Which of these spaces can store more records?
May 24, 2016 12:50 PM   Subscribe

I own a record store and am considering a new location as I'm out of space at my current one. However, I’m pretty innumerate and not spacially inclined. I’m therefore having difficulty determining which of these two locations will allow me to display the most inventory. Could those of you good with spaces and floorplans please help me decide? Details inside.

My records are stored in bins that are 13" square. I presently lay them out two bins deep (so 13" x 26").

I currently occupy space two and have bins of records running the lengths of the two 33’ walls--you can see the photo at the bottom of the linked page. So, two 33’ bins that are 26” deep and then the space in the middle is for customers to walk (though it can get tight when busy).

Can I fit more bins in space one and if so, how many more bins?

The biggest difference between the two stores is that in the second space (where I am now), you cannot put any bins in the middle of the store as there’d be no room to walk. I feel this is not the case in Space One.

For full details, the width of the bins is fixed at 13" increments, but the depth can be whatever I want as I use custom boxes, with a max of 26" (for the human reach), though theoretically a table in the middle of the store could be 52" deep with two 26" bins back to back (so one could browse from each side of the table).

I feel like this should be a simple problem to solve but am currently having health-related neurological issues and I'm finding it very confusing. Signing a lease when the new space doesn't actually allow me to store more records would be a significant mistake.

Added to this, my previous store was 440sf, yet due to its layout, it held less records than the current space (which is only 330sf). I have no idea how to determine SF of space 1 due to its weird size.

Thank you.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy to Science & Nature (9 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Going on your current layout, you have a record shelf width of 26" and a minimum aisle width of 44" (8' - 2x26"), though this is a little crowded. Therefore, to add a one-sided row of shelves, you need 70" and a double sided row is, of course, 96" (8').

Currently you have 33' of shelves along one wall and about 31' along the other, total shelving length 64'.

Let's start off by assuming you put shelves all the way around the outside in the new space. Ignoring that awkward 5' (seems like you'd put your cash register counter there anyways), you have about 55' of shelves, assuming you have to leave a reasonable space in front of the top corner door and bottom corner door. You could a fit a bit more by installing a row going down the middle of the shop, but probably no more than 8-16' assuming you leave space for circulation at either end and depending on how tight you are willing to go on the narrow end. So I'd say, you probably end up with the same amount of space for records, maybe slightly more if you are willing to make tight aisles at the narrow end.

It is hard to calculate the total square footage of the new place. Are the doors included in the dimensions given or are they to be added?
posted by ssg at 2:09 PM on May 24, 2016 [1 favorite]


You need more accurate measurements.

1) What are the diagonal measurements from the corner to the corner of each space? This will help determine the shape of the space.
2) What's the width of the doorways?
3) Can you use vertical shelving rather than a table, to have records on multiple levels?
4) How much space does your checkout area take up?

I made a quick CAD sketch (PROBABLY INACCURATE since the diagonals are off) here: http://i.imgur.com/Cl2P513.jpg. There are 113 13"x13" crates in that image. Make of that what you will. Feel free to Mefi me or to post updates here.
posted by suedehead at 2:14 PM on May 24, 2016 [1 favorite]


In space 2 (current space), are you using the front and back of the space? The 11' and 8' walls? The photo doesn't look like it.

If you're using the entire perimeter of both spaces (as shown on the measurements), I think you're better off staying in space 2.

Space 1 is 3 feet wider than Space 2, so you can probably have a middle aisle, but I'd only do that 1 bin deep, and you'll want some cut throughs so people don't have to go all the way to the end. So you can maybe add 8 bins in the middle.

Adding up the perimeters of the spaces, I calculate the following:

Space 1: 68' of wall = 816". Divided by 13" per box = 62 boxes around the perimeter. Double deep = 124 bins. Add 8 in the center aisle, and you get 132 bins in Space 1.

Space 2: 85' of wall = 1020". Divided by 13" per box = 78 boxes. Double deep = 156 bins.

Is that about right for your current setup (156 bins)?
posted by hydra77 at 2:17 PM on May 24, 2016


Response by poster: Thanks for the answers thus far. I've just uploaded two more images of space 1 to the bottom of the page. The first one is the floor plan drawn by the landlord with my footage markings. The second is a photo taken from what would be the top left point of the floorplan.

Ignore the two walls in the middle of the space as they will be coming down if I take the space. However, they're the reason I don't have a diagonal measurement.

I'll try and address questions raised:

1. The two doors on the top of space one can be covered by sliding doors making the space a little more useable (meaning the floor space in front doesn't have to accommodate an out-swinging door but one still needs to be able to slide them to get to the rest of the unit (bathroom and storage). They are not counted in the measurements and I believe they're standard door-widths (30").

2. In my current space, my cash counter is where the photo is being taken from in the first photo. I would use the same counter at the new space so I thought all things being equal there was no point in mentioning it.

3. The store currently has 40 bins (20x2 deep) on one side and 38 bins (19x2 deep) on the other (1 less to accommodate the in-swinging door), so 78 bins of records running up the two walls. There are also 4 bins against the window.

4. I cannot use vertical shelving except to display single items on the walls. Records need to be flipped through. I am not interested in turning them sideways and spining them like books.

5. It looks like I reversed the measurements for the top and bottom of space two. It's actually shorter on the cash register side and wider at the window.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 3:10 PM on May 24, 2016


Response by poster: Suedehead, thank you for the drawing.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 3:21 PM on May 24, 2016


One of those spaces was very oddly shaped with some blocking walls. Sorry if this is a little outside the scope of the question, but one thing I would consider is if those walls and any blind corners might increase shoplifting.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 4:20 PM on May 24, 2016


Response by poster: As I mentioned, the interior walls will be removed if I take the space.

Both spaces have a complete view of the store from anywhere in the store.

I guess on reflection, the "which space is bigger" is not really the question here. Just, how many bins can fit in space 1 while still allowing movement of customers? -- is more to the point.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 4:47 PM on May 24, 2016


Best answer: Assuming that your drawing is to scale, your measurements aren't fully accurate; the bottom wall from the double doors to the wall isn't actually 11' but around 14'6" or so. But anyways.

If you take a look at this, there are 159 19"x19" boxes in this plan.
posted by suedehead at 11:03 PM on May 24, 2016


Response by poster: Thank you, Suedehead!
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 6:47 AM on May 25, 2016


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