I am so happy for you! What an exciting time.

Here's a link to the book Deana mentioned:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0910627339/?tag=cakecentral-20

(I just so happened to have it on my wish list, lol).

Congrats! I am so excited for you!

I am not ready to open a cake business yet, but I am in the research phase of opening a catering business (will add cakes later).

I am excited to just be in the research phase so I'm sure you are jumping up and down to actually have a location!

Here are a couple of pictures, mostly of the front of the store. I'm going to try to remember to take photos every other day or so to keep in a scrapbook. The first thing I wanted to do was the front windows, so we ripped up the nasty carpet and put in the laminate flooring that will also be on the floor in the front area of the store. In the day 2 pic, you can see one of the 2 antique display cases that the landlord is providing for me to use. Today we mostly unloaded the building supplies and made phone calls, so no physical changes except for a big pile of lumber added to the mess. LOL

Cute site with lots of potential!

Oh I just LUV buildings like that! I'm past envy...... pure green jealousy!!!

I wanted to add, that is my husband in the window in the day 1 pic. He is such a blessing!! So far, he has painted the ceiling & walls with lacquer (had to make them scrubbable surfaces by making them glossy) for the kitchen area, done the laminate flooring in both of the windows and a small area of the floor, put an extra lacquer finish on the 2 tables I bought for the customer area, and today did a lot of heavy lifting carrying lumber in from the sidewalk- after working a half-day at work. All of this, he has done with a smile. He has the work ethic of a saint. Sorry ladies, he's MINE!!

Wow! congrats! I love the look of your shop already
Keep us posted on how it goes, and be sure to take a good grip on your hubby or someone could try to steal him from you Maybe he's got the same "serial number" as my hubby! He also helps me a lot with my biz.

Good wishes to your business!

I have just started looking around for a location, and your shop looks like what I am looking for. I wish you the best of luck, and hope some of your good fortune spreads to the rest of us on CC who are close to where you are now in the process.
-meg

COngratulations, what great news - be sure to keep us updated!!

Here's a couple of new pics! We're getting close! Now if the landlord/electrician would just do his part, I could get all of my inspections scheduled. (grrr.... don't even get me started on THAT subject...)

I am so happy for you!! Your shop looks like it has lots of character already! I can't wait to see the finished pictures! Please keep us posted!

You're always on "growth-mode", so you will fill that refrigerator faster than you think! I'm still hoping to be able to come up and see it when it's all finished!

Knowck'em dead, Killer! Best of luck.

If I lived close, I would pitch in on the construction (rare guy here!) and ask for a entry level decorator job!

E

Oh what an aorable sroew front. Congrats how exciting. The pictures were fun to look at the progress is amazing its wonderful to see it all coming together. I have to admit I am a tad jealous right now, well its a lot more than a tad lol
I am really happy for you

I haven't read all the posts, but I've read that respond.com is a great way to get customers (for wedding cakes). One member here was able to get a loan based on her business from this site alone.
Good luck! I'm sure you'll do GREAT!!!!

Your shop front is awesome! That is kinda what I picture when I think of how I want my shop to look!! Congrats to you and best of luck on your endevour. We are all pulling for you!!!

You're right lsawyer, that member is indydebi, who posted 3 posts above you. She does catering too! I was actually just revising my respond.com listing today. I had an inactive listing, but since they've added a wedding cake category, I need to get it up and active again! I have a free listing at onewed.com also. I get a lot of hits on my website from that one, but I've never had a customer tell me that they found me from the link.

indydebi- I sure hope that you'll be able to come up!!! That is so neat that you have friends in my area, what a small world, huh?

