What do you wish your local store carried? I am thinking of opening a bakery supply store and was wondering what people were looking for. Bettercreme, hi-ratio shortening, molds? Not just cake supplies but for cookies, brownies etc.
I guess I got my answer. Everyone is happy with what they can get from Hobby Lobby and Micheal's or don't mind ordering on line and waiting days for what they want. That saves my a lot of time, money and energy opening a store that would fail. Thanks to those who looked anyway.
If you're deciding on weither or not to open a shop based on what random people post on here, then maybe you should think again. Not everyone can spend all day infront of thier computer just waiting for a new post to reply to. Maybe you should have been more patient.
I just didn't want it to open a generic store and wanted to carry what cakers and other bakers were looking for outside of the big box stores. And I don't sit in front of my computer all day waiting for a reply if you noticed I posted this yesterday and 25 people looked at it without replying. I won't bother you again with my silly questions
I just now saw this question because I wasn't on CC much yesterday. Anyway, I guess to answer you, I started thinking about what I have to order online.
Americolor
chocolate molds
square cake boards
good pans
good fondant
These are off the top of my head.
enoid..I'm so sorry you feel this way I had a feeling that when you saw that comment you feel that way...don't...
And let me respond by saying that I wish I could buy in bulk from my local cake supplier. Hope this helps.
SPS - so that people can actually see it before they order it...I am a hands on type person, and still can't figure it out, and I will have to order it to understand it.
Lots more of everything, because the USA has a better selection of stuff in their stores! And on the west coast we pretty much have to ship stuff from the east!!
I think if you want to vent at someone because of what they posted you should do a pm and not include the rest of us with you thoughts. We don't need to see rude remarks because everyone on here is a person and we all count.
I would love to see a store here in Pickering Ontario that I could go to and only have one stop to make to do my cakes. I love hobby lobby but we don't have them in Canada and I am not impressed with Michael's.
Let's all be nice to one another and enjoy sharing thoughts and ideas.
I'd like to be able to buy a bunch of things-but these are what I order the most:
fondant (Satin Ice, Chocopan)
Hi-Ration Shortening
Dusts & Sprays-lustre, pearl, etc..
boards and boxes that we can get in bulk
all sorts of tools of the trade-molds, cutters, veiners
For what it's worth, I think this is a wonderful idea. I have a local shop near me, but the reason I don't go there often is because she doesn't have much and her prices are so inflated that I can get twice the amount of stuff online for less. I like to support local businesses, but with those prices I can't. I'd love to open a shop!! Good Luck!
Im in Ontario, Canada too. Michaels is too pricey & Bulk Barn has some things, but not everything. Buying from the states we(Canadians) get dinged with duty & pricey shipping fees.
Not too many stores where I am so I would have to say:
hi-ratio shortening
coloured premade fondant in various quantities (large & small)
cake box inserts (that hold cupcakes)
cake boards (in bulk)
Good luck if you decide to do it.........
Thank you to those who have replied. Part of making a business model is knowing your target audience. I could not think of a better place to do this research than here.
hi enoid!
im sorry i didnt see this thread until now but i know that if someone were looking to open a cake craft store near me i would really like them to carry good quality high ratio,cutters and veiners,pearl dusts,different brands of gumpaste and fondant,boards,boxes,good quality turntables,sps,decorating dvds and what not
ooo soo many things when i come across them and think man if we had that here!
good luck with everything and hope that helps!
I have a really good cake supply place close by, its Oasis Supply...they also have a website.
If I were you I'd look online at the most popular cake supply places and see what they offer. I think Oasis is just about perfect. The only thing is I think its hard for one cake supply place to offer everything...for instance they offer a TON of stuff but if you want like expensive baking chocolate, shortening, or other nice catering style pastry chef stuff, you have to go to a place that offers those particular things.
Did not see this until today, or I would have answered you. my list would include:
gum paste cutters, high ratio shortening, fondant, more than one brand, glucose, glycerin in larger than 2 oz bottles, magic line pans, dusts, air brush colors, regular food coloring, Americolor, candy molds, Lorann flavors, Bettercreme or similar product, quality merchandise, so many of us can only get Wilton locally, and shipping charges are killing me.
Wow... everyone has been so touchy lately.
Are we in some sort of weird moon phase... LOL
Ok the things I would like to see in a store are,
LorAnn flavorings.
Americolor food colors
Rich's Bettercreme
Satin Ice.
Tylose
and impression mats and rolling pins.
Boba Tea straws
Sorry I didn't reply sooner I didn't see this thread.
And sometimes when you see that a thread has been viewed X amount of times those views could be from guests to the site that don't have an account or don't have an answer to your question.
