What should I check before buying an alterations or tailor shop?

An alterations shop sells skill. The machines matter, but customers come back to a person whose fit and finish they trust. That makes the usual review a little different: you are less interested in the premises and more interested in who sews, who sends the work and what happens if the seller steps away. Begin with the people, then the work.

Whose skill is it

Ask who does the sewing and how long each person has been there. If the owner is the main tailor, ask how long the seller would stay and whether the skill can be passed on. Ask to watch a day’s work. If the seller leaves and the shop has no other trained tailor, you need a plan to hire one before closing.

Where the work comes from

Many shops receive steady work from dry cleaners, bridal shops, formalwear stores or tailors’ own walk-in customers. Ask for a list of referral sources and how each relationship began. A referral partner who deals with the seller personally may not carry on with you. This answer on drop stores and plants shows a similar referral relationship.

Machines, orders and turnaround

List the sewing machines, pressing equipment and any specialty gear, and ask for the age and service history of each. Ask to see the order book or ticket system, including garments waiting for pickup and promised dates. Ask whether jobs run late and how the seller handles it. A pile of overdue work is something to understand before you take it on.

Claims and the customer record

Ask whether garments have been spoiled or lost and how the shop responded. Ask whether any claims are open and who will pay if one arises from before your ownership. Your lawyer can draft that into the agreement. This answer on tickets and garments raises similar questions you can adapt.