wrote in message
oups.com...
All,

I know this sounds like a troll, but it is not, I assure you. I am at
a point where I may be forced to consider a career change. My wife
wants to teach at a reservation for the next several years, and as I do
not see very many days left in my 20 odd-year career as a software
designer, I am very much tempted to take her up on this.

Since I have a had an abiding interest in building amateur gear from
parts, and since I hear a lot of complaints on this group about certain
retail chains not being responsive to amateurs, I thought I should do a
little bit of "market research" and ask my potential customers what
they might want to see from my store if I should start one.

Have you considered military/industry surplus/salvage along the lines of
Fair Radio Sales in Ohio or Skycraft Parts in Florida? I can't speak for
Fair but Skycraft turns in a very handsome profit six days a week year after
year and they are always crowded with patrons from kids building a crystal
set to aerospace engineers. There are breaks for a salvage operation as
well. Maybe it would be worth you while to visit them.

DRMS (Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service)
http://www.drms.dla.mil/