Any suggestions on where to buy used equipment...sinks, etc.
I have had good luck with restraunt equipment auctions. It takes a bit of hunting and sometimes depends ont he competition shopping there that day, but it can be a fun hunt.
Spud Cake Your have gotton alot of information, my first reaction was the price on the bldg was great. You mentioned that you now have an in to operate in a licensed kitchen and that that will get some cakes from you. Just make sure that if you are signing anything to read between the lines. My greatest concern for you would be if they had a no competion clause in your agreement. If you decided to go out on your own, you may not be able to. This was just an example. I started out with a store front. It was a good starting point for me as far as the exposure. But I outgrew the building. I did not sell supplies, but I did teach 50 miles away. I used my students to help me when I needed some extra help, most of them enjoyed getting the one on one help and learning more decorating. I paid them of course, but then they'd just turn around and buy more cake stuff.I sold my building and built one on my property which is only a mile from my original location, I kept my same phone. MY home is on the same property and I love it. I have gotton out of the retail end and only do custom now. My first 4 years I built my clientele, they do not mind driving an extra mile to pick up cakes. SinceI have been out here I have so much more freedom and I am not stuck at a shop that has to have certain hours. I paid for my new building with my profits from the first location and can enjoy the profits now. Good Luck in whatever you do.
The kitchen I am going to use is actually one that I work at during the day as a lunch cook. The building does not belong to my employer, it is contracted to them a few days a week. So I will be renting not from my employer but the kitchen owner.
The owners are non-profit (Senior Center). So, no competition problem there. I actually held off on this because I was afraid of a conflict of interest but then I decided that what I do on my own time is my own business. I told my boss today and she thought it was a great idea...who knew 
. I bake my first cake order there this Saturday!! My first few cakes will actually be a trade off for a lunch I am doing for them for free.
Joanne
$285 is awesome! And if the only bakeries in your town are the Walmart / Kroger bakeries then the folks in your town are probably BEGGING for someone to give them an alternative! Selling cake decorating supplies is a great idea. I also have been doing this for 25 years and just signed a lease in a store front ($1200/month plus $300 common maintenance plus $25 for the sign on the big mall-sign thingy). You are not creating your competition! You are creating customers for your cake supplies! I'm also going to sell cake supplies and do decorating lessons just for this reason. 80% of those who sign up will do a few cakes before they throw their equipment in storage, you might have 2 or 3 who will continue to do cakes for family and friends (look at all the stuff they'll have to buy from you!) MAYBE you'll have one or two who really take off and do this for money.....and look at all the stuff THEY will have to buy from you! You will get so busy that you will NEED other decorators that you can refer your overflow to!
Do you have any festivals in your town? I know one lady who helped sponsor a cake walk. She got other businesses to help by having them sponsor a cake. She made a bunch of simple round cakes with the name of the sponsoring business on them. She charged a "sponsor" fee of somthing like $25 (this was a few years ago) that covered the cost of the cake, the "advertising" for the sponsor, and the expenses of the event. Her business card was on every cake box so the winners knew where the cake came from.
Volunteer to do cake decorating demo's for the high school home ec classes (or whatever they call them these days). Great word of mouth for graduations, weddings, 16 and 18th birthday parties, etc.
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