I have been looking for a kitchen to rent that is not a gazillion dollars. Of course u know we cant legally bake outside of our homes in California.

I was speaking to an owner of a restaurant today regarding catering an event and she ask how I heard about her for cateering so I told her how I got her information but that my friend had also eaten in her restaurant Saturday and had given a high recommendation.. She responded that that was good to hear because she trys very hard in her business and its hard sometimes..

to this I remarked, oh yes I can imagine how difficult it is to run a business, I myself bake cakes and pastries and I am trying to find a commercial kitchen to rent on a per day or per hour basis. She was like well, I am a commercial kitchen! I was dumbfounded.. I told her that if she was open to the possibility I would love to come talk to her about renting her kitchen. she said most definately, we all have to help each other.. I was like OK! so now, i have to search cc and find out what I should ask for/offer, for cost, storage and I gotta call regarding facilities and everything..

please pray for me..

What a huge break! That's great. Unfortunately I don't have any advice for you. I just wanted to wish you good luck.

alex

You may have hit the mother lode Samele! Wow I hope ths works into something for you, it would be wonderful. You could quit the bank before you know it.

That is so great! I will be thinking of you. I am not too far from you, in Antioch, lived in Vallejo years ago!

Best of luck.

Melissa

for some reason i didnt get notification.. I was bummed that no one replied LOL.

Nice to meet ya melissa!

thanks for the well wishes everyone

Woo hoo! A potential kitchen to rent! Good for you!

well, i visited the restaurant, an i think that i really cant bake there except just to have a commercial kitchen.. She has a commercial oven but its still only like standard size, its not 2 ovens side by side or anything. So I would still be pacing myself like I was at home.I introduced myself to the owner but we didn't discuss anything becasue she was busy..

I also have a friend who HAS a bakery its in Sacramento (about 45 minutes from me) and she has said that I can bake there.. she has been saying that. The first issue with me was the distance, then I sais hey I commuted 40 minutes to go work a corp job why not for my own biz.. but then once I got over that hurdle, I realized that she now allows a catering company to rent the kitchen so we would need to coordinate with 3 business (the catering company doesn't use the oven (they have their own regular oven) but the shop is only like 900-1000 sq feet. so I am still praying on that..

The peace of mind that comes with being legal is priceless. This way you can advertise and be open and proud. -- (especially if she is going to give you "friend" pricing for rent --

well her rent is 950 or so and the pay half to be able to come and go as they please, so I could either go thirds or half of her half (friend pricing LOL) but I really do have to get with her and check out how they use the shop and such becasue if we all tried to be in there at one time it wouldnt be good

I would bet there is some place you can rent a little closer to home, I would actively check into it. The bummer is when renting someone else's biz, you have to work around their schedule

ok, this is about a month old.. I went back to the restaurant today and looked around.. The place is ok.. It is bigger than my house of course and legal. LOL she has one oven, but so do I at home LOL.. she has lots of storage space, so I could buy my hi-ratio and all that in bulk and keep it there (maybe for a small storage fee. she didn't really know what to ask me for, so I figure I would check some things out and get back with her..

Now calling all the county offices is a pain.. I called my home county becasue I want to use my home address as my bus addy if I can becasue I will just be renting space.. she told me I need license from my city and the city where the restaurant is (also a diff county but just next door) then I called that city license office and they toldme I don't need a lic in that city if I am not actually conducting business there and only renting a space to manufacture.

then I called the health dept. excuse me, environmental services LOL to hold for 20 min only to find out I have to leave a mssg. cause the inspector on duty is not at her desk LOL

whew!

I really hope things work out for you. Sounds like you're learning a lot! Keep us posted.

Good luck!
Melissa in Antioch

It is so nice to know what I will have to work out when the time comes. So much to consider!
Thanks for sharing your experiences!!!
Sweetiemama

Samele -

That's totally exciting news and I know that you'll find a solution that totally works for you. Your cakes are awesome and I'm so happy for you that you will finally be able to sell legally!

GOOD LUCK! Fingers are crossed and prayers are coming your way.

Carol

Be patient and trust God. This could be your connection but maybe it is not the right time. He will bring the perfect (right) opportunity across your path at the right time. He is way smarter than we are. It will be a divine connection!

Ps 3:5 & 6

the owner of the restaurant called me yesterday and gave me a fair cost for free reign (when she is open and closed) of the kitchen.. there is enough space that I could work around her if she was there (the kitchen is almost bigger than the seating area. LOL

I have to work out if I could afford that fair cost LOL. I have also gotten all of the information I need from city, and county offices (both county health offices, since my home (business address) is in one county and my prep location, is in another. I have also contacted the state office that regulates wholesale, so I could find out about selling cakes in restaurants. the gudelines are pretty straightforward, just since I would be renting a restaurant is where I need to confirm the process.

Hopefully, i could go at it in mid august/September

Samele, THAT IS SO EXCITING!!!! I am so happy for you. Congratulations . . . I know you'll be able to get all of the smaller details worked out. What a dream come true!

That's so exciting Samele. Keep us updated.

Congratulations! I wish you all the best.

Thank you for sharing your "journey". I am thrilled for you. I too have been looking for store fronts and am thinking of just finding a kitchen to rent as well.

I am in the central Valley (Modesto) area and I am intrigued as to how things work out.
Keep us posted or PM me...

Don't give up on your dream!

I will be praying for you too!

good luck and keep us posted!

That's great, I hope it all works out for you.

I am so glad things are falling into place for you.

Such exciting news!! Yea for you. We'll be thinking of you.

OK, so it has been a couple of weeks, how is it going??? Good I hope!

hey Dezz, no progress yet! I am still preparing to go rent the restaurant, but I'm in like a catch 22 situation.. gotta have $$ to rent and need clients to get $$ LOL.

she is willing to work with me on the cost some though, I am waiting on some funds to come through so I could have my cush.. so Im juts playing the waiting game!

Oh, well I wish you the best! It will all work out I'm sure! I have ads posted on Cragslist trying to get some kitchen space, but I am in no hurry. Let me know how things work out!

Des

If her oven is really inconvenient for you, as you build up some cash you may want to approach her about putting an oven there, like a small hobart or something like that. I have a friend that got out of the doughnut business recently. He loaned me the oven they used for cookies. It sits on a roll around cart and is about 2feet by 2feet. You could roll it out of the way when not using it. Gotta have 220 power to it though.

I am going today to my county health dept. to get my "low risk catering license" although the restaurant is in solano county, my business address is in napa county becasue it is a home based business (invitations, favors and such). So i have to take a copy of her health permit from solano county (got it) a letter stating that I will be renting space in her kitchen (got it) and a description of the food portion of my biz (typing it) my catering permit will basically allow me to cook anything but of course I only cook desserts for the public LOL. the permit is $315 a year and I have to have it before my biz licence is approved since I listed that I will be baking on the lic. application... I plan on working in the restaurant only when she is there at least until January. then we will revisit the free access cost. I will have a shelf or 2 in the fridge and the freezer, and like half a room upstairs for dry and paper storage... I am excited...