I live in Minnesota, where they do not allow home bakeries. While I am working on my cake decorating skills, and hope to someday get a business going, I have been trying to do some research on what it will take when I am ready. Currently I do cakes for friends and family, and everyone keeps telling me "You should charge for your cakes" and "You should start a business!". While I disagree that I am good enough at this moment to do so, I definitely plan to get that good! Any Minnesota bakers that have started up a business? I know renting commercial space is an option but I haven't seen anything in my research regarding general cost to rent out some space in this state(as I know the price will vary from state to state). What do you currently pay to rent out space if you don't mind me asking? And if you have space that you rent to other bakers, or would be willing to rent to other bakers, what do/would you charge? Thanks!

I'm a Minnesota Baker!!! Though I do not own my own business. I'm in the same boat you are, looking for some commercial space to rent. You're in White Bear Lake? I'm in St. Paul.

I have learned though that we can legally sell baked goods at Farmer's Markets. We just have to label our products with our name and address and have a sign posted at the market saying these goods were baked in a home kitchen, and since the state of MN considers cakes/breads/cookies/ and the like to be a non-hazardous food item, our home kitchens do not have to be inspected.

http://www.mda.state.mn.us/news/publications/food/business&marketing/fm_vendor_guide.pdf

Really?! Well that's good to know. I would obviously have to have the items prebaked though correct? Which makes cakes difficult. So basically if I am selling at a community event, and I am not grossing over $5000, it's legal? I wonder if Birthday parties count as community event LOL. Ah well. I am still going to dream the dream!

I'm also a MN baker, and don't have my own business... someday.. for now though I volunteer bake for Birthday Cakes 4 Free MN, and do kids birthday cakes at a couple shelters in Minneapolis. That allows me to keep making cakes and improving my skills without breaking any rules.
I also didn't know about the farmer's market... so that's great info!

oh and I'm down in Rosemount, MN

I am a business in MN. I do rent kitchen space. You can have a home based business, however it needs to be a seperate area that can be completely closed off to the rest of your home, such as an addition that has a door, and it needs to have it's own entrance.

You can not use items from that business for your personal use. Like if you ran out of butter in your home, you can not go into the shop and grab some. You can not have pets.

It does need to be commercially equiped and inspected.

Farmers markets fall into a different catagory than selling cakes for events.

It's hard and frustrating. I dream about my own space and one day it will happen. I hope to either add an addition on or to open my own shop.

I'm towards St. Cloud

Do you mind me asking what it costs you to rent kitchen space?

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond.

I pay $20 per hour

MN snow, Where do you find space for only $20/hr? I've called a couple places in the twin cities area, but nothing that cheap, not even my church

I am in SW MN. I am the only decorator for a a very small town grocery store.

Are any of you MN ICES members, they are having a fantastic DOS April 8, 9 & 10th in Bloomington at the Hilton/St.Paul, with many talented well know cake artist teaching classes. Michele Bommarito, Mike Terry, Mike Elder, Joe Bushnell, Peggy Tucker to name a few.

If anyone would like full info on this you can go to www.MNICES.com and click on events.

Sounds like a really educational fun weekend. I am planning on going!

I rent from a banquet facility near Milaca

Wanted to add that I recieved a phone call yesterday that there will be a state of the art incubator kitchen opening in St. Louis Park soon. It will be about 900.00 per month rent which gives you 24/7 access to your own room. I think the rooms will be 10x12 and you are the only one that has access to that room. There will be a central kitchen area, where the ovens, sinks and such are located.

In your room you will store your stuff, have your own frig and do all your decorating there. The 900.00 a month covers all utilities.

I was contacted because I had googled incubator kitchens in MN and there is a site which you can list your contact information on of your interest. Sorry I don't remember the name but it's the only one.

Thanks for the link on the MN ICES. I didn't think we had one. Anyone here planning on going? I've never been to a cake convention before but it looks like fun.

Rose_N_Crantz- I have been attending the ICES in SD as it is a little closer for me. This will be the first year that I might be able to go to the MN one. I met Peggy Tucker while I was in Florida visiting family, she was promoting the Isomalt Sticks with the lady who invented them, so weird to run into a MN caker in a Cake store in Orlando, FL.

I do cakes strictly for family fun at this point. I am in Robbinsdale.

Recent story on a Minneapolis incubator kitchen:


http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/12/29/kindred-kitchen/?refid=0

Your zoning laws vary county by county and that would come into play. You would need to do city/township applications for it. It is my understanding they main thing they are concerned with is the amount of traffic your business would generate and how that would impact your neighborhood.

For instance, if you were open by appointment only, the amount of traffic gemerated would be minimal. If you were to open a store front type building and be open 9-5, you would generate more traffic which wouldn't be so minimal then.

When I spoke with my township board this is how it was explained to me. Not only with traffic increase but with supply deliveries. Are your supplies being delivered by a semi and causing more damage to the roads. And yes, I had a semi deliver. I ordered boxes and because of the weight they had to be delivered by semi. So that would be a concern for your town/city/township because they have to maintain and repair those roads.

Check with your city/town/township regulations. I know the state (Dept of health) does allow attached home businesses. If your city/town/township does not, then your out of luck

That's true, zoning is different for different towns. I told the guy it would just be a custom cake shop- there wouldn't be nearly the amount of traffic as a bakery. Much of it would also be delivery. He didn't seem to care. In fact, he didn't seem to know a whole lot about it in general, except to repeat to me (several times) that you couldn't have a commercial business in a residential neighborhood. I got the run around quite a bit with everyone I talked to.

I'm a hobby baker, friends and family only. However I am considering donating cakes like jcstefanick
does to keep developing my skills. There is no way I'm good enough yet to sell but maybe someday.

St. Paul area.