If you are opening a retail store on the coast where hurricanes are a common occurrence, then it is important you prepare for their eventual negative impact on your business. By taking steps to mitigate the damage to your business from storms, you will be able to ride them out nearly stress-free and lessen the loss of your business's income in the process. To this end, here are some hurricane mitigation tips you should use to protect your new business:

Tip: Rent a Building Outside of the Floodplain

When you are looking at rental buildings for your new retail business, think seriously about renting somewhere outside of the government-designated floodplain. If you rent in a floodplain area, then your business will need to obtain expensive flood insurance and your business may also flood every time there is a big storm. You can avoid this extra cost and also help prevent repeated, yearly flood water damage by renting outside of the floodplain if at all possible.

Tip: Rent a Location Facing Away from the Coast

When a hurricane comes on shore and its wind speed reaches triple digits, the wind always blows in the same direction - from the ocean onto the shore. By simply renting a building facing away from the ocean, you can prevent a lot of damage to your storefront. Let the back of your store where there is less glass take the brunt of the storms, rather than your big glass storefront windows.

Tip: Make Sure Your Building has Storefront Hurricane Windows Installed

Before signing a rental contract on a building, make sure that it has storefront hurricane windows installed by a company like A Christian Glass & Mirror. While you will still want to cover large glass windows with sheets of protective plywood before a large storm hits, hurricane windows are made of a special glass that is impact resistant and will prevent chips and cracks from storms and clumsy customers. Impact glass is very strong and is made in a similar way to the glass that makes up your car's windshield.

Tip: Keep Hurricane Preparedness Supplies Onhand for Easy Installation

Finally, when you are outfitting your new retail store with decor and supplies, make sure you stock up on plastic sheeting, duct tape, plywood and any other emergency supplies you might need when a storm is coming onshore; this will prevent you from having to run around town looking for the things you need.