Initial Steps to Take

Whether you're the property manager or the store manager, here are a few common steps involved in closing a retail store before you clean it out:

• Decide On a Closing Date: You'll need to decide on a good date to close the store. Make sure to do this at least a few weeks in advance, so you have enough time to prepare for the retail cleanout and other steps.
• Resolve the Lease Agreement: If you're the property manager, you need to have a discussion relating to the lease agreement. If there's a provision to break the lease, then the store manager can do that. If not, they may have to keep paying rent on the property unless you decide to let them out of the agreement or you find a new tenant.
• Let the Public Know: Make sure to put signs outside your shop and notifications on the website that the store will be closing down. Consider a press release to your local media outlets.
• Have a Sale: To make the junk removal process easier later, you'll want to sell as much inventory as possible in the final weeks before the store's closing. Liquidation sales with discounted items can greatly lighten your load. 
• Resolve Any Remaining Obligations: Make sure to let your employees know about the closing so they can find a new job, and make sure to give them their final paychecks.
  

Items to Remove

A "Going Out of Business" sale is the most common way to manage what needs to be removed before the final closing. Here are some other things to consider when planning your retail cleanout: 

• Return to Vendor.Check to see if there is any inventory that can be returned and redistributed to another retailer.
• Sell to New Owner.If the space you have been occupying is ready for a new tenant, ask if there are any items, fixtures, furniture, etc. that the new business owner could use. 
• Address Employee-Only Areas. Items such as furniture, electronic devices or computers, and appliances from the break room can be sold during your liquidation sale, divvied out amongst your staff, donated to charity, or trashed.
  

When to Hire a Professional 

While some employees may stay in the final few days to help move items, you may want to consider hiring a junk removal company. There are a lot of benefits to this, including avoiding injuries, especially if you have to move very heavy items. This can get dangerous if you have to remove any debris from commercial renovations. Also, if not all of your items are trash, a professional junk removal company will be able to donate or recycle the items for you.

The Count Can Help You Close

If you're looking for a professional junk removal company for your retail store, look no further with Count Junkula. Our team in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina will be able to help with your junk removal needs, allowing you to focus on the other steps involved in closing your store. Contact us today to find out more about our services and schedule a free estimate.