What Next For California?

Business By mxpark Updated 29 Dec 2006 , 5:45am by nglez09

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mxpark Posted 1 Oct 2006 , 10:14pm
post #1 of 23

i'm really interested in selling my cakes but since california doesn't allow home bakeries and there is no way that i could rent or get my own commercial kitchen....what do i do next? can i still advertise or just word of mouth? this sucks. icon_sad.gif

22 replies
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karateka Posted 1 Oct 2006 , 10:58pm
post #2 of 23

I agree, it sucks. But I wouldn't advertise unless you are legal. It seems like inviting trouble. You can get some decent business by word of mouth.

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mxpark Posted 1 Oct 2006 , 11:15pm
post #3 of 23

hrmm...i think the reason why its illegal is because of california's zoning laws. i just thought about that and i feel kind of dumb for not realizing it earlier considering the fact that i have my ca real estate license. those of u 4m cali what do you do?

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CakeDiva73 Posted 5 Oct 2006 , 7:25pm
post #4 of 23

Try to rent commercial kitchen space is about all you can do unless you have the money to open your own bakery! icon_surprised.gif (wow.....wouldn't that be cool!)

It is interesting because there is one lucky CC'er here who lives in CA somewhere (maybe San Diego ) and she found a loophole and is licensed out of her kitchen!! I am jealous icon_cry.gif but happy that she has found a way for it work for her. I have had no 'loophole' luck of my own, sadly... icon_sad.gif

On T.V. they recommend trying to use a church kitchen but that didn't work for me either since they had a non-profit limited license that wouldn't qualify....

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allibopp5 Posted 6 Oct 2006 , 5:26pm
post #5 of 23

I am also in CA and wishing I could do this from my home...but I don't have the money to build a bakery in my backyard, so now what?
I am leery of selling cakes on the sly. Not sure what my options are. Has anyone out there rented kitchen time from a school? Maybe that would be a good place to look?
BTW...any of you in the Sacramento area???

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lilthorner Posted 6 Oct 2006 , 10:59pm
post #6 of 23

allibopp,

im in Sacramento! Natomas to be exact

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allibopp5 Posted 6 Oct 2006 , 11:49pm
post #7 of 23

Cool...I'm in Roseville. Where do you go for supplies?? Trying to find any local spots aside from Michael's and JoAnn's...
I was hoping to someday set up a home-based biz, getting really frustrated with CA right now, although I understand the problem...you never know how clean someone's kitchen is if you're not inspecting it, I guess.

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lilthorner Posted 7 Oct 2006 , 12:02am
post #8 of 23

I go to carosuel toy and party on marconi (they have a cake room). I also go to Cake Castle. there is one in Carmichael and one in the South Area

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prettycake Posted 7 Oct 2006 , 12:10am
post #9 of 23

well, as for me, I'll just stick to hobby only.. no business for me.
I really do not want to lease any kitchen. I work full time 9-6.
The only time I have to bake is the week-end anyway.

If I go professional, then I cannot enter in the State Fair any longer.

Good luck thumbs_up.gif with your kitchen search
.. icon_smile.gif

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mconrey Posted 7 Oct 2006 , 12:56am
post #10 of 23

I'm in CA too and just so frustrated with these silly laws. It would be in California's interest to allow home bakers and "regulate" them in some way. That way the State/County would get $$ from us in terms of business licenses, permits, taxes, etc. I just don't get it. But this IS California we're talking about...nothing makes sense here.

I have not really sold any cakes yet because I don't want to do something against the law. I have, however, had people insist on paying me - even when I never charged them for the cake and was actually happy doing it for free. (And of course I accepted their offer)

However, I am a SAHM and would like to do a few cakes a month for some extra cash. So, for the amount of cakes I would do, it doesn't even make sense for me to try and rent a kitchen. I'm not trying to rake in the $$ or anything. So, I either try to "fly under the radar" and hope that nothing happens, or I continue to "give" the cakes away and hope for a "donation" of some sort.

On another note, when I lived in Colorado, I worked for the Health Department - and they had people scope out constuction sites and whatnot for those people illegally selling burritos out of their cars. I think, in Colorado at least, the first offense was a warning and then after that they could possibly get fined. Can you imagine Health Department people scoping out kids birthday parties to make sure the cake was from a licensed establishment? icon_surprised.gif In California, anything is possible I suppose!

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Vreeke Posted 7 Oct 2006 , 1:34am
post #11 of 23

I also live in California and there is NO loophole available whatsoever. If you live in an area which is zoned residential, you can not sell any baked goods out of your home, regardless if you have a seperate kitchen.
I do have a license and use a licensed kitchen I rent from a local caterer.
I started looking about 6 months ago for a space to lease that previously had a kitchen in it ie: donut shop, Starbucks, ice cream shop etc... well that was impossible to find. Then I started looking for a small building to purchase and subdivide it with other tenants paying rent. I figured if I was going to put in thousands and thousands to get it to code, I would rather be paying the mortgage. Unfortunately as we in California are all aware, prices of real estate are way over the top. So, I continue my search for something, and I know one day (hopefully soon) I will find it.
Good Luck everyone,
Lori V.
Pastries By Vreeke

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mlynnb Posted 7 Oct 2006 , 1:45am
post #12 of 23

I don't live in CA and I can't help anyone unfortunately, but I just checked out your website Vreeke icon_eek.gif Holy Cow! Those cakes are awesome! I especially loved the one on e the wedding page with the scrollwork and gold accents! Amazing!
Sorry, didn't mean to highjack your thread....good luck to all of you in CA. I hope things work out for you guys! thumbs_up.gif

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lilthorner Posted 7 Oct 2006 , 1:49am
post #13 of 23

I second that! your cakes are beautiful!

