Dear Cake Central,
Well, I never thought it could happen to me... 
I actually went and looked at a property for lease in my area today for the first time. It's a good location, great parking and access, busy road front for the shopping center, and it's a fairly new construction, so I'd be the first one in the space. They'll even build some walls for me, as long as they're not too specific to one business, and can possibly be used by the next tenant, if there is a next. the price is phenomenal, and the lease agreement is out of this world. They were also very excited to hear that I'm thinking of setting up a bakery with a little cafe area in the front, so folks can get a bagel or cinnamon roll, cup of coffee, and read the morning paper. 
So, a lot sooner than I actually though it would happen, I'm trying to get a business plan together. Someone has actually helped with the bulk of that... I just need to get numbers together!
SO here's my question for you bakery owners who use 'industrial' equipment... What kind is best? I've pretty much picked out coolers and display cases, fridged and non-fridged, and I hope I've done okay with those. But when I look at the ovens... I have no idea what I'm looking at or for! (Mainly, I'll be baking cakes, brownies, cookies, and tarts. I don't see me cooking much in the way of bread, since we have a BUNCH of bakeries in the area that do that, but they don't do much in the way of desserts or cakes.)
Any advice would be more than welcome, and would help a great deal in moving the process along, even if it's only a good website that explains how to pick an oven. I"m all for educating myself!
Thanks in advance for any help I can get!
Doni in NC
First things first. What amount of space do you have. What I mean is to measure the area where the oven and other items will go in to make sure that they will fit. Then make sure that the oven will work with what kind of power your business unit offers. This happens a lot to businesses where they buy a piece of equipment that doesn't fit or takes higher power than they have and it won't work.
Congrats on the new place!
Well, I don't have it yet, but I'm working on it. Hopefully within the next month or so, I'll have stuff in place to go to a family member who's promised to help me get started. Very low interest rate! LOL
As for the space, that's another question I guess I should ask. The place is 1200 sq ft, and as of this moment, it's wide open, except for the bathroom. I can pretty much decide where I want walls to be, and if it's something that a later tenant might be able to use, the landlord will take care of those. If not, then I'll have to do it, but still... So I need to figure out just how much space I'll need for the kitchen, storage, etc, and work that into it.
As for the power... I already know I'll have to call an electrician to handle that. The power that's coming in right now is for standard stuff, not for the needs of a bakery. (They found that out when a pizza place moved in across the way) It does have natural gas available, though, so if I want that for ovens and water, I can get it.
I"m hoping that I can find someone who knows this stuff to kind of mentor me, when I'm to the point where I actually need to purchase things. For now, I'm just trying to educate myself on the equipment I don't know, and get feedback from pros out there, if possible. Is there an actual consultant for this kind of thing? If so, anyone know where I'd look for one?
Thanks for the advice!!!
Congratulations! I think you should look into getting a Deluxe oven from here:
http://www.deluxeovens.com/
I'm saving my money for one. They make an oven specifically for cakes and I've heard great things about them. They were featured in ACD a few years back. I checked the price and it's about $3400 although they said they may have to raise their prices soon. I'll buy most of my equipment used but the oven isn't something I'm going to skimp on so I plan on buying that new. Good luck!
I got a Deluxe oven at the beginning of the year and I am so happy!!! I got a floor model so it was discounted! It makes my life so much easier. Right now I'm baking 9 cakes instead of 1 or 2 in my old oven. It's designed specifically for baking cakes. (the cr2-4 models) They have other models for other things. I haven't baked cookies in it yet, but I'm sure it will be great. It is THE BOMB for cupcakes! 
Also, you can get single phase or three phase, so it will work with whatever electric you have.
wonderful! Thanks for your input. This is all kinda coming from left field, as my hubby has assured me that we can step up the five-year-plan to a one-year-plan, if we can get everything together and do it. Easy for him to say... he's not the one trying to find numbers and all that! LOL
Any other suggestions as to equipment that i can't live without is welcome, as well. I saw a 'checklist' at one equipment site, but I KNOW I can't possibly need everything that was on that list! LOL Some of it, yes, but certainly not all of it. I hope!
i agree, a Deluxe brand of oven. i too am saving for one of these. earlene moore uses it, and several other cd i know.
We have a big Blodgett 4 door that my staff loves because they can have all different things in the oven at once. [/quote]
what you need to ask your electrician is what phase you will have (phase 1 or 2etc) that will depend on the the oven you will be able to put in. If you go with gas you will need custom vents, they can be $10,000+ for one. Electric you may not need a vent just depends on requirements where you are. I have a phase one but if I ever moved it can be changed. My oven is a US range/ Garland convection oven and I love it. It has 6 shelves to fit the largest sheet pans and if I need another oven I can stack it. You will also need to make sure it will fit through your doors we barely made it no room to spare weighs 600 lbs.
what you need to ask your electrician is what phase you will have (phase 1 or 2etc) that will depend on the the oven you will be able to put in. If you go with gas you will need custom vents, they can be $10,000+ for one. Electric you may not need a vent just depends on requirements where you are. I have a phase one but if I ever moved it can be changed. My oven is a US range/ Garland convection oven and I love it. It has 6 shelves to fit the largest sheet pans and if I need another oven I can stack it. You will also need to make sure it will fit through your doors we barely made it no room to spare weighs 600 lbs.
If this ends up working out, the space I'm looking at won't have a problem getting it through the doors. It has a drive-in dock door. And I plan to have double doors into the kitchen, so that shouldn't be an issue, either.
but now that I've said it out loud (kind of), you know it won't be that easy! LOL
i have a southbend convection oven....2 doors...electric....great for cakes...sucks for cheesecake.
if you're going to get a nice oven....you don't wanna try to fill it up using a lil bitty mixer...kinda defeats the purpose...
i got a 30 quart hobart type, many don't like one this big, but i do...on saturdays i gotta fill it up 2 to 3 times with icing....
it holds a lot of batter too....it is way to heavy to move full of batter, so i have a stainless steel table right beside it with the foodscale on it....i just fill the pans from the mixer.....when it's empty...take the empty bowl to the sink....i also have an extra bowl....i think that dang bowl cost almost 400.00...LOL.
i also think you need a big freezer...mine is a double one...i put the chocolate cake on one side the white on the other...i like keeping the freezer full for the "cake emergencies .
even if they don't require it, i'd budget for a greasetrap...that frosting will set up in your pipes like concrete...i paid 500.00 for mine.
i don't have a very big fridge...i just don't really need one except for eggs and fillings.
i think i got 6 stainless steel tables...i like to spread out when i'm working....
i'm sleepy and can't think of anything else...good luck!
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