HTH
Have a Great day everyone.... Happy Caking
Hello fellow Iowan:
I'm in Des Moines, but it might be worth the trip for a great supply store.
Hi-Ratio Shortening
flower & leaf molds
colors & dusts
cookie cutters
Bettercreme
Flavorings
Good luck to you!
SPS so I could finally try it without paying shipping.
I have an AWESOME baker's wholesale 15 minutes from me, they sell hi-ratio, Brite White fudge Icing Base (awesome stuff), Lorann Oils, and everything that I could possibly want or need, it's one-stop shopping.
EXCEPT the manager REFUSES to stock SPS, even though I know of at least 4 others that want to buy it, she keeps saying "the Wilton pillars/plates are basically the same thing" UGGHHHHHH!
She makes me so mad, I really want to use it based on the reviews here, but I do not want to pay shipping and have to wait for it.
.......EXCEPT the manager REFUSES to stock SPS, even though I know of at least 4 others that want to buy it, she keeps saying "the Wilton pillars/plates are basically the same thing".........
Ooooh don't you just want to strangle them w/they pull stuff like that?
Where I lived before the older lady REFUSED to carry dusts 'because then they won't buy my paste colors'
Very inexperienced here, but when I see new things I'd like to try on CC, I never get around to doing it because I'll have to wait for it. Kind of crazy, I know, but some days driving home from work I really feel like baking/expiermenting but there's no store to stop by and pick up new things for me to try.
If I had a local Cake store, things I would be interested in are
Square Cake boards
lorann oils
gumpaste products other than Wilton
luster dust
the SPS set up
the Agbay cake leveler
satin ice
flavors and emulsions (tons)
HTH!
We have a great cake shop here in Dallas called Cake Carousel...they carry almost everything and they even carry something I didn't realize. The one thing no one has mentioned I think is the sleeve fillings...these are the shelf stable fillings. I would like to be able to find the Pastry Pride liquid stuff and/or Bettercream in liquid not pre-whipped stuff.
They do carry a lot of Wilton stuff and I wish they carried more Ateco, they carry some but the Atteco stuff just holds up better. They are an amazing store. They have an entire room dedicated to chocolate molds, an entire room dedicated to shaped pans you can rent and they also have general supplies. I wonder if you go to the business forum and ask if anyone sells supplies as well. I think one way to make sure you can stay in business is to offer classes as well as birthday party type options.
I hope your business is a great success.
I was wondering if anyone was interested in the sleeve fillings. I have never tried them myself but have read a lot of posts about them on here, so that is something I would like to stock. I think your idea of checking out the business forum to see if there are other supplier is a great idea. Thanks.
I didn't see your post until today either. I would LOVE a cake decorating store in my area, Niagara Ontario! Any chance that that is where you were thinking of? Anyway, I'd love to see Satin Ice Fondant and Gumpaste, Americolour, cake pans that aren't Wilton, cookie cutters, and molds. Honestly anything other than Wilton would be nice because that is the only brand both Michaels and Bulk Barn carry! Thanks and I really hope you do it!!
Cake decorating books
Magazines
Baking books
DVDs
Cake dummies
Americolor
Cake boxes/boards
Plastic Cupcake Containers
Sprinkles/Jimmes/Sugars
Magic Line cake pans
Cookie cutters
That's all I can think of for now. And everything else that was previously said.
I would to see a store that will offer classes besides Wilton classes. I would like see more gumpaste flower, geltin mold classes, and airbrush classes. as for a store I would like to see the unique items that most stores don't carry that can help me in making my cakes easier to make. SPS comes to mind. stencils that aren't $30 to buy a simple stencil. I am getting into molds now with fondant and gumpaste.
luster dusts, pearl dusts, Airbrush colors and needles and jars, candy supplies, lorainne oils and how to books are great for me as I am just learning all this stuff.
Ditto to the people who say something besides Wilton. We don't have a cake-decorating shop around here and the only places I can get stuff are the usual craft chains. (Which are fun, don't get me wrong, but limited.)
Especially:
Luster and petal dusts
Fondant that isn't Wilton
Americolor colors
Quirkier sorts of tools, like sugar guns, embossers, textured rolling pins, etc. that craft stories and kitchen stores don't carry
Good luck! Wish you were in this area!
Like everyone else said, except I might wait awile to stock highly specialized equipment (gumpaste flower cutters etc). Put your money into stocking items that everyone would want--americolors, lusterdusts, SPS. Then have a lot of display cakes that highlight the use of specialty items. Listen to what your customers want, once you've figured out their skill level, and offer to special order accordingly. JMHO
i agree with all the ideas posted, however i would also like to be able to see or have demonstrated some of the new items or items i may be unfamiliar with.
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