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Anyone here licensed in PA?

post #1 of 40
5/20/08 at 4:25pm
Thread Starter 
I have read the PA website and I've contacted my local borough about getting a letter from them, but I just wanted to hear from some people who are actually licensed and what you had to go through.
Chris
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Chris
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post #2 of 40
5/20/08 at 6:59pm
Easy, easy, easy! Very worth the trouble. I live about an hour from Philly. Each county/town is different. Just check with the department of agriculture to make sure it's the same. What I had to do was - contact the borough to get a letter that said I can have a business, call dpa to get inspector out, get inspected, get license. If you have well water, you will need to get your water tested (I have public, so I have no idea what that entails). You can not have pets (unless they are in a cage 24/7 or outside). Make sure your cake stuff is seperate from your house stuff. I have my tools in a drawer and my ingredients are on a seperate shelf in the pantry. The inspector came into my house after I cleaned like mad and looked at nothing. He sat at my kitchen table went over some stuff took his check and signed my license. If you do a search on getting license in PA in these forums, you will come up with a bunch of other posts on this. Hope this helps.
Music and cake make me happy!
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Music and cake make me happy!
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post #3 of 40
5/20/08 at 7:12pm
just being nosy chris, where are you in pa
Sometimes you have to look reality in the eye and deny it.

I'll always love and miss you!
Taylor Lynn Wooten 4/11/08
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Sometimes you have to look reality in the eye and deny it.

I'll always love and miss you!
Taylor Lynn Wooten 4/11/08
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post #4 of 40
5/20/08 at 7:20pm
Thread Starter 
trumpetmidget, I did do a search and found some things, but I wanted some first hand experiences. lol

Thanks!

twooten173 - I'm in York.
Chris
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Chris
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post #5 of 40
5/20/08 at 7:43pm
Oooo, Two - my husband would approve of your location. He is a big steelers fan. I took him out of that area and made him come to Eagles country. He went to a pregame a few years back Eagles vs. Steelers and wore his steelers garb. I told him he was taking his life into his own hands with that one! icon_smile.gif
Music and cake make me happy!
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Music and cake make me happy!
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post #6 of 40
5/20/08 at 7:58pm
I thought about getting mine but I have a cat I refuse to get rid of. He's never allowed in the kitchen when cooking or baking...I know they still don't care and won't approve. Oh well.

Good Luck!
Jen

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile.
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Jen

Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile.
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post #7 of 40
5/21/08 at 10:13am
trumpetmidget, girl Steeler 's fans are the best and everywhere. I went to Hawaii a few years ago and was there for a couple weeks. Do you know I went to D&B one day to watch the game - some islander told me that was the place to go because Steeler's fans go there. The entire building was full of Steeler's fans... three floors of them. Ha! Oh and for the record, we had to get up at 8am on Sunday to watch the game!!!

Jen, I am so sorry to hear about your cat! I have a dog and I can't imagine life without her.
Sometimes you have to look reality in the eye and deny it.

I'll always love and miss you!
Taylor Lynn Wooten 4/11/08
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Sometimes you have to look reality in the eye and deny it.

I'll always love and miss you!
Taylor Lynn Wooten 4/11/08
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post #8 of 40
5/21/08 at 10:42am
My initial experience with getting a license and inspected was very easy-and my inspector did much the same as trumpetmidget's- glanced around, asked some questions and signed my license! thumbs_up.gif

I had more trouble when we were doing a major house remodel which included a separate bakery area for me. Our township guys were a bit power hungry, and even though I had everything in line for the township meeting to get a zoning varience, they kept demading more stuff and stringing me along month after month. Finally one of the men on the board, who happened to be the father of a friend of my daughter's, told me to just tell them what they want to hear....then do what I want. No one was going to check up on me. icon_eek.gif So that's what I did. Adjusted my plan to what they were insisting upon in order to get the variance approved....and proceded to do my business as usual. icon_twisted.gif Did it for 18 years at that location.

And in those 18 years, I had an inspector come only 3 times! icon_confused.gifthumbs_up.gif
With 30 years as a cake artist under my belt, I'm just here to share my knowledge and experience to anyone willing to listen!
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With 30 years as a cake artist under my belt, I'm just here to share my knowledge and experience to anyone willing to listen!
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post #9 of 40
5/21/08 at 10:54am
I also want to look into getting my license. Can anyone tell me how much cost is involved in this and how long did the whole process take you? Also looking at the business side...what about doing taxes. Has anyone come across any problems?
Oh, by the way...I am in Steeler Country also and absolutely love them! Try to go to a couple games a year. The atmosphere there is absolutely amazing! I also went to Hawaii a couple times....wish I woulda knew about the D&B there being full of fans during games. icon_biggrin.gif
-Jen
www.freewebs.com/jenscustomcakes
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-Jen
www.freewebs.com/jenscustomcakes
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post #10 of 40
5/21/08 at 11:01am
Hey trumpetmidget thanks a lot your info helped!!! I too live about 45 minutes from Philly! I have been doing this for 10 years and would love to get that official paperwork! Thanks a lot I now know where to start off! Happy BAKING!!!
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post #11 of 40
5/21/08 at 4:01pm
Thread Starter 
ok, so I called my borough and talked to the person in charge of this stuff.

She told me that unless I am actually running a business out of my home - meaning I have a sign in the front yard and have people coming in and out of my home buying things, that I don't need to have a license.

I told her that I would be making/selling cakes for friends, family, co-workers, etc and she said that it was fine. She said I could even take them to a farmer's market or something like that if I wanted to and it wouldn't matter.

Has anyone else been told this? LOL
Chris
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Chris
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post #12 of 40
5/21/08 at 4:15pm
hey chrisl121070 where exactly are you in PA? Just curious... I wonder how many they consider in and out of my house? I may have one person a week? I usually sell the cakes to friends and family, and friends of friends etc. I know the only problem that I did run into is that some venues and places will not take a cake from the "outside" unless you have a license...I still think I will look into it???
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post #13 of 40
5/21/08 at 4:20pm
Thread Starter 
I'm in York.

She said that unless I have parking issues or have huge delivery trucks coming, it's not an issue.

I wondered about that too - the venues that won't allow cakes from non-licensed vendors, but I am just starting out and am not really planning on making wedding cakes for many people so at this point it's not an issue. I'll worry about it if that comes up I guess. LOL
Chris
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Chris
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post #14 of 40
5/21/08 at 4:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chrisl121070

ok, so I called my borough and talked to the person in charge of this stuff.

She told me that unless I am actually running a business out of my home - meaning I have a sign in the front yard and have people coming in and out of my home buying things, that I don't need to have a license.

I told her that I would be making/selling cakes for friends, family, co-workers, etc and she said that it was fine. She said I could even take them to a farmer's market or something like that if I wanted to and it wouldn't matter.

Has anyone else been told this? LOL



Hmmm? I never heard of anyone else being told this. I am interested in finding out more also.
-Jen
www.freewebs.com/jenscustomcakes
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-Jen
www.freewebs.com/jenscustomcakes
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post #15 of 40
5/21/08 at 4:43pm
I'd be wary of what you were told by this lady at the local level, I'm fairly certain that you can not do what she says, even the Amish around here who sell baked goods need to be licenced.

Go Steelers...from PGH, now in NW PA
THE CANDY MAN CAN 'CAUSE HE MIXES IT WITH LOVE AND MAKES THE WORLD TASTE GOOD
WILLY WONKA
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THE CANDY MAN CAN 'CAUSE HE MIXES IT WITH LOVE AND MAKES THE WORLD TASTE GOOD
WILLY WONKA
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