Instructions

1

Find a good location. Any successful shoe shine stand needs to be in a high traffic area. It also needs to be in an area where the people are likely to be wearing shoes that need to be shined. Setting up shop in a recreation center cannot do you much good.
2

Strike a deal. You may be able to plant yourself on a street corner or other free location, but most likely the owner of the location requires some form of rent to use that space. Agreeing to share a portion of your earnings with the owner prevents you from making set payments you may not be able to afford if business is slow.
3

Buy a chair. You can shine shoes with someone sitting in a lawn chair, but it may take something more aesthetically pleasing than that to get someone to sit down and let you shine their shoes. On the other hand, you do not need a massive wooden throne to get someone to sit down either. Find, or buy, something nice to sit in. Once your business takes off, you can purchase something bigger and better.
4

Market your business. Make sure people know you are there. Do not just rely on people stumbling across your shoe shine stand. Post some signs around the area letting people know you are there.