If your sims are itching to start their own business but they just don’t know where to begin, here are some Small Business ideas they can steal!
One of the best features of the Businesses & Hobbies Expansion Pack is how much crosspack compatibility is baked into it. Your sims can utilize so much from the different DLCs to make truly unique and interesting businesses, adding much needed and appreciated variety to the game. If you’re excited to get into the Small Business mechanic but are stuck on where to begin, here’s a list of Small Business ideas to help get started!
Small Business Ideas To Get Started
We’ve consulted The Sims Wiki for a list of available activities you can use in your Small Businesses; this list may change with future patches and DLC releases for the game. There are 4-5 activities per Small Business idea but feel free to add or remove options to make the business truly your own!
Note: Your available activities will vary depending on the DLC you have.
Bowling Alley
Finally, you can have a dedicated Bowling Alley instead of wedging a few lanes into a Bar or Generic Lot!
Activities:
- Go Bowling
- Play Arcade Machines
- Eat Popcorn
- Eat (If you have Home Chef Hustle you sims can make pizza to sell at a snack bar)
Bubble Blower Bar
The sim version of a Hookah Lounge where they can go to relax, blow away a rough day, and enjoy some live music.
Activities:
- Use Bubble Blower
- Be Friendly
- Listen to Music
- Watch Live Entertainment
Casino
Does your sim love games? They won’t be able to win any money, but their Fun Need will certainly fill up!
Activities:
- Play Arcade Machine
- Play Pub Games
- Play Table Games
- Drink Bar Drinks
Cat Cafe
Cat Cafes are all the rage right now! Have a cup of coffee or tea, enjoy a scone, and pet some kitties!
Activities:
- Drink Coffee
- Drink Tea
- Be Friendly
- Play With Pets
Crafter’s Convention
Learn about, create, and sell handcrafted creations. You can easily switch out activities for other crafts to suit your needs.
Activities:
- Attend Classes And Lectures
- Cross-Stitch
- Knitting
- Woodwork
- Browse And Buy Items
Fight Club
Need to let out some pent up rage? Meet with like-minded sims and beat the stuffing out of each other!
Activities:
- Work Out
- Prank
- Be Mean
- Fight
Fortune Teller/Psychic
What does the future hold for your sim? Is there someone from the great beyond that they wish to reach? This is the place to go!
Activities:
- Do Seances
- Read Tarot Cards
- Possess Objects
- Use Ghost Mastery
Laundromat
The laundry mechanic is very realistic which means it can get tedious! Enjoy the gameplay without the constant risk of setting your home on fire by having a dedicated laundromat instead. It’s also a great way to meet and mingle with the neighbors!
Activities:
- Eat (put a vending machine in your laundromat)
- Be Friendly
- Do Laundry
- Sing (add a Karaoke Machine)
- Watch TV
Movie Theatre
Send your sims to a real movie theatre, finally!
Activities:
- Eat Popcorn
- Watch Movies On TV (Use the bracket keys to make your TVs as large as movie screens)
- Play Arcade Machine
- Be Romantic
Paint & Nectar Nights
A popular group activity, friends get together and learn how to paint while sipping drinks and socializing.
Activities:
- Drink Ranch Nectar
- Paint
- View Art
- Attend Classes And Lectures
- Be Friendly
Science Center
A place meant for experimentation and learning for sims of all ages!
Activities:
- Attend Classes And Lectures
- Build Robots
- Rocket Science!
- Use Science Objects
- Use Science Table
Seasonal Festivals
Create a lot where you rotate out different activities depending on the time of year!
Activities:
- Spring Activities
- Summer Activities
- Fall Activities
- Winter Activities
- Grill
- Watch Live Entertainment
- Flower Arranging (as of the time of writing, this activity isn’t showing as an available option like it should)
- Go Skating
- Play Physical Games
- Use Lawn Waterslide
- Hang Out By The Fire
- Look For Frogs
- Tend Garden
- Tend And Harvest Garden
- Use Hot Tub
- Play On Playground Equipment
More on SNOOTYSIMS: Flower Arranging isn’t the only thing your sims can’t currently do with Businesses & Hobbies. Here are a few more.
Werewolf Jewelry Shop
This can easily be tweaked into a regular jewelry store, but we thought it would be fun to make the moon a more integral part of the business.
Activities:
- Do Gemology
- Use Werewolf Abilities
- Moonbathe
- Browse And Buy Items
Youth Activity Center
Send your younger sims off to play and socialize with others their age, and make some friends along the way!
Activities:
- Play Physical Games
- Play Table Games
- Play Marbles
- Play On Playground Equipment
Youth Learning Center
Set up your kids for future success by maximizing their education and Skills.
Activities:
- Play Musical Instrument
- Use Science Objects
- Do Homework
- Use Activity Table
- Use Science Table
Closing Thoughts
With this list of Small Business ideas, your sims are ready to start making money in lots of exciting ways! Whether you want a social gathering place, necessary community resource, or a new place to learn, we have a lot of ideas to choose from. What’s your favorite idea from this list? Do you have a great Small Business idea you want to share? Let us know in the comments! We’d love to see how creative our fellow simmers are.
Until next time, happy simming!
Your Author: Hi! I'm Nicole
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