and goats got loose and got a hold to it and did a decent amount of damage i.e. ate a whole lot of it within a matter of 2 hours. In a survival situation that could be devastating. This is the main reason why I eat/sleep/live on my BOL it helps to cut down the learning curve when the SHTF. When the SHTF you ain't got time for training.

Also if you haven't got a skill that will be useful in a survival or disaster situation it might be a good time to develop one. I own a Heirloom Seeds company but at the same time I am also a Certified Master Herbalist. In the absence of a Medical Doctor, I am sure that my knowledge of Herbal Medicine will be valuable when the SHTF, heck my family hasn't needed or been to a Medical doctor for treatment with the exception of my wife's delivering by C-Section (which cheated me out of the opportunity of doing the natural delivery myself).

 

[shadownmss]

I would suggest carrying reloading supplies and once fired brass.