On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:04:20 -0700 (PDT), Merryb
wrote:

On Apr 24, 12:09*pm, BH wrote:
On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:18:02 -0700 (PDT), Merryb
wrote:

I think the business is a fantastic idea!



Thanks, and no, I didn't ask any other groups. When I get it built,
you are more than welcome to come and test it yourself. Actually, I'd
like to start a business with a wood oven where folks could come in &
do their own baking, and also do pizza parties. Kinda like a
commercial bakery, but along the lines of the dinners to go
idea...classes, too!- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Do you really? Still tossin' it around in my head, but I think I can
come up with some kind of plan. I just wonder how many people would be
interested. It's definitely not something I've seen before, but I'd
hate to end up with a business that fails.

I was thinking more about this while mowing my lawn just now. What I
sort of envision is a small, park-like setting with a shelter, like
picnic shelters seen in parks, with electricity. The oven could be
under the shelter or just outside. I think the shelter might extend
your "season" by a couple of months, at least. I see a few picnic
tables that would seat 25-30 people. There would have to be running
water and a sink, probably with an on-demand water heater. There
would have to be at least basic "facilities" and a parking lot for a
couple dozen cars.

I think I would start marketing to birthday parties, small office
parties, etc. I think the idea of baking classes is good. You could
teach those yourself, and charge tuition of course, or rent the
facility to someone else to teach classes. You might get a community
college interested in offering the classes and renting the facility or
paying you to be the instructor. I think there would be quite a few
scout groups, church groups, etc., that would be interested in having
their events in a place like that. The problem with them might be
that would be unable, or hesitant, to pay a fee that would let you
make a buck. But, their members might be back for birthday parties,
too. It might be a promotional thing.

On the scale I am describing, I doubt it would ever be a big money
maker. But, you could get the oven, the shed, the tables, the wood
and everything else essentially paid for through tax deductions. If
you develop it "right" and in a good location, it could contribute to
the value of the property. I think if you were having an event, you'd
certainly have to fire up the oven well in advance to get the heat up
and stabilized. Then, I think you'd probably want to "test" it by
baking some of your own things before the customers arrived. (Do your
baking with fuel someone else pays for.) And, finally, operating the
facility could be a lot of fun as a spare-time pursuit.

What I envision could not be built where I live because of covenants
on the use of property. I might even get a lot of grief from the city
because of the wood smoke. We have a strictly enforced ban on "open
burning". I think the oven would not be considered "open", but that
might not prevent the fire department showing up every time they see,
or smell smoke. Over on the peninsula, you might have an easier time
finding a location where this could be done.

Does this describe something like what you had in mind, or were you
thinking of something entirely different?

Burney