I am trying to figure out all the legal ways to open up a small business to sell Cake Pops. I live in the Los Angeles area, so I am not able to do it out of my home. I have been getting the "run-around" about what kind of licenses and so on...but I'm completely lost!!!
Anyone have any knowledge they can share, please?!?!

Thanks!
xoxo

im in the process of opening up a pastry/custom cake shop in Los angeles and let me just say....

Go to the Health department first, they will give you all the codes and things you need to have in your shop before they will license you. Being its a food product the list is long... I was rather lucky and found a locatin that had an existing kitchen with a hood already in it, which by the way is probably the most expensive item, but I still need to make tons of corrections. Don't get discouraged there is a lot of foot work ahead but in the end you will have your shop. I have been in the process since January and don't see it opening up till about Mid June or early July...

Health department first... hope this helps

B

Make sure you have a solid business plan first...getting started as a legal food service business in CA is pretty expensive, so you'll want to make sure you'll be able to make enough profit off the cake pops (while still paying yourself a decent wage) to keep the business afloat.

You'll also want to look ahead to future trends so you're ready once the demand for cake pops starts to fade.

Just wanted to ditto your replies, both are excellent answers and right on the money.

I looked into a place last year that needed everything installed for a professional kitchen: It was going to cost $70,000. So yes, look for a place with an existing kitchen.