I Looked At A Bakery For Sale Today.
Business By ellavanilla Updated 16 Dec 2013 , 2:13pm by BrandisBaked
It's still pie in the sky and I'm not the only one looking, but the place felt like home to me and I think I could be happy there.
The numbers are very soft and the lease needs renegotiation, I don't know about leasehold improvements or anything, but *sigh* the idea of it is very exciting right now.
The owner/baker goes in at 1am to bake. This seems a bit early, especially when they offer a small selection of pastries, and breads, and that's it. I have no idea what his rationale is. Why not proof the bread the night before and put it in the cooler until morning? They don't make any cakes, at all. Everything was pastry with laminated dough. They have a sheeter (squee!). They have a nice sandwich station, but no indication from the outside that sandwiches are made within. Honestly, all the pastries looked overbrowned (note to self, have the ovens checked), but I tried their specialty, a spinach cheese croissant, and it was wonderful. I will be negotiating on that recipe, for sure. It has a large window in the front. I am imagining a cake decorator putting on a show for passers by. Oh the dreams!
more when I have more to report...
Jen
The numbers are very soft and the lease needs renegotiation, I don't know about leasehold improvements or anything, but *sigh* the idea of it is very exciting right now.
The owner/baker goes in at 1am to bake. This seems a bit early, especially when they offer a small selection of pastries, and breads, and that's it. I have no idea what his rationale is. Why not proof the bread the night before and put it in the cooler until morning?
... It has a large window in the front. I am imagining a cake decorator putting on a show for passers by. Oh the dreams!
more when I have more to report... Jen
Dreams are nice, but don't forget the daily reality of running a retail bakery. (Your first paragraph has several red flags.) I know how tempting this can be, but things will look very different once you're on the other side of the counter.
For instance, there are many reasons to start at 1 am. You need to ask the owner "his rationale." You can also ask him why he doesn't just "proof the bread the night before and put it in the cooler until morning." It may not be that simple.
If you move ahead be prepared that your life will revolve around your business. Good luck, Jen.
My biggest question is always "if this is such a great business, why are you selling?". Not that great of location? No walk in traffic? So tired that you want to cry? And is he making the laminated dough every night at 1:00 a.m.? Croissants are so time intensive (those made in house) that I think you have to be in a very special location to charge what it would take to turn a profit there.
I hope you get some good answers after speaking with the owner more. If it turns out to be a great opportunity, I wish you the best of luck with it!
Liz
go for it
just do it
sounds great
do it do it do it so do it
how very exciting -- keep me posted -- so happy for you
i just want to encourage you to keep wisely following your dream and your heart--
!!!! YAY, JEN !!!!
Quote:
Dreams are nice, but don't forget the daily reality of running a retail bakery. (Your first paragraph has several red flags.) I know how tempting this can be, but things will look very different once you're on the other side of the counter.
For instance, there are many reasons to start at 1 am. You need to ask the owner "his rationale." You can also ask him why he doesn't just "proof the bread the night before and put it in the cooler until morning." It may not be that simple.
If you move ahead be prepared that your life will revolve around your business. Good luck, Jen.
I agree. We just closed our storefront that we had for about two years, and one of the reasons was exactly what Mimi said here- it consumes your life. You don't have time or energy for anything else. As Mimi said, consider the daily reality of running a retail bakery- it's a lot of work, repetition, and drudgery. Not that we didn't enjoy it at all, but it got to where we felt like we were beating our head against a wall and getting nowhere because, although the store did pretty well, the overhead was oppressive and EVERY dime went to that. We went into it knowing that was going to be hard work, we counted the cost and all that, but it still kicked our butt. I have never felt so much relief and happiness as the day we closed our doors.
Truly not trying to be a dream crusher here! 
I just want to make sure anyone who is contemplating a bakery knows what they are getting themselves into.
I appreciate everyone's comments, and I welcome more!
I am aware of the things everyone has mentioned and I'm not ready to make an offer yet. I'm confident that I am as ready as I can be. I already own my own business and I am familiar with the hours and responsibilities.
I think I can go in there and do good work, but I labor under no false assumptions right now.
It's still talk. I'm just enthusiastic.
:D
AI believe there was a thread on here just recently about how anybody can open a bakery. ;-)
I say go for it.
AI agree. Just keep in mind - You never know what you don't know. ;-)
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