Location Advice

Business By maryjsgirl Updated 26 Jul 2007 , 6:23pm by maryjsgirl

maryjsgirl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
maryjsgirl Posted 24 Jul 2007 , 10:22pm
post #1 of 14

I found a possible location for a storefront for my bakery. The monthly rent is only $625. It was once a Subway, so there is already necessary requirements needed for a licensed kitchen. The traffic count is 38,000 vehicles per day. It is located in front of a Home Depot.

Now the bad part....

It's neighbor is an "exotic video" store along with a child consignment shop. Could the video store make or break me, or am I making a bigger deal than it needs to be? Plus, things go in and out quite frequently so that could be bad for me, but good if the store goes out of business.

So if anyone has any advice it would be appreciated.

13 replies
indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 24 Jul 2007 , 11:02pm
post #2 of 14

It's probably 6 of one, half-dozen of the other.

Many people will not go to a business located near an "exotic" store because of the exotic's clientele. If you have evening hours (sampling appts, etc), this could be a negative factor .... ("Don't go into that neighborhood at night!")

Also, what dollar value market do you want to be in? If you are wanting to be better than walmart pricing, a consigment shop and this type of video store doesn't seem (to me) to be the type to pull in the clientele who would "appreciate" custom cake pricing.

But that rent and the advantage of having a lot of build-out already done is very attractive.

Weighing the two, I'd let location be the big factor for me.

Carolynlovescake Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Carolynlovescake Posted 24 Jul 2007 , 11:03pm
post #3 of 14

What a combo for neighbors... exotic videos and a children's consignment shop. You could sell adult themed cakes out one door, and children's themed cakes out the other. icon_lol.gif

Ok all humor aside...

Near a Home Depot AND a child's consignment shop... WOW! Do you know how many bored wives will see your place and wander over while hubby is lost in paint colors and hammers? Kids begging to see what cakes you have for their birthday coming up?

As for the video store... Here in my town we have adult stores all over the place some areas it seems like every 2 blocks they exist and in the "ditier and older" parts of town those shops have the police there all of the time. These are patronized by the homeless and classic "dirty old man" type of customer.

The stores where they are new, in a nicer and cleaner part of town it appears that the patrons of adult stores don't generally cause a problem. They are more of the "you and me" type who are clean cut, hard working middle class type of people.

The last thing any adult store (and even the patrons) want is to have issues with surrounding businesses because as soon as anything goes wrong they are always blamed first due to the type of products and industry the promote.

I doubt you will hear much from them and I doubt you will have any issues either.

You could have worse next door like a bar. My girlfriend was located next to one and regularly some times daily for weeks on end she would arrive to open up for the day and find vomit along her wall and windows, dried urin on her doors, beer bottles smuggled from the bar broken all over the sidewalk etc. Talk about a great way to attract business! We joked about her giving directions to her shop "yes I'm the one with barfed on windows, and please use a new pair of gloves I provided from the box by the door before opening it to avoid touching a drunkards pee from last night."

maryjsgirl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
maryjsgirl Posted 25 Jul 2007 , 12:35pm
post #4 of 14

Thanks ladies! I am going to keep looking I think. When I get things up and running I want something to be 100% proud of of. I don't think that would be possible if I am embarrassed of my neighbor.

Carolynlovescake Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Carolynlovescake Posted 25 Jul 2007 , 5:52pm
post #5 of 14

My husband tells me this all the time "we bought the house not the neighborhood".

This applies to business locations as well. You can't control your neighbors or what they do.

That video store could leave next month and a kids hair salon move in.

The consignment store could need to relocate to a larger space across town and in could come a nail salon.

Who's to say that in a new location a neighbor might be leaving and in comes another adult oriented shop?

Even though you can't be proud of what is next door, it's going to be out of your control no matter where you are.

I do suggest that you continue to look though especially if your gut feeling tells you it isn't "right".

Also remember your customers are there for you not the type of shop next door. If you are good they will go where you are. If you bake it, they will come!

