[EricH]

Just for grins... is there a mall nearby that could cut you a discount on currently-vacant shop space? Some teams use that option, the downside of which is that random passersby see the open shop and drop by to see what's going on--oh, wait, that's also the upside (see: visibility, sponsor recruitment, mentor recruitment, and outreach).

I would suggest, quite simply, look up the company you'd like to work with and call them. Or talk to a local real estate agent to see if there's any open-ish spaces for a decent rate (that maybe you can negotiate lower).