This is one area where your selection of location dominates the outcome.

In a blighted area, you cannot expect to gross more than $50 to $100 per square foot per year. For a barber, pawnbroker, or lawyer working alone, this may be enough to earn a living as long as expenses are minimized.

If you select a location on Mainstreet, USA, you might begin to expect $75 to $150 per square foot per year if traffic flow and parking are reasonable.

A location in a high traffic strip mall with ample parking might yield sales of $100 to $200 per square foot per year.

Tenants in a very popular regional mall might expect $150 to $300 per square foot per year.

Evaluate the location, find out the square feet of the space you are looking at and check with local experts who may modify all of the above values. The underlying assumption is that you have enough money to renovate the space to community standards and pay for about three months of inventory.