As for the suggestion about after hours tastings at your place... I agree to be careful. Not because of the element next door but because no matter where you are, what you do, you need to be safe.

Bad guys are unfortunately out there regardless of the stores you neighbor up against and seeing women alone in a store after dark just invites trouble if the bad guy is desperate enough.

Then again if he's desperate enough the time of day isn't going to matter either. lol

If you don't feel right and your gut feeling says something isn't what is should be then I definately say keep looking.

CakeEscape Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
CakeEscape Posted 25 Jul 2007 , 6:13pm
post #6 of 14

To me.. as long as it wasnt a scuzzy looking place on either side I would be cool with it.

AnythingSugar Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
AnythingSugar Posted 25 Jul 2007 , 6:29pm
post #7 of 14

I really don't think the stores around you will make any difference. I do think if the location is in a BAD section of town then that will make a Huge difference.

I say this because I have lived near Myrtle Beach my entire life. There are bars, aphrodite shops, sex videos, and strip clubs EVERYWHERE LOL.
None of the businesses near them seem to suffer because they are not in a sleezy section of town. I frequent a hamburger joint (they have great homemade burgers LOL) located right beside an aphrodite shop LOL. That shop won't stop me from getting my burgers.

Cassie1686 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Cassie1686 Posted 25 Jul 2007 , 6:35pm
post #8 of 14

This sounds to me like kind of a big concern. In my opinion, the negative outweighs the good here. Personally, as a new mom, I don't think I would be comfortable taking my child into a shopping center like that, I just like to avoid the tough questions for as long as possible, you know? I am sure that a lot of people do not feel this way, however. Like you said, don't do something you won't be 100% proud of. I have never owned a bakery, but as a former small business owner (hair salon), I learned that when the right thing comes along, you will know! Wait for a better opportunity to come along, I'm sure it's coming!

Cindy-loo Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Cindy-loo Posted 25 Jul 2007 , 8:04pm
post #9 of 14

I would definitely go with your gut.

On the other hand, like any other location you are looking at, sit down and watch the people. How else will you know who visits and walks by? Go INTO the stores. You may be surprised.

Also- many people that like sex like cake, too! Forbidden Bites.

maryjsgirl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
maryjsgirl Posted 26 Jul 2007 , 12:45am
post #10 of 14

Thanks for all the replies! icon_biggrin.gif

Well I found a new location that I think will work out great. The other place was in the large city (around 500,000 people) I live next to. I live in a small town of about 12,000 just minutes away. Well while driving down our "Main St" I found a home for sale. It is only one house down from the business district. Neighbors would be a Dominos Pizza and a beauty/barber shop(owned by our friends). It's already zoned for commercial business so I don't have to worry about trying to get it rezoned.

I need to check with the Health Department...if they ever call me back....and see if I could convert the upstairs into a separate apartment. Then the rent would cover the mortgage! I think between me being there during the day and our friends living across the street I won't have to worry too much about rowdy renters. icon_wink.gif

Well we are going to go check it out on Friday so wish me luck and I will keep you updated.

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 26 Jul 2007 , 12:49am
post #11 of 14

All things happen for a reason! Keep us posted!

maryjsgirl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
maryjsgirl Posted 26 Jul 2007 , 5:44pm
post #12 of 14

Thanks Debi! icon_biggrin.gif

The Health Department called me today. I can convert the upstairs into an apartment as long as it has a separate entrance of course. Now I am waiting for another member of the Health Department to call me back with more info on kitchen layouts, requirements, etc.

marthajo1 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
marthajo1 Posted 26 Jul 2007 , 6:01pm
post #13 of 14

How exciting!! Congratulations and keep us posted!

maryjsgirl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
maryjsgirl Posted 26 Jul 2007 , 6:23pm
post #14 of 14

Thanks Debi! icon_biggrin.gif

The Health Department called me today. I can convert the upstairs into an apartment as long as it has a separate entrance of course. Now I am waiting for another member of the Health Department to call me back with more info on kitchen layouts, requirements, etc.

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%