Congrats!!! Try to stay on the ground for a little while so you don't get in over your head because you want to go, go, go! Take the time to do your research just like you would have done in 1 1/2 years like you planned. It easy to get caught up in the excitement of opportunity and miss important stuff! (Wow, I sound like my mother!)
Anyway, make sure to have as much counter top as you can fit in your space, you can never have too much, and give yourself a decent sized desk for a computer, files etc. You'll need space to keep track of supplies, ordering, order forms, and then some. They'll be some book work that'll have to be done and you don't want to be constantly dragging papers back and forth from home, something will get lost or you just won't have what you need in front of you when you need it.
As far as supplies go, a rolling bakery rack is invaluable. I set cakes on it to cool, boxed up orders waiting to get picked up, you name it. Vertical space is the best space.
Otherwise, it looks like you are on the way!! Keep your head down and just keep plugging along, it'll be done before you know it! Again, congratulations and the best of luck to you! I've been open for 7 years and counting and it's always a work in progress!
-Lori

Thanks for the great advice Lori! I will have an 8x9' office in the space, with a computer coming soon. (DH wants me to sell a few cakes first.) I bought a great desk, and I'll have a rectangular restaurant table in the office for doing drawings & bridal consultations.

I met with an accountant today for some advice, and a rep from GFS. Then I hit the Wilton tent sale to buy pans. I found SS 4' work tables at Sam's Club for $120 yesterday, which seemed like a good price. I have 1 cooling rack in storage, but I think I might get another one.

I'm buying a 4' counter for the front, and I'll have the top of a 10' antique display case as well. Do you think that will be enough? I have a matching 10' display case that I'll use for seasonal displays and dummy cakes. Wait til I post a pic of the cute tables I got! They are really neat. It probably won't be until Monday though, I've got a lot of baking to do this weekend.

Again, thank you for the input!

OMG! soo jealous! love the vintage feel of the out side of the building and modern inside. I can totally picture a bunch of your cakes on display. Oh here is a picture I have that might resemble your window.

momsandraven,
I'm so excited for you!! The building has a wonderful look and the inside is a dream. WOW!! Thanks for posting the pics of your progress. It's very exciting to see what you're accomplishing. If you weren't so far away I'd sure love to come help out. Heck I'd come help out even when you got open. I'd love to work in a great place like that! I see so many great old store fronts made into
wonderful shops when I visit my freinds in Sandwich, Ill every fall. I think this is thrilling! I'm watching the progress. Best of luck to you and that great man of yours.

Sincerely,
Carol

Congratulations! It looks amazing. It's so exciting to watch fellow cakers dreams come true! You've definitely got the talent, now you've got the shop . . . it's only a matter of time until your hiring help to keep up with the client's demands!

Good luck! I can't wait for the next installment of pictures. Best of luck with the Grand Opening, too!

I'm doing the same thing right now just signed my lease yesturday and put the deposit on my kitchen equipment convection commercial oven, prep tables bun racks, custom 3 comp sink and all that stuff. I will open July 1st.

Wow, that window display is gorgeous! I've been searching the internet for great window display pictures, anyone else got a picture saved of a window they loved? I have a couple of ideas, but doing displays is not really my 'forte'.

Thanks so much for all of the encouragement! I wish you all lived nearby, I'd hire most CC'ers in a heartbeat!

Forgot to add,

CONGRATS Cakesondemand!!

I'd love to see pics of your space too! Please post some!

may god bless you and your business, and i hope that you are very happy with what you are doing! =)

Congrats Momsandraven! I am so excited for you! I love the progress pics and cannot wait to see the finished project! I pray abundance and success in your business!!!

WOW!! Your place is AWESOME!! Congrats! Wow. the whole time I was reading this I was in awe. You deserve it. I wish you many years of sucess

That hubby of yours is a keeper. It just makes me smile to hear of wonderful marriage stories like yours.

Where is your shop at? I live in IL and would love to come and support you on yotu grand opening day!!!

CONGRATS!!!!

Just read through the whole rope. Congrats! You seem to be in a high traffic are so I was wondering, are you just doing cakes by order, or will you be selling cupcakes, etc to walk-by customers? Is the coffee house a personal business or a chain? I'm excited that they could possibly drum up business for you. "Do you make these cupcakes? No, we buy them from the wonderful cake place next door."
Of course, if its a Starbucks...they won't do that.
Looking forward to more updates! Are you still on date for your opening? That's a little more than a week!!