We have a carry in repair shop and we do out calls with our vans supporting both residences and small businesses up to about 10 computer networks. We usually have about 3-5 workers in a store.
We have small retail area for displaying laptops and workstations as well as PSU, HD's, DVD's, Ram, CPU's, Cases, Keyboards, Mice, Speakers, Cables and adapters both new and used. Our preferred size is smaller than what most landlords will have available.
I've had from 1654' which is at least 50% more than you need, to as little as 480.' My favorite size is about 800-900' if it is laid out nicely, boxy.
I used to split the space about 50/50 between front retail area and back tech room/inventory/office/bathroom. Now I put about 20% front retail checkin and display with at least 50% tech and storage space and plenty of room for my office, nursery for my 4 year old grand daughter, lunch prep shelf near the bathroom. Still I wonder if I am wasting space on the retail display side.
Here is what you need- I hope I do not forget anything.
1. you need a retail check in area - at least 3-4' of counter space for them to set their computer on while you check it in. If using jewelry cases this can also include display for things you wish to retail. Avoid the urge to make this space big. Big space requires big investment in inventory to fill it.
2. Techroom- make this space a big as you can-you need a tech room at least 10 or 14'' x 10' to setup repair for at least 10 pc's. I'd prefer to have 15x15' especially if you are going to also store the customers computers in the same room. Make this big as this is where the money is made and you want to be productive here. Assume you will soon need employees. Also, Often projects sit on the bench and will wait for authorization call backs for up to 1 hr or more. It is PITA to move computers to and from the waiting rack to the tech bench to make way to work on something else while waiting for the client to call you back and give you the go ahead with the repair.
3. you need shelving for customer computers for at least 40-60 computers.
a checked in but waiting to be diagnosed (8-20 a day)
b waiting on customer authorization for repair after diagnoses (can be 8-20)
c waiting for parts ordered (can be 10-20 since it sometimes takes 7 days to get parts unless you pay over night fees)
d repaired-and waiting for customers to pickup (can easily be 20-40)
e Recycle/abandoned computers that now belong to you and waiting for you to refurbish them and put them out for sale to get your money out of them. (this will be 40-50 computers by itself if you are not good at confiscating them and putting them up for sale quickly).
4. retail DISPLAY wall or shelf space- to display new and used or refurb workstations and laptops as well as some periferals you probably have to carry to do your repairs anyway.
5. Repeat-room for a few jewelry cases to display laptops, hard drives, memory and things you don't want customers to touch without your employee being present. These can double as check in retail space as well as display space.
6. inventory room where you store overage and lock up expensive parts. We have put locked cabinets in a large bathroom at some stores as we really do not need a large volume of sqft for storage in our industry unless you are trying to compete with OfficeMax or best-buy in which case you will lose.
7. bathroom (can second as locked inventory room or stack-able washer and dryer to wash uniforms).
8. coffee/water cooler/microwave/mini refrid break area.
9. Never under estimate the importance of a nice owners office. Uses include business administration, bookkeeping, ordering, your personal private work space, storage of tax documents, check books, invoices. I personally like to have and keep a nice office with a mini bar in there. I have a fully automatic espresso machine, mini bar fully stocked with about 20 bottles of popular liquors and my favorite cigars. I meet my friends, competitors, vendors, advertising salesmen and even a few customers in there and share a drink. If you get a client who wants to stay around and talk its nice to have a well appointed office to entertain them. This assumes there is someone to stay up front and watch the store and fix computers. I keep six types of domestic and imported beers in my cooler. Employees do not touch anything in my office bar or cooler unless I am there and specifically invite them to sit with me. I have vendors and even competitors and techs from competitors who stop by to talk to me and often help with an unresolved problem for the price of a beer or two and a kind word.
10. If you have a young child/grandchild you will greatly appreciate a small area or even a room for a nursery with a tv/vcr toys and tiny bed when your little one has to stay with you while you have to work. Even if you don't need it, If you can set it up for customers kids it might be helpful as well.
Our smallest store doesn't have an office or bathroom, storage room nor inventory room but works more like a kiosk with other functions performed out of our near by store and uses a common bathroom in the building.
We are adding a apartment sized dishwasher and clothes washer/dryer in our prime store as we go through allot of dishes and we wash our uniforms. We even have a bicycle work out machine so we can take 10 minute spurts to give us energy when we get bogged down.
I hope this helps. Don't be afraid to let your store, business and office reflect your own personality and values. You are going to spend plenty of time there so make it as comfy as possible. We are considering remodeling our store as soon as we renew the lease and make it a more fun space for both us and our visitors.
