Hey all!
I'm trying to solidify my hours of operation and just wanted to see if I was in the ballpark range of typical hours. What hours are you guys open and why did you choose those hours? Thanks! You guys rock!

Hi sweetneice,

I do not have my own store, but I wanted to give you some advice from someone who finds it very difficult to visit my local cake stores; I hope you don't mind. I work 9-5 and all of the local cake stores also are open those hours. Therefore, I can only go on my lunch break (and it takes me about 30 minutes to even get there) in a quick hurry, or not at all. So, if those were the hours you were planning, I would maybe consider staying open just one night a bit longer to help everyone out.

Just my two cents.

I agree with NY...some late nights would be good for working folk. I don't own a shop but i know in my area most are only open from 10-5pm. I would consider your location too..if you have traffic from other shops at night it may be benifical to open for them . We have one shop that is just across from an ice cream parlor. I don't know how many times i've wanted to stop in and check things out when i'm getting my ice cream, but they are closed. I never drive that way for anything else, so i haven't been in during the day. It's a pretty bad location for daytime business.
Even if you aren't busy with cakes, you could be making flowers for last minute orders, prepping boards etc...to kill the time.

Tuesday-Friday: 8.30-17.00
Saturday: 10.00-17.00
Sunday-Monday: closed

I never go home before 18.00, and sometimes even later, when I have a consultation or many orders. I do all my cleaning and side work with the door unlocked. Sometimes people come in and purchase after five, other days, not.

I must be on the right track! My thinking was to open around these hours:

Mon-Fri 7am-7pm
Saturday 9am-7pm
Sunday-CLOSED

What do you guys think? Thanks for the advice guys!

I dont' arrive at my shop before 10:00. I'm in a strip mall and none of the stores open before that, so there's not really any foot traffic (or even any cars!) on the property before then. So if you're going to open at 7:00, I'd suggest you evaluate what else is open around you that might drive traffic to you ..... gas station where people are filling up on the way to work? A burger king where they are getting breakfast?

There is a gas station directly across the street from me and a TON of business that are early prone. Especially like contractors, builders, etc. I'm at a 4 way intersection that is extremely busy all hours of the day and they are about to build a freeway exchange just a mile away. I found out last week that it is also a connecting road to important streets, so the traffic is constant, not to mention people are complaining about not having a place close enough that serves bakery food or helps the morning rush!

I had a lady call me and ask did I have cupcakes on hand right now that she could come get. I told her I do custom orders right now and that I wasn't retail yet. She replied " I need to open up a cupcake shop! Especially for people who want to take something to the office!"
I said" Hold on just a few more weeks and that will be done!" She was so EXCITED! LOL

Our store hours are
Tues. - Fri. 7 am-5 pm
Saturday 7 am - 3 pm
we are closed sundays and mondays.

We learned in order to have Sundays off we needed to be closed on Mondays. When I was open on mondays I was having to work Sunday to get the orders for Monday done. Cuz of course someone would want a cake for right at opening on Monday morning.

Good point! Especially since I'm the baker! I need that time off! lol! But do you think that will affect sales? I researched other bakeries and it's so confusing because half are open and half are closed on monday! lol