That is sooo Awsome!! I'm very excited for you. How does it feel to make such an accomplishment? Good luck at the opening. Do you have something special planned?

Vividcreations,

That's so exciting!! I'm curious, how long have you been decorating cakes??

I've been doing it for about a year and definitely don't feel I have the expertise to open a shop. So, whenever I hear someone say they have a shop I always wonder how long they've been doing it.

How did you make the decision to do it??

Congratulations again,
Alex

Congratulations!! That is so exciting and the shop is looking terrific!

Melissa, is it okay if I'm really happy for you and ever so green with jealousy at the same time?!

Wishing you all the best in the endeavor and please keep us posted and updated on how it's all going!

Wow! What a great shop! I love the colors!

Melissa, we're still waiting on pics of the finished shop!!! Please!!!!

Oh my gosh you guys, I'm sorry for not posting these sooner...and sorry for not responding to some of you...I wasn't getting the emails that there were new posts on this thread.

Here's the link to some pics we took of the shop complete.

http://viv-edcreations.com/shop.html

hcouso: I cannot even explain how crazy it is to think that I have my own shop. I am pleased that I can do this at such a young age....in fact it's funny because people come in the shop on days when my mom or my aunt are helping me and they talk directly to them even if they are standing behind me because they think that my family owns the store...you should see people's faces when I tell them that it's all mine. That is the greatest feeling!!!!!

aoliveira: When I decided to open the shop I had only been decorating for a little over a year myself. I read a lot and try new things. I always tell myself and my family when they're helping that you have to be in control and things will go okay...can't let that cake or cookie or cupcake or whatever get the best of you. Sometimes things doin't work and I learn from those mistakes and sometimes things go great and I remember what did work. After I took a couple classes I knew this is what I wanted to do. I've always wanted to own my own business I just wasn't sure what kind and then I took a class and it all became really clear to me. It's scary at times, especially when I left a really good paying job to just jump in head first here, but in the end...I'm happy when I go home at night and that's all I can ask for!

Sugar_Plum_Fairy: of course it's okay to be happy and jealous at the same time!!! Trust me I've been there too and it's okay!!!!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pics...If you'd like to see better pics that aren't in the collage type thingy email me and I'll send you some!

Thanks again!
Melissa

Well, Congratulations!! Your shop looks fantastic!

Oh my gosh, that looks great!!! And you're right IN the mall, cool!! Well, my sister and I will be over one Saturday soon and I can't wait. Do you sell cakes by the slice and what flavors? My favorite is white on white with bc filling and icing and I like my slices big! LOL And if you're cutting from a sheet cake hack me off a big corner, thank you very much!

I'm looking forward to meeting you Melissa.

Take Care,
Carol

So what did the cost end up being? We are in the process of buying a pizza place to turn into a cake shop right now and have gone back to square one several times over the past couple of months due to funds. It was going to cost of $330,000 to turn an office space into one! No way!

Congrats Melissa!
You're shop looks great and I'm envious of your HUGE fridge!!
It IS funny to see the look on people's faces when they find
out you're the owner and not your mom! It happens to me, too.
I just opened my shop on Aug 31st and turned 30 on Sept 9th.
Although, at this moment I feel 247!! Just wait till everyone looks at you
to make decisions about YOUR business-now THAT'S an AWESOME feeling!!
( OH! Did I say that out loud??!!)
Be prepared for a LOT of long hours!!


Best Wishes,
Amy

Hi! Congratulations!!!! I love your new shop! May I ask... how expensive was it? (I hope you don't mind me asking ) I am working on my business plan and FL requires all commercial grade/quality appliances but have no clue where to start... where did you buy? I would appreciate any info. Thanks so much, and again, a big CONGRATULATIONS!!

Thanks guys. After all was said and done I figure I spent about 25,000.00 to renovate the space. It was a pretty blank space to begin with so I didn't think that was too bad. I leased my equipment so I didn't pay for that all up front. That was the only way for me to do it right now! Plus in 3 years it'll be mine! I got my equipment through Zesco and I have to tell everyone DO NOT USE THEM. I had NOTHING but trouble with them once I placed my order. I will NEVER buy anything from them again.

I have to say I ended up where I am becuase the rent is cheap. I pay 850.00 a month for 1500 sf and that is a steal around where I live....I had looked at places were going for up to $25.00 a sf and I just couldn't afford that so I went to a smaller town and it is much cheaper there!

Now, having said that...being in a small town SOME people expect to get a cake for what they'd pay at walmart....not at my shop. I stick to my prices pretty close and if they don't want to spend the money than they can have that crappy cake from walmart...I have plenty of people who WILL pay my prices and are glad to have found a custom baker who will do just about anything.

Anyway, hope that help someone out there looking at opening their own bakery.

THANKS!! It sure did!

vived...how incredibly exciting that you have "your own place". i am so jealous. i hope you don't mind me ringing in with a few questions. i am right on the brink of quitting my job to open my own place.
so, when you say everything ran you about 25k, does that include your equipment?? do you have a little stashed away to take care of business until business gets real steady?? do you have employees other than family?? and last but not least...you say you are renting the space. what kind of issues did you have with the renter about doing all the work there? did they pay for any of it? did you pay for the whole thing? and then what happens if you need to move?
sorry i have so many questions. i really want all my ducks in a row before i really go for it.

That is SO wonderful! It's funny to be so happy for someone you don't even know, but I really do wish you the best with your new business! Good luck to you!

Congratulations!!!

Thanks for sharing the pictures and some advice on how you are doing things. It really helps those of us still working towards that goal.

Very cool!! I live in Belton and will have to swing by and see the shop. Can you tell us how it's going getting started? Busy or slow? What advertising you have done or plan on doing... stuff like that.

Wow! how wonderful! Congratulations to you.

Hello Melissa! this is Melody, we met at the Perfect Wedding Guide lunch last month. I love your shop!!! I can't wait until I get to open up my own shop.
Hey, I did take your advice about the brides driving to meet me, and am renting a small office space in Bonner springs. I'll still bake in my second little licscenced kitchen in the basement but will meet brides in my office.
I had a bride call the other day from Harrisonville, and she didn't want to drive to me, so I sent her your way...told her that there was a new bakery in Harrisonville and told her the name of it...hope she calls you.
good luck at the Bridal show!!!

melody

Thanks again everyone!

Hi Melody, thanks! Good for you on making the brides come to you...I really think it will work out better for you! Thanks for possibly sending me a new bride!!!! I can use all the help I can get right now just starting out! I appreciate it! Good luck to you as well at the show...I'm already in a head spin from everything I need to get done in the next two weeks for the show as well as other things we have going on. I think that weekend is the weekend EVERYONE decided to have a party or get married....oh I can't wait until October 15th!!!! I might sleep all day!!

korkyo-things have started slowly but are gradually getting better and better. I'm just now starting to get repeat custom cake orders from customers so that is a very good sign. Everyday I have people come in and say that someone has told them about me so the word is travelling just not as fast as I'd like of course! I know it takes time so I'm being patient! Let's see, I advertise in the Weekly Shopper, have done a story in the Democrat as well as the KC Conservative and have donated items to several local events in hopes to get my name out. I think I'm going to try and set something up with KC Live in the next month and hopefully will get some business there. We have also done a few fall festivals around here also to get the word out about us being here now. Seems to be working so I think time will tell!!! Oh yeah, and we're doing the bridal show this month so hopefully that will help some also.