What does it REALLY involve? (long) - Page 6

wow - shorty! that looks GREAT!!!!

I've been devouring these sorts of threads since I first starting lurking on this site. I'll never own a cake business of any sort, but I love cakes and baking and I've helped with start up businesses. I love figuring out this stuff.

So I'll say as someone who has probably read every thread on this subject for about 2 years, I think you need to "get real" about a few things.

The first thing you need to know is how fast a decorator are you? If you are slow as molasses, you aren't ready for this yet. A set up like this, with its expenses, will require that churn out a LOT of cakes.

The second thing you need to know is what is profitable in this type of business. Some items are simply not worth offering. No profit in them.

The third thing is you need to figure out what a reasonable price is for what you will be selling to compare it to your full monthly operating cost. I would listen to the folks who tell you that you need to figure out how many slices of cake you have to sell a month to break even. Is that even possible? And if it is possible, how soon would it be possible? What would it require to make that happen?

The fourth thing that comes to mind is how are you going to make your monthly payments when you don't sell enough? How quickly will you be bankrupt if it takes a couple of years to manage to break even?

Even with great equipment that can help you bake large quantities in a short amount of time, there is no automation for your decorating. How many servings of cake can you manage to get out the door in a week? Do you know?

Shorty56--GREAT space. It's made me wistful...

saberger, you said you've been researching through the forums so you may have already seen this but it's a good one so I'll post the link. I especially liked Indy's post on page 2. Hope it helps.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=600727&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0

The crowd that comes in for pie, tarts and pastries will not be replacing those items with cookies & cuppies. You'll be loosing those folks.

You need a bigger vision for this location. It's backwards. You are trying to put your vision on an existing space designed for something else.

You have to generate foot traffic if it's the anchor store for the shopping area.

Here's another pat on your back. I have to say - you are staying so opened minded to everyone's opinions. I'm impressed!!!!

Here is a blog I like to read that shows someone starting a cake/dessert storefront from scratch in California. If you read back through the archives to where she started, just try to add up in your mind the $$$ her family has saved her by doing all the work. Plus note how she frequently talks about being sleep deprived and her storefront isn't even open yet. Her cakes and desserts are awesome, but I am wondering how the money and business end of things will progress. I wish her well!

http://www.mysweetandsaucy.com/

Great blog!

Y'know what though? Making it a coffee shop would totally work. Your sister could run the coffee end of it--put out some tables--cater to the croissant crowd bring 'em in! You do the cakes and...why aren't there enough johns? I cannot believe that got constructed to code these days with only one john.

20 years ago they prevented me from opening a cake shop (no eat in trade) 'cause of only one john.

You gotta be kidding me?? One bathroom--incredibly shortsighted. Put in a bathroom!!!!! That will totally work!!!!

edited to say--see people would like to watch you work too. It'd be like reality Duff same bat-time same bat-channel/bakery.

Number of restrooms could depend on local laws, so check them out. I know a lady who ran a restaurant with one uni-sex restroom. It was a small place, so maybe the restaurant capacity makes a difference.

Also check into handicap accessible requirements. The reason I don't have any eat-in space is because (a) I'm not a restaurant and (b) I didn't want to spend the $9000 to move the private-restroom-just-for-me from the back of the shop, to a front-of-the-store-with-handicap-accessible.

Yes... # of bathrooms required depends on how many seats you have. In NH you only need one restroom for up to 24 indoor seats and two restrooms for 25 and up.

Tennesse is nothing if not huge on plumbing. If a little plumbing is good a lot of plumbing is better. I guess the only thing we dig more than plumbing is taxes.

Hi saberger, just wondering if there's any news on the bakery.

Deb