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lubell Posted 8 Oct 2006 , 8:27am
post #14 of 23

I just Cakecentral, I'm so excited to be able talk to other cake people! I live in CA too, I never actually looked into what the requirements are for starting a cake business. I hope I won't get in trouble for saying this, but I had no idea that it ws illegal to sell cakes out of your home icon_surprised.gif I work full time, but people order cakes from me quite often. Wow, I had hoped that someday this would turn into a business for me, but I thought it was o.k. to do "independant contracting" in the meantime. I'm glad I learned this, but I don't want to stop doing cakes. Vreeke, I too checked out your website, you are amazing! Maybe we should all get together and start one big cake company. HHAA There was a birthday cake for Vince, a silver car, how did you get that metallic finish? Luster dust? If so, can you please explain how you are applying it?

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tayesmama Posted 8 Oct 2006 , 8:46am
post #15 of 23

CakeDiva - I remember reading that post too but I don't think she was from SD. No loophole here... icon_cry.gif

I figure that selling my cookies is a "private sale" and it's just a hobby not a business. I was sooo disappointed when I found out that CA doesn't allow for home bakers but oh well. I wasn't looking to go "platinum" anyway... LOL icon_lol.gif

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Lillybelle Posted 9 Oct 2006 , 1:00am
post #16 of 23

I'm in California, too!

This is sad.

For those of you who have tried - How do you go about getting a license and finding a licensed kitchen to rent? I went to the health website and it was not very 'user friendly'.

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Vreeke Posted 9 Oct 2006 , 1:51am
post #17 of 23

First, thank you all for the compliments on my website and cakes, I appreciate it.

It really was easy getting a license, I just filled out the paperwork at the local City Hall, no questions asked. Basically I am classified as a home business and on my application I noted I use a licensed commercial kitchen locally. It was never questioned, but I know one day someone will check and it wont be a problem because I do use a licensed kitchen.
Also, make sure you are or are planning to be Food Safety Certified. You have 6 months to take the test after you get your license and then must be re-certified every 3 years.

Trying to find a kitchen can be a problem. I got lucky, while I was in cooking and baking school I got friendly with one of the instructors who is a caterer and she said I could rent the kitchen from her.
Honestly though it's really a pain, the time it takes to load everything in the car, drive over, set up, clean up, I waste too much time. And, if I happen to forget something...... not good icon_sad.gif

I would start making some calls to caterers. Most of them are not busy everyday of the week. I try to be at the kitchen by 7:30 in the morning and by the time I am done, the caterer is just arriving.

But, I am determined to find my own cute little space!

Happy Baking,
Lori V.

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Lillybelle Posted 9 Oct 2006 , 4:22pm
post #18 of 23

Thanks, Lori! : icon_lol.gif

That was more helpful than scouring the health website. I appreciate it.

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allibopp5 Posted 9 Oct 2006 , 4:47pm
post #19 of 23

Vreeke, your post is very encouraging...maybe I can do this someday after all...if you don't mind my asking, how much does it cost to rent a kitchen? Do you pay by the hour, or a set amount per week/month? I'm trying to determine how much it would add to the price of each cake. Thanks again for your help! It's good to hear that someone is making it happen, legally, despite all the red tape! Way to go!! thumbs_up.gif

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Vreeke Posted 10 Oct 2006 , 2:12am
post #20 of 23

It generally costs $15 - $20/hour to rent a licensed kitchen. I only rent by the hour but I do know people who rent by the day and get a better deal.
Lori V.

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tayesmama Posted 10 Oct 2006 , 8:19am
post #21 of 23

Vreeke, that sounds like a pretty affordable idea. Do you have to prepay for the hours you think you'll be using during the month? Or is there like a standard set amount of hours and you have to pay them up front? Hmmmm... this could be a possibility...

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loriemoms Posted 10 Oct 2006 , 8:47am
post #22 of 23

One of the things I have been researching (I have a legal home business, but I am out growing it) is going in with other wedding type professionals on a building to lease. Trying to find a photographer and maybe a caterer, etc etc, and start a "full service" wedding business. Still researching, but maybe that is an option for you to help cut down costs?

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nglez09 Posted 29 Dec 2006 , 5:45am
post #23 of 23

loriemoms, that's a very good idea. I had posted a thread a long time ago about getting together with people from your class(es) and leasing out a building together; it could turn into something profitable, really.

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