I haven't posted in over a month or so because I have been busy with all the planning. This I have to say fell into my lap. By the grace of God it was meant to be.
First I was given all the equipment that was repoed from a bakery. Then found this building that had most the equipment, the hood, the seating and everything in it that I didn't have. The landlord gave me two months free rent on top of everything.
So we moved in and started work last saturday.
We opened a Bakery and Cafe. I know we will need daily income other than cakes. So we have breakfast, a specialty sandwich menu and mon - fri we have a hot lunch special. I think that the first week went well. Many local residents are very happy to see us. There isn't much around there other than pizza and fast food.
I just am so excited and wanted to share. If it had not been for Cake Central I would not know how to do any of what I do. I learned everything I know from here and here I am now owning my business in a store front living my dream!
Thank you everyone!
Oh we named it Carolina Bakery and Cafe.
Here are a few pics.
They are not posting so you can see them on our facebook http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=65096&id=209737025718658&saved
Congratulations! Thank you for sharing your wonderful news! Good luck!
Thanks. We did pretty good for the first week I think. We ended up with 2 wedding cakes
a 1/2 sheet custom cake and a carved cake order. Plus the breakfast lunch traffic and restocked our bakery case 3 times (have to do it again today for opening tomorrow cause we have sold out of almost everything).
We are happy. My husband is disabled and I haven't found a job since I lost mine almost 3 yrs ago. We sunk everything we had into this (and trust me it wasn't much). But I really feel like it will be good. I am still looking for higher sales but I do believe they will come. People are still realizing we are here and when they do come in they come back. We already have some daily customers which is great!
I am excited though and I thought it would never happen. I don't have money. Means to gets loans due to my credit (when hubby became disabled we lost everything). We have struggled month to month, but we managed to scrape together $4000 and opened this place on that. I just want others to know that it can be done on a tiny budget. I see those on here who spend 50K to 250K to get open and it made me thing I can never do it. But I found a way and if I can you can!
Good luck to everyone and thanks so much for the Congrats!
Just wanted to say you inspired me. I am in the same situation with a husband who has a heart disease and been out of work for 2 years and a daughter who is gonna need a new liver. I am going to find a way to do it. First we took a room in our house to dedicate it to cake. We have been working weeks solid.I hope to be legal by may, but I want a store front as well. I am looking cause my mom got here restaurant for rent free for a year in exchange for the work that needed to be done. It can be found and I'm determined but for now i will be happy doing it in my little room. I would do it from my moms restaurant if it wasn't a 45 min commute. Good luck, I hope your business does great. Like you we only have one cake business in this area and they don't do fondant.
Definitely move forward if you feel that is what you truly want! I found my place it was rent free for 2 months. All I did was put down a deposit. It was already set up with pretty much everything. It had a 3 door fridge 2 door freezer all my sinks, mop sink, griddle, sandwich prep stations, a bunch of small wares, ss tables, booths, all kinds of things. I was given a lot of equipment and what I didn't need I sold to get the money up. But there are other ways, PM me and I can give you the auction website where you can get some equipment really cheap. All they do is auction restaurant stuff. And a lot of the stuff comes from Virgina.
But I can understand on the heart thing. My husband died on me in 09 with his heart. They brought him back 3 times that day and put a defibrillator in his chest to keep his heart in rhythm. We also have been raising my son, my daughter, her daughter, her best friend and her son. There were days I sat in the basement with all the stuff I was given and cried. Thinking how great it was that I was given all of this but cannot do anything with it. It made me so sad. But it did happen. And it can happen. So don't give up your dream.
As far as the commute, that isn't too bad to get started though. 45 minutes. We are only about 20 min or so from our shop but my cousin is over an hour. I could guess around 1.5 hours away). But it is her dream and she is willing to go as long as it makes her dream come true. 
Congratulations!!! I wish you the best. I am going to be visiting nc this summer so I hope to find you and visit your shop!!
Your post and the picture link so inspire me as well. Your set-up looks SOOO awesome, it's just what I want to get into also. I'm really wanting to do a cake shop but also have some regular bakery items and coffee drinks for daily business as well. Luckily, in WY, I can keep doing the cakes from home but really want a store front...I have a perfect location as well, and it's on the market, however, the owners are off their rockers and are asking 5 times it's appraised value!! 
Best of luck to you in this new business...you're now added on to my mental list of heros! 
that is so wonderful! Best of luck and continued success to you
Thanks everyone! I am excited, and very tired lol. But good tired. So off to work I go...have a great day all!
congratulations, We opened our shop in Nov, wish we could find a deal like that. We are looking at another building up the road from where we are now, that is cheaper rent, but is not set up for food service. The landlord is willing to put the plumbing and electrical part in for us, but we would still have to buy the equipment needed for it.
Sounds like you got a great deal.
I would like to have that website too if you don't mind. Thanks.
It is RCIauctions.com Check them out. They have some great deals. Some of the auctions may be a ways away but for the price it would be worth the drive!
Your story is so inspiring! Thank you for posting details like money. I'm scrimping and saving too and hope to open my bakery whenever there is enough to do it. I will think of you often and will pray that all goes very well in your new place!!! God bless you.
Great story! Congratulations on getting started! I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!
How far away are you from Charlotte? If it's not too far, you could get a big jump in business around the time of the ICES convention!
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