Now that we’ve got the business plan out of the way, let’s move on to why I made the decision to open a storefront.
You might be wondering why I would make such a decision when my state already has a cottage food law in place. While I admit the cottage food law is a wonderful thing, I also realize that the proper home kitchen in which to bake is just as necessary. Other reasons include things like rules and regulations that make it difficult to maximize profitability.
Imagine, if you will, trying to operate a successful baking business out of your kitchen while feeding a family of five, when three out of those five are growing children with varying palates and appetites. A one-meal-fits-all approach suddenly becomes obsolete. I could no longer get away with making a plate of nachos to keep three children happy. Pretty soon it was mac 'n cheese for one, a bean burrito for another, and cereal for the third. And to make it worse, they all wanted to eat at different times of the day! It felt as though I was constantly in the kitchen making snacks and/or cleaning.
Now, add an order of five dozen decorated sugar cookies spread out all over the kitchen counter, and you have potential for disaster! Did I mention my youngest likes to run in the kitchen to get his glass of water? And that the water cups are conveniently placed right above where my five dozen cookies are usually resting?! The term "bull in a china shop" comes to mind. And then there was dinner time! I am still cleaning up the previous mess from breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and I’m supposed to fix dinner on top of that?! Forget it!
Fortunately, I have a very supportive husband who will take on the task of fixing dinner, but there was always that constant question, “Where do I put my cookies while you cook”? And don’t get me started on cross-contamination. The fear of whatever he would be cooking somehow landing on my cookies was enough to make me lose my mind. While appreciative of his efforts, I still couldn’t refrain from making comments like, “Are you really going to brown that meat in here?!” And, “Are you sure you want to cut those onions and peppers so close to MY cookies?!”
I even bought a bun rack with cover so I could protect my goods. But my OCD couldn’t let it go. I had fear that everything I baked in that kitchen was going to somehow be tainted. For my sanity’s sake, and everyone else’s, something needed to change, and quick!
This is our kitchen. It is roughly 250 square feet, and while it has provided a wonderful environment in which to bake since 2006, the square footage has recently become problematic, as previously stated. There is simply no room left.
I even decorated the kitchen to make it feel more like a boutique-style bakery, as shown above. But it still lacked the room necessary to make my bakery successful.
My second reason for wanting to open a storefront was to get away from the regulations that prohibited me from earning possible profit. The Arkansas cottage food law prohibits the sale of any perishable goods, such as cream cheese frostings and curds or custards, which might not be problematic to a cookier, but remember, I make cakes too. I can’t even begin to tell you how many orders I have turned down because the customer wanted some kind of perishable filling and/or frosting on or in her cake. Another Arkansas cottage food regulation states that you are only allowed to sell directly to the consumer. This means no cookies for resale. I already knew this was limiting my potential, because I had been asked several times to make cookies that would be sold in boutiques and such. And the stipulation that probably bothered me the most was the fact that I was not allowed to ship my cookies. Again, many sad conversations I have had because of declining an order due to shipping ordinances.
I hope I have painted a clear picture for you as to why I made this decision. It was one not taken lightly by any means. As I told my husband and children, it was time to search for the perfect place where I could bake freely - a place where I didn’t have to fight for space, and which could be used strictly for cakes and cookies; a place that would allow me to maximize profitability and sell to whomever requested my services. Can you guess who was excited the most?
Please keep in mind that my state’s cottage food law. and what it allows and prohibits, will vary from yours. For those of you not wanting to open a storefront, I recommend using the Internet to search for your state’s cottage food policies and to check with your local health department. Also, there are certain cities within a participating state that DO NOT acknowledge the cottage food law, as is the case for one of my neighboring cities. So if you plan to bake for profit out of your home, actively do your homework about your state's rules, as well as those for the city in which you live.
For those of you who have opened a storefront or are thinking about opening one, what were the driving forces behind your decision?
Rebecca Litterell is owner of Litterelly Delicious Cakery. She started decorating cakes for family and friends in 2006 and eventually incorporated cookies into the mix in 2011. She is completely self-taught and passionate about teaching her skill and know-how to others, both online and in the cake and cookie classes that she hosts at her local community college. Before cakes and cookies, Rebecca spent most of her career in the medical field. She is a mother of three and a wife, and loves living in the country. When she’s not in the kitchen, she’s riding her horses.
Photo credit: Rebecca Litterell
Note: Storefront Diaries is a monthly Cookie Connection blog feature written by Rebecca Litterell that chronicles her journey of opening up a brick-and-mortar business after years of baking out of her home. Its content expresses the views of the author and not necessarily those of this site, its owners, its administrators, or its employees. Catch up on all of Rebecca's past Cookie Connection posts here.
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