Commercial Kitchen Rental ?'s

Business By KakesbyKris Updated 4 Mar 2011 , 3:04am by KakesbyKris

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KakesbyKris Posted 4 Mar 2011 , 1:29am
post #1 of 3

I have found 2 options for CK.
One is with a working caterer. Pros-He is already licensed so if I understand things right, I can work off of their license for the kitchen. (I know I need my business license). The network would be good, I recommend him, he recommends me. Hopefully would give me more clients. Cons- 1/2 hour away, $10 an hour(more than option 2). I can't work when they have a catering job.
Option 2 is a bakery that closed down 1 1/2 years ago and is sitting empty.Pros-Because it has been empty so long the owner would take anything so I offered $50 a day and they took it. I would be the only one using it so I am not limited. 15 mins. away. Cons-I have to get all licensing. I assume the kitchen is up to code since it was a bakery. I can't get a hold of anyone at the health dept to give me answers of what I need to do. It would be non-binding so if they found a permanent monthly renter @ $1200 a month I would be out, but I could always go to option 1.

Any advice would be great and info on licensing a kitchen that you rent would help! TIA!

2 replies
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WykdGud Posted 4 Mar 2011 , 2:48am
post #2 of 3

Well, I'm renting from a bakery (during the hours she isn't open) and one of the things I insisted on in the contract was 60 days notice. I often take cake orders months in advance with a 50% deposit due at the time of the order. So, if I were to get kicked out with no notice, I would have no options for "legally" fulfilling my orders.

If you get the boot, what will you do regarding any pending orders? Are you willing to give refunds and get a bad rep for cancelling on people (possibly with too short of notice for them to make alternate plans)? Are you willing to bake from home illegally (if it's illegal in your area)?

The second option sounded much better until you mentioned that they could throw you out at a moment's notice. I'd rather go with the first if that's the case.

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KakesbyKris Posted 4 Mar 2011 , 3:04am
post #3 of 3

That's a good point. I would ask for a clause for some kind of notice. I do have back-up. I can go to option 1 to complete orders. Even though he has advertised that he would rent his kitchen, I am the first to ask about it. He was actually very excited. Option 2 also owns a little burrito place and said that there is an option that I could use their kitchen. It just is not ideal, they do not close until 7p so it would be late night baking and they are closed on the weekends. All in all I have back-up just not ideal and the only interest that has been in this bakery(option 2) was a couple who wanted to make "pot" food but couldn't get licensed.
It is very illegal here to home bake, just everyone does it. The Wilton instructors even tell their students how to bake under the radar. That's a whole other issue!!

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